Another Unusual Fish Story

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Here's the question before the story: What caused this phenomenon? Here's the story: In 1972 I lived in New Orleans, LA and had an occasion to go fishing with a friend off the coast and tie up to one those blow-off valves near an oil rig. Our target was speckled trout. My friend would take a garbage can on board with him, fill it with fish, keep what he wanted, and sell the rest to restaurants. One night, late, we were fishing with rubber shrimp tales as bait. The catch was very good and we had caught half a garbage can full. My friend, as was his habit, would take a snooze in the bow of the boat about 3 in the morning. I was still fishing hard and wanted to continue for a while longer. It was very dark that night except when the blow-pipe would light up the gulf at various times when the pressure built up. About 30 minutes into my casting routine, something strange began to happen. I couldn't hear my lure hit the water. It sounded more like it was skipping off of something solid; and reeling in became a little sluggish. My friend was snoring in the bow. Just then the fire from the pipe lit up the ocean and revealed what it was that caused my confusion. Everywhere, as far as I could see, were small catfish, about 3 to 4 inches long, so tightly schooled together at the surface, you could hardly see the water. They were all around the boat with their mouths working as if they were gasping for air. I called my friend to come and look and he almost fell in when he saw it. He said he had been fishing those waters for most of his life and had never seen anything like it. Well, you now have the question and the story. Tell me what you think.