# Snapper fishing from the canoe!!



## Ocean Man (Sep 27, 2007)

Well as some of you know my boat has been down for some time. My buddy Duanye and I were going to head out to Ft Pickens on Sunday to try for some Flounder, but then we got a crazy idea. Since we didn't have access to a boat this weekend and Snapper season is coming to a close pretty soon we decided we would take the canoe out and try our luck. We caught a bunch of bull minnows and some small pinfish around Bob Sikes then headed off to one of our favorite holes in the Bay. We had to carry the canoe a pretty good ways thru the woods to get to the water then a pretty good paddle to get on the spot. It was a little hairy at first because the wind was blowing hard and we were rocking pretty good. The current and the wind were going opposite directions and caused the canoe to sit sideways in the waves. It took us a little while to get our canoe legs then we got settled in to fishing. At first we were using the bull minnows on the small poles trying to pull up some small Snapper or maybe a Flounder. We weren't having much luck so I switched to a small live pinfish and got hammered right away. After a decent fight, I get the fish close to the boat then the hook pulls. We decided right away to move up to the bigger gear and get serious. We both drop down another pinfish and Duayne bows up quickly. As I'm going to net his Snapper, my rod doubles over and now we have a double in the canoe.














Duaynes Snapper was just short, but mine was about 17in so in the box he goes. We drop back down and Duayne hooks up again, up pops another Snapper and in the box he goes.














We pulled up a couple more shorts then Duayne adds another keeper to the box. 







We were down to our last live pinfish when my rod doubles up again. This time its a big Ladyfish which worked out well because we were out of bait. We stripped him out and went back to fishing. A few minutes later Duayne bows up big time. I knew it was a nice fish right away because it started dragging the canoe. After a hard fight Duayne gets the fish boatside and its a nice 24in Gag Grouper.














After a few high fives we get back to fishing and put the last keeper Snapper in the Canoe. The Game Warden pulled up shortly after we had our last fish in the box to check us out. Everything checked out good except I didn't have a whistle which he gave us a pass on. We fished a few more minutes then called it a day. One of our better days fishing in the Bay and we did it from a canoe. Final tally: limit of Red Snapper (4) to 18in and a 24in Grouper.


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## Ocean Man (Sep 27, 2007)

Here's a couple more pic's from the day


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## Luminum (Nov 9, 2007)

Pretty cool man. Way to improvise!


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## Pinksnappertrapper (Dec 7, 2007)

Damn good job for the bay better yet in a canoe. Congrats.


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## Coco Solo (Jan 28, 2010)

Great report! :thumbup:


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## Digillio (Jun 22, 2009)

damn those fish are going to taste good tonight


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## chad403 (Apr 20, 2008)

I need to resize my ruler


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## Ocean Man (Sep 27, 2007)

Warning!! Fish were not held out at arms length 2 inches from the camera to appear larger than they are.:laughing: Also some of the fish in the pic's were throw backs.


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## local_hooker (Mar 17, 2009)

THE ENDANGERED RED SNAPPER AND GAG GROUPER Stike again.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Way to go guys! That's by far the best fishing post I've read in a while. Nice fish too.


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

Matt, 

You Duane always rock the bay no MATTER what vessel you guys are in:notworthy:


Jimmy


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## Matt Mcleod (Oct 3, 2007)

Really cool report!!!


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## pole squeezer (Oct 29, 2008)

That's got to be the first canoe on the bay story i've seen. Most info are coming from kayak anglers. From what I could see, you were fairly close to shore, and easy swim if anything happened. Great pics, and catches.


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## jdhkingfisher (Aug 6, 2010)

ever wanna hook someone up with those grouper numbers. im just a pm away lol


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## Clay-Doh (Oct 2, 2007)

Nice job MAtt and Duayne!!! Been a while since I seen ya guys!


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## gig head (Apr 26, 2009)

cheap on gas


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