For everyone who thought the snapper closure wouldn't effect them...

[Jared D]

This is a cut and past from the FAQ section of the SAMFA closure on the Florida Game and fish com website. Heres the link, scroll to Atlantic and then look for FAQ.
http://www.myfwc.com/RULESANDREGS/Sa...ns_Snapper.htm

"Q. Why does the fishery need to be closed? Can’t the bag limit simply be reduced from 2 fish to 1 fish, or the size limit be increased from 20 inches for both the recreational and commercial fisheries?
 The total mortality (landings and discards) of red snapper must be reduced by 87% to end overfishing.
 The discard mortality rate, or the number of fish that die even when they are released, is estimated at 40% for the recreational fishery and 90% for the commercial fishery (the commercial numbers are higher because of the depths fished and differing handling practices).
 Changing the bag and size limits would not achieve the necessary reductions because of the discard mortality that would continue to occur.
 Even prohibiting all harvest of red snapper isn’t enough to end overfishing when the discard mortality rates are considered. Because the red snapper stock is part of the
multi-species snapper-grouper fishery, discard mortality of red snapper would continue to occur as fishermen pursue other co-occurring species in the fishery.
 Amendment 17 contains management alternatives for large time and area closures that would prohibit fishing for all species in the snapper grouper management complex (there are 73) in areas where red snapper are most prevalent to reduce encounters with red snapper and thereby limit discard losses. The Council is also considering alternatives in Amendment 17 that would reduce deep water fishing effort and thereby reduce the expected future discard mortality rate in the commercial fishery. "

Emphasis added by me. Folks, this is the start of our issues. The are using flawed data to smash our rights as fishermen. Anyone who sat on the sidelines because it "didn't effect them" has no one to blame when your prized fish is banned from catch. Its a sad sad shame what our Government has become!

[SeaBiscuit]

Thanks for posting this and staying vigilant on this issue Jared. It is very hard to argue for or against the SAFMC's positions without any real data. Unfortunately individual experience by rec fishermen counts for very little in these cases. May be the united voices of many can be more effective. The potential closure of all bottom fishing as described above would be catastrophic.
SeaBiscuit

[seasea]

so their logic is to save the ever decreasing on the verge of extinction (yeah right, bad bad inaccurate data) red snapper fishery is to shut down bottom fishing all together if they want?!?!?!? ever think you were getting screwed?!?!? this is total bullshit. they need to get off there ass and get some valid data before they go screw every damn body. all the info ive read about the gulf coast reds is they are thick as flies on fresh doodoo. divers talk of swarms of them, nobody can catch grouper and other bottom dwellers due to the fact they cant keep snappers of the line. the safmc is not logically looking out for all of us commercial and rec. I mainly bottom fish, if they was to shut that down, guess i would have to sell $60,000 worth of boat/equipment and move some damn where else!! what a load of bullshit eh!?!?!

[Logan9581]

all the info ive read about the gulf coast reds is they are thick as flies on fresh doodoo. divers talk of swarms of them, nobody can catch grouper and other bottom dwellers due to the fact they cant keep snappers of the line.

Exactly right! And every year they shorten our season on them by about a month. We now have June-August to target them in the gulf.

[seasea]

Exactly right! And every year they shorten our season on them by about a month. We now have June-August to target them in the gulf.

well we are starting to catch them more regularly up here in nc. we better kill all of them because if they become regular, then they will have to be considered overfished and that might effect safmc's opinion about bycatch. so they will all go in the frying pan.

[Jared D]

SeaSea, I have been fishing off North East Florida since 1990. I can remember when we would see one or two snapper come aboard in a whole trip.
I can also remember when I caught my first and learned the bite. By 93-94ish I had learned the bite, and was able to catch them consistently.... But only a few people ever caught them.

When Hurricane Floyd came through, everything changed. We started catching them in piles, but most were 18-19 inches long. Over the past 7-8 years we have seen the size of the fish increase, and numbers explode. Really, for us, grouper are the prized fish as they are harder to get now than the snapper.

I actually just posted a "how to" on catching snapper on my local fishing report forum to help anyone who wants to catch them before the closure. I fear the closure is going to cause their populations to explode even more than they are now to a point where we have over population issues. But what do I know... I am not a scientist.

If anyone wants me to cut and paste the Snapper how to, let me know.

[gottaflylee]

[QUOTE=Jared D;540314]SeaSea, I have been fishing off North East Florida since 1990. I can remember when we would see one or two snapper come aboard in a whole trip.
I can also remember when I caught my first and learned the bite. By 93-94ish I had learned the bite, and was able to catch them consistently.... But only a few people ever caught them.

When Hurricane Floyd came through, everything changed. We started catching them in piles, but most were 18-19 inches long. Over the past 7-8 years we have seen the size of the fish increase, and numbers explode. Really, for us, grouper are the prized fish as they are harder to get now than the snapper.

I actually just posted a "how to" on catching snapper on my local fishing report forum to help anyone who wants to catch them before the closure. I fear the closure is going to cause their populations to explode even more than they are now to a point where we have over population issues. But what do I know... I am not a scientist.

If anyone wants me to cut and paste the Snapper how to, let me know.[/QUOTE]

Please do, I for one would love to read it...

