# Vermilion snapper



## helmraiser (Dec 17, 2017)

We moved down her about 4 months ago. We have been trolling around and finding nice spots but all we can catch is red snapper. We have some friends coming down and wanted to put our sons on some beeliners. Are there any public wrecks that hold them or is there something in particular I need to try on the spots I have found? Thanks. We are fishing out of Pensacola pass.


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

*Beeliners*



helmraiser said:


> We moved down her about 4 months ago. We have been trolling around and finding nice spots but all we can catch is red snapper. We have some friends coming down and wanted to put our sons on some beeliners. Are there any public wrecks that hold them or is there something in particular I need to try on the spots I have found? Thanks. We are fishing out of Pensacola pass.


You can go to the 29th edge literally anywhere and catch them. 180 ft. depth.


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

*Beeliners*



helmraiser said:


> We moved down her about 4 months ago. We have been trolling around and finding nice spots but all we can catch is red snapper. We have some friends coming down and wanted to put our sons on some beeliners. Are there any public wrecks that hold them or is there something in particular I need to try on the spots I have found? Thanks. We are fishing out of Pensacola pass.


You can go to the 29th edge literally anywhere and catch them. 180 ft. depth.


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

Yes...Typically in deeper water and a lot of times suspended up off the bottom .....say in about 40ft off the bottom.


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## specktackler57 (May 15, 2011)

Trysler grounds holds some or used to.


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## helmraiser (Dec 17, 2017)

reelthrill said:


> You can go to the 29th edge literally anywhere and catch them. 180 ft. depth.


I have not heard of the 29th edge.


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## helmraiser (Dec 17, 2017)

X-Shark said:


> Yes...Typically in deeper water and a lot of times suspended up off the bottom .....say in about 40ft off the bottom.


Am I looking for structure or just get in deeper water?


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

helmraiser said:


> Am I looking for structure or just get in deeper water?


The 29th edge runs form NE to SW for miles and miles with a depth of approximately 180ft. You can head SE, S, or SW out of Pcola pass and hit the edge. SE is considerably closer than SW but we usually fish more S and SW to avoid boats. It is mostly rock bottom and your depth finder will easily pick us structure and fish when you get there. I have fished the edge since the 70's and we love to anchor on a good spot and chum. That way you can take advantage of the topwater species, and set baits down for grouper, AJ's and such.. You can drop a two hook snapper rig near the bottom and catch beeliners almost anywhere on the edge. Squid is best.


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## helmraiser (Dec 17, 2017)

reelthrill said:


> The 29th edge runs form NE to SW for miles and miles with a depth of approximately 180ft. You can head SE, S, or SW out of Pcola pass and hit the edge. SE is considerably closer than SW but we usually fish more S and SW to avoid boats. It is mostly rock bottom and your depth finder will easily pick us structure and fish when you get there. I have fished the edge since the 70's and we love to anchor on a good spot and chum. That way you can take advantage of the topwater species, and set baits down for grouper, AJ's and such.. You can drop a two hook snapper rig near the bottom and catch beeliners almost anywhere on the edge. Squid is best.


Awesome. Thanks I really appreciate it


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## ST1300rider (Apr 27, 2017)

helmraiser do you have this link?

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=4675e1db32ac43a9a4308e757965d17d

http://myfwc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=4675e1db32ac43a9a4308e757965d17d


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## helmraiser (Dec 17, 2017)

ST1300rider said:


> helmraiser do you have this link?
> 
> https://www.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=4675e1db32ac43a9a4308e757965d17d
> 
> http://myfwc.maps.arcgis.com/apps/View/index.html?appid=4675e1db32ac43a9a4308e757965d17d


Yes I have the public numbers. Seems like beeliners can only be caught in certain places. I haven't had any luck so far on the public numbers


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Mingos can be caught on most large public wrecks as well as natural bottom in state waters. More often than not we can bust a 4 man limit in a short 4-5hr in state waters. They do move around so we bounce around until we find them. The key is knowing how to read your fish finder. They will often stage up in a particular spot on a wreck so I anchor right on top. I use 20lb fluro GOOD fresh bait (if I wont eat it I aint using it) on a carolina rig. 

I will admit, on average they are smaller and some days we have to measure fish but some days we can get on some studs. They seem to always school in same sized and same sex schools.

Youre welcome.


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

There's no 22-23"rs like on the Edge! Some nice ones on the outskirts of the Trigger on the 21 hole.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

lastcast said:


> There's no 22-23"rs like on the Edge! Some nice ones on the outskirts of the Trigger on the 21 hole.


I will disagree. Not as often but we do catch them. Last trip I measured one thinking it was close and it was 12" the rest were just so big that the 12" fish seemed small. Not to mention, Id rather run 8 miles, fish two hours and come back if Im "just" mingo fishing. No way Id run 30 miles to crank slightly larger mingos up from 200' down when I can run 8, and do it in 70' on lighter tackle (I use inshore trout set ups) but thats just me.


