Snapper Season 2018

[EddieJoe]

Snapper season is now over for me. All trips were from Carrabelle in my boat.
Here are my reports:
1) Opening day, June 11, went with friend Al. Despite comforting NOAA weather reports, forecast seas and thunderstorms were rough and intense. We pounded for an hour through 3-5’ seas (NOAA 1-2’ translation) and faced a purple line of storms with lightning flashing. High tailed it to shore. Nothing doing.
2) A few days later, went by myself 21 miles SW of East Pass in 75’. No live bait, but managed two nice ARS and some grunts/ sea bass. Seas 2-3’, not too bad. Lots of short grouper.
3) July 11- Friend David and I headed S 21 miles to 90’ of water, had live bait and dead. Caught 4 really nice ARS, one red grouper (22”), numerous sea bass and grunts, and a king. One vermillion. Tons of short grouper.
4) July 13, today - David and I hit same spot as previous trip with only dead bait. Still boxed 4 ARS, 9 beeliners, sea bass, 24” gag, and lots of short grouper.
Hooked an enormous bull shark on a casting reel I was using for beeliners baited with a small piece of bait. Fought him to the boat just to see that fat, scary, mean guy up close. Worked really hard to bring him in and it took a while. Rod doubled up with short pumps and long runs for many minutes.

Last time I will go this ARS season. Good times and fillets in the freezer. It’s a long trip each time, but fun.

EJ


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[Salty Gator]

Thanks for the good reports. We went again Thursday and got a quick limit in 60’. I think we will let them have until next season off as well. Been a good season; none of the folks I’ve talked to can remember snapper being this good, I guess the restrictions they put on us the last few years did the trick

[EddieJoe]

Thanks for the good reports. We went again Thursday and got a quick limit in 60’. I think we will let them have until next season off as well. Been a good season; none of the folks I’ve talked to can remember snapper being this good, I guess the restrictions they put on us the last few years did the trick

Glad to hear they were still in 60’. The extended season has allowed me more time to fish, and that’s good. Can’t say whether it’s better, but sure is longer. A few days snapper season like in the past often yielded one maybe two trips, max.

Grouper, at least where I fish, are way down compared with the old days. Reasons I can argue about, but for sure they are less abundant.

EJ


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[Salty Gator]

Thanks for the good reports. We went again Thursday and got a quick limit in 60’. I think we will let them have until next season off as well. Been a good season; none of the folks I’ve talked to can remember snapper being this good, I guess the restrictions they put on us the last few years did the trick

Glad to hear they were still in 60’. The extended season has allowed me more time to fish, and that’s good. Can’t say whether it’s better, but sure is longer. A few days snapper season like in the past often yielded one maybe two trips, max.

Grouper, at least where I fish, are way down compared with the old days. Reasons I can argue about, but for sure they are less abundant.

EJ


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The folks I’ve asked that have fished here for years say they never caught 26” snapper in 60’ in july. But you’ve probably fished here as long or longer than the folks I’ve spoken with

[EddieJoe]

Thanks for the good reports. We went again Thursday and got a quick limit in 60’. I think we will let them have until next season off as well. Been a good season; none of the folks I’ve talked to can remember snapper being this good, I guess the restrictions they put on us the last few years did the trick

Glad to hear they were still in 60’. The extended season has allowed me more time to fish, and that’s good. Can’t say whether it’s better, but sure is longer. A few days snapper season like in the past often yielded one maybe two trips, max.

Grouper, at least where I fish, are way down compared with the old days. Reasons I can argue about, but for sure they are less abundant.

EJ


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The folks I’ve asked that have fished here for years say they never caught 26” snapper in 60’ in july. But you’ve probably fished here as long or longer than the folks I’ve spoken with

Actually, no one fishing 25 miles or less south of Dog or St. George Islands caught ANY Red Snapper, anytime until maybe 10-12 years ago. Very rare to catch a red snapper east of Panama City, and not real common to catch grouper, especially gags, west of Panama City.

Now things are really different. Red snapper are abundant in our area, and grouper are much less abundant than they were. Reasons for that are the subject of debate, but I believe the circumstances are correct. Lots of RS today, grouper declining.

There is plenty of grouper recruitment, as evidenced by the numerous sublegals being caught. However, the legal sized versions are not where I’m fishing. Hate to write it, but it looks like growth overfishing.

IMO, time to close commercial grouper fishing, at least inside of fifty miles of the coast, until the stocks recover. Then see how the stocks fare with a careful individual bag and gradually extend the season/bag to maybe 2-4 fish, year round. I’m guessing just like with red drum, grouper cannot survive continued commercial fishing as it is, and recreational fishing, too.

EJ


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