# Weening out the Snapper



## jman (Oct 5, 2007)

I sure am glad that the red snapper are endangered!!!!!! We went out last weekend and thats literally all we caught (about 40 of them to be exact).

Is there any particular ways to ween them out so that u can catch mingo or black snapper or something that can go in the fish box? I thought we would try to chum with some menhaden oil and see if we can get the mingo and black snapper out.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Josh


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

Ive found I just have to move. Have tried different sizes of baits and hooks but the reds are everywhere. I catch tons of them in the bay even. Threw back 35+ in the bay a few days ago


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## markw4321 (Oct 4, 2007)

If you cannot find a spot close in where the mingo are thick and getting to the bait faster than the red snapper, in my opinion the best thing you can do is go deep if you have the boat capability. At least 200 ft plus. 

There are mingo, trigger andgrouper at 200 ft plus, but at that depth snapper are present but they are beginning to thin out. At 300 ftred snapper will most likely not be present at all. 

that said if you do catcha red snapper at200 ftI would expect very little chance of survival if you release him. 

Mangroves are a slightly different story. think chum and high up in the water column. Once the red snapper move in and they are way up to the top in the water columnbest to find another spot. 

Mark W


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## DreamWeaver21 (Oct 3, 2007)

I doubt you will be able to get away from them. I was out last weekend fishing in 105ft of pretty clear water. They were so thick that I could see them hitting my bait at ~40ft. I tried to get video but they wouldn't come up high enough for it to show up on video. Only the 2nd or 3rd time I have been able to see snapper hitting a bait.


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## Pass Time (Feb 6, 2009)

+1


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## choppedliver (Apr 4, 2009)

These are the kinds of threads the idiots at NMFS need to read. People asking "How the hell can I NOT catch Red Snapper!"


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## FISHBOXFULL (May 9, 2008)

we went grouper fishing in the bay friday, couldnt get to the bottom for the snapper bite. consistant 6-8 lbs. we decided to hit the gulf, with such a nice day, to a productive grouper spot about 7 miles off and hit the 10+ lb of snapper one after the other. must have been 10 over 12-13 lbs. unreal. they are such scavengers they will driveevery oother speccies offish off the wrecks and they will be called indangered soon. I was with a guy that had been bottom fishing for15 yrs but 20 yrs ago he commercially fished red snapper. he said it was rare to bring in 6-8 lbrs then. now there are more fishand more larger 10+lbs that he has ever seen in his life. crazy!


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## P-cola_Native (Feb 5, 2008)

The only way to not catch any red snapper around here in less than 280' of water is too just not go bottom fishing. They are literally everywhere. They have been thick on everything I've hit inside of the edge for the last couple of years.

I had crab traps in the bay this year that were coming up with three and four 14' red snappers (released unharmed of course)in them every trip. The traps in the same depth of water would catch 1 gag every week or so, a mangrove snapper every now and then, and only one trigger fish all year, but there were red snapper every day.


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

There is no way to weed out the snapper. The bigger the bait the bigger the snapper are that hit the bait. They are such veracious eaters they have run most of the other fish off the wrecks and reefs in search of food for themselves.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Man I tell you it seems like we must be fishing in different Gulf's of Mexico. I hardly ever catch an ERS while catching Triggers, Mingo's, Mangroves and Groupers. Maybe it out of Pensacola or something but I know at least one of you that is out of Destin as well. I'm wondering what's up with that. Last Sunday I tried to catch a Red Snapper and couldn't. We fished 8 spots, 3 were wreck the other 5 were private reefs and only 2 ERS were caught fishing all day.



Kim


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## Travis Gill (Oct 6, 2007)

> *FISHBOXFULL (11/19/2009)*we went grouper fishing in the bay friday, couldnt get to the bottom for the snapper bite. consistant 6-8 lbs. we decided to hit the gulf, with such a nice day, to a productive grouper spot about 7 miles off and hit the 10+ lb of snapper one after the other. must have been 10 over 12-13 lbs. unreal. they are such scavengers they will driveevery oother speccies offish off the wrecks and they will be called indangered soon. I was with a guy that had been bottom fishing for15 yrs but 20 yrs ago he commercially fished red snapper. he said it was rare to bring in 6-8 lbrs then. now there are more fishand more larger 10+lbs that he has ever seen in his life. crazy!


I agree I hit half a dozen spots in the bay a week or two ago and they were over run w nice snappers. Hit a couple triggerfish holes in the gulf and they were thick but very few keepers due to the increase in size limit. Last year I would have had a fine mess of Triggers but nope they ruined that with the new limits as well. 14 to the fork is a decent trigger especially close to the beach. I know I never want to see another 13 incher


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## younghooker (Oct 7, 2007)

bring a grill.. if you can't revive.. eat 'em:moon


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## angus_cow_doctor (Apr 13, 2009)

Just call me flipper........:moon


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## FoteeFy (Jan 27, 2021)

jman said:


> I sure am glad that the red snapper are endangered!!!!!! We went out last weekend and thats literally all we caught (about 40 of them to be exact).
> 
> Is there any particular ways to ween them out so that u can catch mingo or black snapper or something that can go in the fish box? I thought we would try to chum with some menhaden oil and see if we can get the mingo and black snapper out.
> 
> ...


The same way you get saltwater cat to quit biting... MOVE. lol


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## lastcast (Oct 12, 2007)

Looks like we had the same problem 12 years ago!


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

...


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## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

12 Y/O thread
2009


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## WAReilly (Jun 2, 2014)

Nice lol


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## CurDog (Nov 14, 2010)

choppedliver said:


> These are the kinds of threads the idiots at NMFS need to read. People asking "How the hell can I NOT catch Red Snapper!"


IDK, it could backfire if they did. Idiots might put a 2 fish *per boat* limit on the mingo's because they'll say they are in short supply because everyone is catching red snapper whilst targeting mingo's. 
Hell, they might even put them on the endangered list and close it. Those people aren't for the best interest of the recreational fisherman, but moreso to cater to commercial interests.


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