20 Pound Red Snapper Caught with a live mullet on a wreck in the Gulf
Caught by: Captain Alex Crawford
For
almost six long months, the red snapper slappers have
waited patiently for the opening of the recreational
season. Now that it is finally here, two things are
apparent. The fish are still out there and the spring
bite is better than ever. It’s a wonderment!
A few
days ago we took two boats out in the Gulf for a photo
shoot. The purpose was to find a couple red snappers
for a magazine article and photograph two young models
catching them from a brand new, very sexy boat line.
After I anchored up on the fish, we tethered the other
boast to a stern cleat. What started out to be a brief
trip to take pictures, ended up being a full day of
pumping and winding on beefy snappers and groupers.
The owners of the boat dealership and magazine were
having too much fun to leave, until the fish box was
nearly full. At one point the models were asleep on
the bow, obviously bored with all of the fishy stuff.
This Captain turned observer was given the job of
making sure the bikinis did not fall overboard. Tough
duty, but somebody…………….
Small,
spring run pogies are really thick now and they make
terrific snapper baits. You can cast net all you want
by watching the pelicans diving and sneaking up on
the small rain drops on the surface for the perfect
cast. These are ideal size baits for trout and wreck-fishing
snappers.
Pinfish
are starting to show up in the Apalachicola Bay with
the water temp around 70. Again, these small live
baits are ideal for trout and snappers. Another excellent
snapper bait that is readily available now is blue
crabs. The commercial crabbers have deployed all of
their traps now, as the crabbing has really picked
up in the last week. Cut your crabs into quarters
and remove the claws. These baits are irresistible
to big, sow snappers.
Try another
readily available bait for snappers. Ladyfish are
literally everywhere right now and can be caught with
small pieces of fresh dead shrimp on stick in your
thumbnail sharp wire hooks. Ladyfish are oily and,
when cut into chunks, make fabulous snapper baits.
Redfish love them as well. A large quantity of precut
ladyfish chunks, fresh on ice and out of the sun,
will get your snappers teased up off your favorite
sunken shrimp boat. The obvious bonus is the money
you save on frozen bait that can be better used for
cold beer. Not to mention the fun of catching all
of those high jumper, Olympic ladyfish on steroids.
Big blacktip sharks have taken up summer residence
in the West Pass. If you are into the pure thrill
of string music, soak your ladyfish baits on the bottom
of the pass with serious wire and wait. Sharky’s
machine will inhale your ladyfish and head for Cuba,
post haste! Fifty pound class gear will enable you
to minimize the pain. If you even think about blacktip
steaks on the grill and stick you high dollar Aftco
gaff into sharky, he will immediately take your gaff
away from you. This will cause you to sit down and
cry, while drinking a cold beer to ease the pain.
Been there down that, got the T shirt many moons ago.
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