# Bay Grouper, Snapper, and FOG!



## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

Got a chance to get out yesterday around 1100, and fish until 1730. Caught some live bait, and got to it! It was windy but the fog had burned off, and it was pleasant, you know, shorts and t shirt kinda day, no need to bring a jacket.:thumbsup: Idled around for a while and picked up a few new spots, and headed to my original destination and started catching bait. Still happy and warm, then the fog rolled in! I froze my butt off, was soaked to the bone, and the fog was thick too! It didnt bother the dozen plus keeper size Snapper that I caught though! They are some fighting fools in the bay, problem was they were eating my baits as quickly as I could drop them. Finally I picked off a couple of beautiful Gags, and lost a stud Gag at the boat! I lost a few more fish here and there, and finally said the heck with it, I was COLD! Once again, another teriffic day on the water, I only wish my girls would have been there with me! It killed me to have to let all of those yummy fish go! Oh well, I'll post a few pics when I get home.


----------



## drifterfisher (Oct 9, 2009)

I have to know,when you say bay you mean like pensacola bay or are you in the gulf to catch snapper,and grouper?


----------



## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

I was in Pensacola bay.


----------



## drifterfisher (Oct 9, 2009)

misconceptions...and how little I know of bay fishing.I was under the impression that red snapper were gulf only critters.How does one go about finding them? I do not have a fish finder or gps,well I do have a dohicky thats supposed to be gps but I have no idea how to make it work.a friend gave it to me.

One more thing why would you let everything go? I go fishing to eat them,not just catch them.


----------



## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Pcola bay is loaded with snapper and grouper and pretty easy to catch if you know where.


----------



## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Splittine , I've been searching for em with no luck hopefully this year is the one lol.


----------



## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

oxbeast1210 said:


> Splittine , I've been searching for em with no luck hopefully this year is the one lol.


Once you find them you're set. That's the tough part at first.


----------



## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

View attachment 42430


View attachment 42431


The season for both grouper and snapper is closed, thats the reason for releasing them. Without proper electronics, you will be hard pressed to do much pin point fishing for these fish. However, try drifting the pass with live and dead baits on a bottom rig, and you should be able to catch snapper, redfish, and others.


----------



## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

:whistling:

Instead of the curado
Maybe u should captain my boat 
To said spots.. lol:whistling:


----------



## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

Haha. I can do both.


----------



## oxbeast1210 (Jun 21, 2010)

Capt do grouper hit many artificially or is it best to stick with live baits?


----------



## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

They will hit trolled stretch type diving plugs, but live baits are the best way to go!


----------



## drifterfisher (Oct 9, 2009)

Wow thats a large fish,sucks ya cant keep em. As for drifting the pass Ive got to pass on that idea,well if its anything like destins east pass I cant go in there.My 16' tri hull cant take heavy waves. I went with my buddy in his 18' sportcraft and we couldnt make it out the pass in that boat,it had 3-4 foot sides.


----------



## Retired&Fishing (Mar 3, 2012)

I have heard that the Chocotawatchee has grouper but no luck finding. I have caught a red snapper but too small to keep.


----------



## Ron19 (Jan 8, 2009)

Retired&Fishing said:


> I have heard that the Chocotawatchee has grouper but no luck finding. I have caught a red snapper but too small to keep.


We have caught keeper size snapper in Choctawhatchee Bay. Alot further from the gulf than you would think.


----------



## JoeZ (Sep 30, 2007)

Splittine said:


> Pcola bay is loaded with snapper and grouper and pretty easy to catch if you know where.



LIES!!!!! 

It's all a bullshit ploy by the Democrats to make you burn more fuel and make the recreational anglers seem like big anti-enviromentals that just want to kill kill kill and burn dinosaur bones.

There are no snapper, grouper or triggerfish in any bay in the United States.


----------



## PorknBeans (Nov 21, 2007)

joez said:


> lies!!!!!
> 
> It's all a bullshit ploy by the democrats to make you burn more fuel and make the recreational anglers seem like big anti-enviromentals that just want to kill kill kill and burn dinosaur bones.
> 
> There are no snapper, grouper or triggerfish in any bay in the united states.


+1000


----------



## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

Joe I almost died laughing! Holy sh!t that was funny!


----------



## Papa Z (Sep 24, 2009)

Nice catch,& report Capt, But as a native of Pensacola i been catchen Snap's & Grupies in the bay for over 45yr's!! And in the early 1900's Pensacola was known as the Snapper Capital of the World!! Good Luck & Good Eating to All!!


----------



## Papa Z (Sep 24, 2009)

Nice catch,& report Capt, But as a native of Pensacola i been catchen Snap's & Grupies in the bay for over 45yr's!! And in the early 1900's Pensacola was known as the Snapper Capital of the World!! Good Luck & Good Eating to All!!


----------



## captfredscharters (Feb 7, 2012)

Capt. O'Reilly,
Were you fishing hard bottom, reefs or wrecks?


----------



## Captain Mickey O'Reilly (Dec 18, 2008)

Just fishing areas of various debris located in the bay. It varies from piles of rock, old boat wrecks, holes, and such.


----------



## captfredscharters (Feb 7, 2012)

What depth are you fishing?


----------



## standrew (Dec 15, 2009)

Guys, If you want to catch these fish in the bay, take the time to find spots. Troll the deeper side of drop offs with stretch 25s and 30s. Stay in 20-40 of water. When you see a piece of structure or a hole or even a little fuzz on the bottom, mark it on you gps. There are so many spots from the 3mile bridge all the way to the pass that it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours of trolling to find a few spots that hold fish. Drop dead or live baits on the spots and hang on. It's not that hard to do, but nobody is gonna give up their bay numbers on an internet forum.


----------



## captfredscharters (Feb 7, 2012)

Thanks Capt for ther info!


----------

