# Red snapper opener, how did everyone do?



## John B.

I am reminded why I don't red snapper fish today... killed my first 2 in about 5 years... lord have mercy at the people. 

Had a blast though, it was a bit bumpy in the 23' bay ranger but we charged out around 6:30 and had a 5 man limit in about 25 minutes. left them biting and caught a few flounder to round out the box. 

There must have been 500 boats out today... my only complaints, if there's 10 boats in a line at the bait boat, don't be the guy who runs half way on plane straight to him and try to cut everyone off... you are just going to look like a fool... and hurry up when launching your boat... get everyone on board, all your tackle and rods, and get out of the way.

Other than that, pretty decent day.


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## WAReilly

Nice day!


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## rscrubberrn

Nice catch, we killed the red's fast today


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## stc1993

Good advice John. I'd rather have the flounder than the snapper, truth be told.


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## Jason

Good deal John, glad ya'll were successful!!! Waiting to hear about more "You must be an idiot if......." posts!!!


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## John B.

Jason said:


> Good deal John, glad ya'll were successful!!! Waiting to hear about more "You must be an idiot if......." posts!!!


You'll see em... 18 boats on the barges when we rolled by around 6:45... what a cluster.


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## chaps

Great work! We had a tough bite! We did land a monster gag Where you guys on natural bottom or "private reef"?


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## John B.

chaps said:


> Great work! We had a tough bite! We did land a monster gag Where you guys on natural bottom or "private reef"?


Chicken coop NNE of the liberty ship.


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## tibiasterrible

Ok did I miss something? Did snapper open in FL already? I thought it was June 1st?


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## cobe killer

tibiasterrible said:


> Ok did I miss something? Did snapper open in FL already? I thought it was June 1st?


 yep! you missed something!!


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## Bay Ranger

John,

I've got a Ranger Bay 23 too and have been reluctant to stray too far from the "Pass", especially with the wind/seas as it was yesterday. How does the "Woods" boat handle the chop/seas? How far do you go off-shore?


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## John B.

Bay Ranger said:


> John,
> 
> I've got a Ranger Bay 23 too and have been reluctant to stray too far from the "Pass", especially with the wind/seas as it was yesterday. How does the "Woods" boat handle the chop/seas? How far do you go off-shore?


Yesterday was a bit sporty for sure, the boat performed awesome though. Running in to the sea wasn't the most pleasant, but it wasn't unbearable. Quartering sea and following sea was an awesome ride though. We didn't run too far yesterday, around the area of the liberty ship. On a nice day I wouldn't be afraid to take that boat to the Edge.... it's a beast of a bay boat and rides much better than most in that size range.


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## Chapman5011

I was unsuccessful at the snapper, but we did survive the waves. 
We did catch a limit of nice keeper aj's in three drops for 5 people at the avocet. Another boat got really pissed off at us for coming to his published avocet reef. I traveled 10 mph from orange beach traveling in an east strong wind. We were fishing their reguardless. We made a very slow trip to get there. 20 minutes later one cooler is full of keeper aj.
No snapper for the cooler though.


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## John B.

Nice! Yeah we tried to catch a few jacks, but didn't have hardtails... the live cigs we had were on the smaller side.


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## Mgoody73

Bought live cigs but they were on strike and didn't catch anything. Scored a bonita and sacrificed it for a snapper limit for the wife and me in about 30 minutes. Water was very messy for sure but got some groceries!!:thumbsup:


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## SHAKE N' BAKE

We went out before daylight Saturday while the water was still quite calm and got our limit of red snapper including a 30 and 31 inch snapper! Also caught a very nice black snapper and about a 15 pound king on a penn fierce 3000 and blair wiggins 8 ft inshore rod! That was a fun fight and a great day.


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## Finatical0624

We managed a decent trip. Snapper were stacked top to bottom. Got a couple big triggers also mixed in with them off the snapper rigs. Finished with a couple bobos a decent mahi and a gargantuan hardtail off the lures trolling in .


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## capt'n slim

We left navy point at 5:30 stopped by the bait boat loaded up on cigs. Hit the hole right as the waves were picking up. Noticed motor oil coming out of the bilge, decided to anchor up and had our limit by 10:00. surfed our way back in with a 3 man limit of nice snapper ranging from 8-10lbs and 2 scamp.


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## FishFighter92

Caught 18 on opening day. Got beat to crap but fresh fish for dinner!


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## Chapman5011

John B. said:


> Nice! Yeah we tried to catch a few jacks, but didn't have hardtails... the live cigs we had were on the smaller side.


We had what I call blue runners. They were about 10 to 12 inch bait. They probably weighed a pound each. We really caught nothing on the frisky LY's we had. All the aj' and the monster gag came off the big blue runners


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## floorman1

We only caught one keeper Snapper,two shorts and burnt a lot of gas. Oh yeah and need to tighten all the screws on my boat!


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## t2khonda

Nice


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## Butler879

Started the day off by pulling up a robbed pinfish trap in our own neighborhood. Ended up being a good thing, because it forced me to stop at my squirrelfish hole. We were done in about an hour or so being able to keep everything we pulled up. A few 20lb'er.


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## Capt'n Daddy

limited out on my 12am trip, plus two 14" lane snapper, one 18" black snapper, and one 32" AJ on cut bait no less..lol


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## Scout800

We started the day at 6am and the marina, who for over a month promised to install our new bottom machine, hadn't even began the install. So we spent the next 1:45 pulling the old transducer and wiring and running the new machine and transducer before we could even leave out. Frustrated with the marina would be an understatement. Managed a limit but we had to work for it. Current going one way and the wind another.


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## jgator286

*keepers*

We got an early start, fished 2 coops 6 miles out. It was going to be a quick trip, I had 1 year old bday party circuit to hit starting at 12 noon. We hit the bait boat about about 6:30 am, cruised out to our spot. Had lines in water before 7 and called it quites about about 8. We had 6 in the range of 18 inches to 22 inches. We were catching triggerfish on the live cigar minows, which led to running out of live bait quickly. Caught one keeper snapper on squid and took it to the house. Back to dock by 10.


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## Txs_mde_87

in destin, getting my new garmin 741xs and minn kota 112 mounted on my new Sea hunt BX22 BR tomorrow, im hoping to take my father in law out on sunday and catching some red snapper, i'll be out friday and saturday scouting for some reds.


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## smsjlong

You will love your BX22BR. I bought mine last year and the ride is great. I hope you got the Ipilot, the anchor feature is worth the extra money for sure.


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## seahunt225

Opening day out of Destin


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## Loruna

Despite the waves we had a great day out, our party of four limited out within the first hour. I'm looking forward to taking my kayak out to the barges, hopefully that hot spot will not be fished out within the next couple of weeks.


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## Txs_mde_87

Yea I got the I pilot was gonna go for the top one that hooks up to the humming board but I have the garmin.

Went on Destin princess yesterday, luckily everyone else caught enough snapper that we hit the limit and everyone took one home. Taking the father in law out tomorrow, only a mike out, hopefully they are biting.


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## lastcast

Sharing a limit on a charter boat?


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## Txs_mde_87

Between everyone yea, it was only 1 per person.


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## JoeZ

They just left half your limit out there.


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