[Jared D]

Ok, so in light of the snapper closure, I want to give as many people a chance to catch snapper as possible. To do that, I am going to give away the tricks I use to catch them. To start off... have you ever noticed how on a boat full of people, one person will be stroking the snapper while others just keep whiffing? There is a reason for that... I know... I have been the "hot rod" on 99% of the trips I fish. Not bragging... its just a fact. I have been that hot rod because I was shown these SIMPLE tricks back in '92 and have been consistently limiting out on snapper since then. Even before the latest boom in the snapper fishery... every trip, snapper limits.
So to begin, for gear... understand that snapper don't head straight for the bottom. They may inadvertently cut you off while fighting, but he isn't a hole diver like a gag. Therefore, use lighter line, as they definitely are leader shy. 50-60# is plenty. Any line will do as long as its Ande Pink (save more $$$... you don't need Flouro... I have been out fishing Flouro for years). Whenever possible, use a knocker rig or big Carolina style rig. Snell your J hook (or circle if your one of those guys) on to a 5-6 foot leader... and use just enough lead to hold bottom. If your fishing under 100 feet, 4-6 oz will usually do.

Now the two biggest things to know is how to rig your bait, and how to know when to set the hook. First off... For baits... When using hard live baits (IE Grunts, B-Liners, Cigar minnows, Blue Runners, Sea Bass, etc etc) hook them right over the anal fin. If they have a full air bladder (the bliners, sea bass, grunts etc) pop the bladder first with your hook... it makes the bait much healthier and frisky. For softer baits (I only rig this way cuz they are softer) like sardines, and boston macks hook them right in front of the eyes. (if your in a fast drift, often eye hooked bait works best as well, even for harder baits)

For dead baits its different. If your going to use frozen cigars, rig in in the tail like you would a weedless worm. Keep them frozen. Don't throw the box out in the sun... it just turns them to mush. If its a dead boston or sardine, go through the eyes, and then back through the body about half way down the bait. If your using strips of fish fillets, then put the hook through just once. You want your bait to look long and streamlined. If your using fish heads (ie Butterflied bait), put the hook in the lips, from lower to top.

The bite. Snapper bite three ways. Most of the time, smaller fish 15-29 inch class, will do the snapper tap tap tap. What it feels like is a tap (but more solid than smaller fish bites) then a pause, then a tap tap.... another pause... and a few more taps finally followed by the pull. If you try to set the hook on the taps, your not going to catch him.... If you wait for the pull, you will get him most of the time. The trick here is to rig the bait right so its still there when the pull comes (hence why the bait being rigged right is so important... not just for presentation). The second way is how bigger fish will hit. Nothing subtle... they just pile on the bait like a grouper does. Usually they drive the hook in themselves. The last way is the most aggravating. They tap it once, then swim up. You have to recognize the bite, then slowly lift your rod until you come tight. Sometimes you have to turn the handle and lift at the same time. The problem is, if you come tight and then give any slack, they spit the bait... so as soon as you feel the weight of the fish, you gotta strike. That's it... that's 99% of it.

Some other little tips/hints.... Walking the bait back in the current will get you bites when everyone else is soaking meat. Just slowly lift your rod and then as you let it come back down, play out a few feet (until the sinker hits bottom). This works best with the carolina rig.

Don't over fight the fish... because your using lighter line (and thus getting more bites) and the fish your catching often lives where Mr. Grouper lives, it is imperative you get whatever you have on, up off the bottom. Make quick cranks at the hook set. But once you have the fish up, slow down, and just fight the fish. Don't do the pump and reel bit. With snapper, you only need to keep the line tight. They will buck and pull, and you just steady turn the handle very controlled. If you keep losing fish half way up, its because your putting slack in your line, and that means, your pumping the rod.

Last but not least.... good baits to use.
Minnows of all flavors (cigars, sardines, thread-fins, boston, runners, etc).
Bottom dwellers... (Sea Bass, grunts, b-liners, squirrel fish, lizard fish, etc.)
Squid works well, fresher the better, but it gets tore up by trash fish. Live squid is another animal... you get that to the bottom, and it WILL get crushed!
Octopus... one of my favorite baits if I can get an arm or 8.
Cut bait... again I use strips of bait by filleting the fish then cutting into strips 5-8 inches long by about 1 inch. Put the hook through once at one end, and fire down. Use bonita, mackerel, fillets off of sea bass, grunts etc...
Daytona (or butterflied baits) use grunts, seabass, and b-liners... though a grouper will eat this more often than not, before a snapper can find it.
Bonita... its about the best dead bait ever. Use in strips. The longer the strip, the better... watch out, as Grouper will plow the snapper out of the way for this bait.

Last tip. You will lose some nice grouper this way due to the lighter line, but the trade off is worth it. I consistently catch 20 pound or less grouper with this lighter gear, but the bigger ones just handle me with it. So if its grouper season (Oct-Dec) have a 80# rod on hand. Hope this helps someone who has been frustrated in their lack of catching of snapper.

[WAHOONBOX]

GREAT INFO JARED....GREAT FREAKING TIPS AND TRICKS TO BOOT!

[swell rider]

Good info..I have to agree with the lighter leader..I have caught close to 20 ARS in the last 3 trips here in NC..dropped leared size and weight being used..I was wondering why I was not getting them on my grouper rigs until I made the switch..Bait of choice for me has been Squid and Mackeral but I also noticed that they love the teasers that i've been using on my Sea Bass rigs...