BigBendFishing.Net

Hey Guys,
I am sorta new to this site I have been checking out all the post for a while and I'm happy with what results I hear from time to time. I'm a Tallahassee native, I have a 20' key west bay w/ 150 mer no trolling motor or power poles( no big bank roll). Usually I do quite well on shallow grouper behind Dog Island. I HAVE NEVER caught a red on a lure. I hear Ecofina is great and I have a few numbers to try just havent been able to. I hear drifting is fine as long as ya dont hit a rock or drift to fast because of high winds. I'm a little up set tat I have not been able to catch a red snapper in about three seasons. I dont have any federal numbers to even go out. I was hoping for a little advice from you awsome fishing enthusist. 1 Should I even attemp to try to catch a snapper and if so can anyone spare one good public number??(I mean the limit is only two and the season is over shortly, and I would never deplete a hole) Or 2 should i try this stained water and try my luck in Ecofina to catch a red even though the water is stained??? PLEASE HELP
I would be willing to share a couple good ,honest to God grouper spots for a snapper spot......

I can't help you on the snapper numbers, don't offshore fish much. You can go to oar and look there. You can catch reds in stained water. We did well on gold aqua dream spoons and spinnerbaits on the 4th. Good luck

For me, a redfish is king of all, so I would go there first. I would think lack of TM or pushpole would limit you a lot, so I would wind drfit the grasslines or anchor on oyster bars and work each one real well. I don't fish Ecky.

You don't need no big bank roll for an anchor. I bought a Stik Pin for $80 or you could even make your own. Worked great on my last boat. My latest boat came with a Power Pole and is awesome, but the old way worked just fine.

The first red I ever caught on an artificial was with a spinner bait.... Like a Redfish Magic....

Any of the deeper artificial reefs are holding RS right now, including the Apalachicola, the Franklin, and the "new" Bridge Reef off St. G. Put in at Apalach ramp under the Bridge, run out Bob Sikes Cut, and hit any of the reefs. This site has LL numbers for them. Pick a day with 1-2' seas and you should be fine. Get out early and head back in before 2:00 p.m. to avoid afternoon TS. I like using a little smaller circle for the snapper than I do for grouper, and a bit lighter leader. They also will hit a white jig or a diamond jig, but bait is better, normally.

Anchor in the sand away from structure if you can, and let out line to be near a rubble pile. You can lose an anchor if you hook right on a pile.

Luck,

EJ

one of the best things in the world is a redfish on a topwater

Wow thanks to you guys who actually care( EddieJoe)!!! That really does help now i have a starting point and can go from there. Thats what bein a AMERICAN is all about.Thank You again. I went scalloping today and did really well just east of the light house.Shrimp and scallop scampi sure is good after a long day. Keep the post coming.