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

That's good but there's more than just Mingo out there. 40 20"rs are alot heavier than 40 10"rs.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

lastcast said:


> That's good but there's more than just Mingo out there. 40 20"rs are alot heavier than 40 10"rs.


Oh well, agree to disagree. When I go fun fishing, Im either staying close or going deep. 

Other than grouper there is nothing you cant catch in close on the regular. Big jacks, big snapper, big triggers and yes big mingos so if that is what Im after Im staying close. I cant think of when the last I stopped at the edge for fun besides bait or wahoo/blackfin chumming. Its "easier" to catch them deeper so maybe thats why people go deeper. I cant tell you how many times we are sitting at the freighter and mashing them and there be 6 other boats there catching nothing but small reds.

If I want grouper Im going deep dropping because yellowedge and snowy taste better than gags and reds and are bigger than scamp and, well, who wants to pull grouper up manually for fun?! 

The OP specifically asked for mingo and with the crap weather this time of year, no reason to run so far for a quick limit.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Love fishing the Edge. Here's some numbers. 1...2.....3...
JK I'll PM you a few mingo spots.
Good luck!


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Was that you out there today? Only one other boat.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

lastcast said:


> Was that you out there today? Only one other boat.


No man I wish. Just trying to recover from last night's party. Hope ya'll slayed em.


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## helmraiser (Dec 17, 2017)

JD7.62 said:


> Mingos can be caught on most large public wrecks as well as natural bottom in state waters. More often than not we can bust a 4 man limit in a short 4-5hr in state waters. They do move around so we bounce around until we find them. The key is knowing how to read your fish finder. They will often stage up in a particular spot on a wreck so I anchor right on top. I use 20lb fluro GOOD fresh bait (if I wont eat it I aint using it) on a carolina rig.
> 
> I will admit, on average they are smaller and some days we have to measure fish but some days we can get on some studs. They seem to always school in same sized and same sex schools.
> 
> Youre welcome.


Thanks for the info. Is cut up squid the choice bait for mingos. I read you want fresh bait so I was wandering if frozen squid is what you meant.


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

JD7.62 said:


> The OP specifically asked for mingo and with the crap weather this time of year, no reason to run so far for a quick limit.


We got lucky and got some chunky ones this summer. I found what you guys are saying to be true, they were pretty tight in one spot when we found them.

Do you still find mingos in closer during winter? Like will some of the same spots inside of 15 mi that held them during summer still hold them during winter as well? I don't mind looking around for them but I get so few days to fish that I hate to waste time searching unproductive waters. Thanks for the info on this thread!


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

helmraiser said:


> Thanks for the info. Is cut up squid the choice bait for mingos. I read you want fresh bait so I was wandering if frozen squid is what you meant.


Yes, I use squid but remember, if you wont eat it the fish wont either. Get you food grade squid. I go to Joe Patties and the BEST bait is when they have fresh bay squid in. Otherwise quality frozen food grade is ok. The whiter the better. None of that purple or orange crap. Cut fresh cigs can be good. When the LYs are thick and small that is the best there is.

I also use small, maybe slightly larger than thumb nail sized pieces. If you go too big you invite too many snapper.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

SurfRidr said:


> We got lucky and got some chunky ones this summer. I found what you guys are saying to be true, they were pretty tight in one spot when we found them.
> 
> Do you still find mingos in closer during winter? Like will some of the same spots inside of 15 mi that held them during summer still hold them during winter as well? I don't mind looking around for them but I get so few days to fish that I hate to waste time searching unproductive waters. Thanks for the info on this thread!


Yes. 

The close in fed wrecks tend to get hammered by commercial guys. Ive seen it where a productive wreck gets wiped out by a pulley boat in a day. 

When I bounce around I use my graph, if I dont see anything I like after making a lap or two up to 200ft off the wreck, I wont even drop a line and move on.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

I never keep a mingo under 12".


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## reel jewell (Sep 21, 2014)

We have caught vermillion snapper on public reefs but usually you will find the larger ones in 160 or deeper depths. Natural bottom seems to be best for us. Also very fresh squid has been our best bait.


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## hjorgan (Sep 30, 2007)

Cut bait works best for us. Bonito chunks about 1/2" to 1" work great. Also any reef fish legal to cut into bait works. Fresh is best for sure!

And chum works wonders. We've hit spots that were slow until the chum bag went over. You can see the fish rise up off the bottom on the sonar. Of course you draw shark in too, but that part of it.


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## OutsmartedAgain (Oct 12, 2018)

I’ve noticed mingos often sit there looking at a bait until you reel it up a few feet and as soon as it moves they pounce on it. It also increases my hook up ratio considerably with the circle hooks.

Is there any trend for where they are in the water column by season or time of day, or what depth they prefer at different times of the year? I’ve caught them from 60-200 feet on natural bottoms and wrecks but haven’t found any noticeable pattern yet.


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## mwood7800 (Jun 27, 2009)

Just clean the snapper and hide it.


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