# 11/5 Cubera Snapper



## karma (Oct 26, 2007)

Got out on 11/5 with live pinfish in the hunt for grouper. Caught a few shorts, plenty of red snapper, small amber jack on jigs, then loaded up with trigger fish, and had a rare catch for our area. 



A 28" cubera snapper capped the day: 



Washed the boat then cheezed for the picture! Awesome weather, the cruise back was enjoyable.


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## Telum Pisces (Sep 27, 2007)

Nice fish. I believe it's a typical Mangrove. Not debating but just wondering what made you determine it was a Cubera.

Stud fish either way. Thanks for the report.


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## karma (Oct 26, 2007)

The teeth were a dead give away for me. Wished I took a picture of that, but if anyone thinks otherwise I am perfectly fine with being corrected. Let me know people!


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## countryjwh (Nov 20, 2007)

> *Telum Piscis (11/6/2008)*Nice fish. I believe it's a typical Mangrove. Not debating but just wondering what made you determine it was a Cubera.


 i thought stud mangrove to but never seen a cubera up in personal.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

If his mouth top and bottom looked like a mini cuda then it was a cubera.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I'm trying to pull up the pic but it won't let me. The teeth in th bottom jaw of a cubera will typically be as long as those in the upper jaw.


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## FelixH (Sep 28, 2007)

Cubera will have the large pronounced teeth on both top and bottom. Mangrove will have smaller teeth on the bottom.

A surefire way to tell the difference is by the plate in the roof of their mouths, but I don't remember exactly which shape pattern goes with each species.

Either way, nice fish!!


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## reelcanuck (Oct 6, 2007)

Looks like a beautiful STUD Black Snapper. Way to go on catching that fish.


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## JoshH (Sep 28, 2007)

That looks like a Cubera to me. I have caught mangroves almost that big, that fish has a different head, just looks more like a Cubera.


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## NaClH2O (Feb 14, 2008)

Its looks like a black snapper to me, if it isthat is one huge fish. Did you get a weight on it? 

:bowdown


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## boudin (Sep 30, 2007)

Either way,snappa4dinna...:hungry Nice catch!!


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## Sniper Spear-It (Jan 16, 2008)

i try to place this on here whenever there is any confusion about a cube and a mang. 

this is the most defineable method of telling that does not ly. down south i alway have to try to tell the differ before keeping. they are very ucommon up here in pcola, cubes that is. but they do breed in the middle grounds for two weeks per year and then move immediately back down south.check my stats if you like. whatever you shot. its a hell of a fish. my opinion is that is a kick ass mangrove. or grey as the book name is. or black as the northern gulf name is. nice catch<DD>These fish are generally gray or dark brown with pale to dark gray sides. There may also be a slight reddish tinge on the body. There is a bluish tinge on the anal and ventral fins. The caudal fin is a light gray in color while the pectoral fins are translucent or gray. Juveniles have a faintly barred pattern on either side that fades away as an adult.


<TABLE align=center><CAPTION align=bottom>The cubera snapper can be distinguished from the gray snapper by the shape of the vomerine tooth patch: A. cubera snapper, B. gray snapper
_courtesy U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Circular 252_</CAPTION><TBODY><TR><TD>







</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<DT>_·Dentition_ <DD>Cubera snapper have large mouth with thick lips. Both jaws contain canine teeth with one pair of canines large enough to be visible even when the mouth is closed. The vomerine teeth are arranged in a triangular shape on the top of the palate. 


<DT>_·Size, Age, and Growth_ <DD>Common weighing around 40 pounds (18 kg) and reaching lengths of 3 feet (90 cm), the cubera snapper may reach up to 125 pounds (58 kg) and 5 feet (6 m) in length. This snapper is easily the largest snapper occurring in the Atlantic Ocean. 

</DD>

SSI


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I finally got the picture to pull up and have to say that is a gray/mangrove/black snapper. After being in the keys quite a few times and seeing a few cubera in that size range it doesn't match the physical characteristics of a cubera of the same size. Although you can't see the teeth or the patch in the roof of the mouth the fish should still display the vertical bars on its side. Alsoit doesn't have that "big head" look of a small cubera and appears more like a fish that has already matured and grown to adult size.I've caught mangroves up to 16lbs. would be almost certain that is what you have.


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## karma (Oct 26, 2007)

Well I guess I will never know for sure. I just remember being shocked on how narly his teeth were. Wished I had a better picture with all the fins up! thanks for all the feedback


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## dpewitt (Oct 26, 2007)

Mangrove/black for sure. Cubera have a little different coloring and patterns. Stud fish for sure!


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## delta dooler (Mar 6, 2008)

Mangrove fo sho, NICE ONE AT THAT !


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## Sam Roberts (Oct 22, 2007)

90% sure that is a mangrove/black/grey snapper! need to put that one on the wall...


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## inshorecatch (Oct 1, 2007)

Id say black snapper


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## Dylan (Apr 15, 2008)

> *alum maverick (11/7/2008)*90% sure that is a mangrove/black/grey snapper! need to put that one on the wall...


Yep black..its a stud..wish i could catch em that big..Caro does that on a daily basis and bigger


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## Ron Mexico (Nov 5, 2007)

I just got done looking at a pic of a cubera i caught a few years back and the latteral line dips further down on my fish. The eye are red in other than the pupals, and the anal fin is more rounded.


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## still flippen (Oct 6, 2007)

Thats just you local fatboy mangrove snapper. Caught 4-5 this season just under that size. Funny thing is I will refer to the small bay snapper at blackies and when you get them that size they earn the right tobe called Mangrove.:bowdown

Super catch and enjoy the good eats.


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

big mangrove.


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