Slip Slidin Report--10/17/10

[Squid]

I joined the boys on Sunday for the first day of their week long yearly pilgrimage Down East. Early start leaving out of Wilmington and we were in the boat looking for bait by 10am in Harkers Island. This was going to be an exploratory trip so we headed out into a slightly angry ocean to an area that we have never bottom fished before.

Searched hard before finding a piece of bottom that looked as if it was holding triggers. First few baits down got demolished by the triggers and a few made their way onto the deck. I fired the first live bait to the bottom and it got eaten immediately by a small beeliner.

The next live bait is one that I won't forget as long as I live......I knew that I had hooked a red snapper after I got it a few feet off the bottom so I cranked it very slow to the surface so that it (hopefully) didn't "blow up" too bad from the depths. About 30 feet up, she realized what was happening and took drag with it set at 25 lbs. It was then that I realized, this is no ordinary red snapper. When I saw her under the boat about 20 feet down, you could tell she was big......but it wasn't until she rolled up at the surface that we knew exactly how big she was. When I slid her over the gunnel and laid her on the deck, the three of us were absolutely speechless. This was by far the biggest red snapper any of us have ever laid eyes on! The only words I could manage were "somebody get my camera quick"! I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story:





The fish was easily over 30 pounds and possibly pushing 35. Didn't get a length on her as we were trying to vent her and get her back down, however her nose was at my ribs and her tail was still on the ground! After venting, Nick sent her away healthy and ready to give birth to MANY, MANY babies.

For the rest of the day and the entire next day, this fish was the subject of many comments and conversations. Suffice it to say that it was indeed a fish of a lifetime as I don't know if I will ever see, let alone catch, another snapper this size.

I'm sure the boys will have a full report from the week when they return this weekend and I hope there are more pictures of giant red snapper to share with everyone!

Thank you Nick and Nick for invitation to fish with you yet again---that was definitely a day that none of us will soon forget!

In the words of Slip......no complaints, life is definitely good!

[gottaflylee]

Holey ...., now that a snapper... Congrats on a catch of a life time. Shane that there are no Red Snapper in NC... Looking forward to the "rest of the story", been waiting on this report from Down East...

[JRJBfishing]

Speechless is a good word...WOW!

[merry marlin]

No matter where that "Slip Slidin" goes she will find something exceptional..... Patrick stopped talking real quick about his fish when you pulled that pic out Bryan!
Congratulations again on that Beauty.
MM

[Ponce]

Wow that is a fantastic fish. Does anyone have any idea how old a Snapper that size may be? Congrats on a fish of a lifetime.

[WAHOONBOX]

THAT MAY BE THE LARGEST SNAPPER I HAVE EVER SEEN...

GREAT STORY BRO!

[crappiekrazy]

That could be a C or D liner! Great pictures, I've got a few people I need to forward them to. Thanks for sharing.

[weekender]

awesome catch

[clt_capt]

One heck of a snapper.

[Robja]

Damn biggest snapper I have seen.