# Question about near shore artificial reefs



## Maggie Dog (Aug 28, 2012)

What kind of chance would a fisherman have at the artificial reefs for hooking up with some red snapper, say, nearshore, St Simions Island. I have a trip to the area planed for the week of the snapper opener, just lucky I guess, was going to target the sharks, still will, but weather willing, I would like to catch and eat some snappers.  



What say you, experts, about the artificial reefs.
Thanks for your input and knowledge, you guys really help us out.

 .


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## saltwatercowboy (Aug 28, 2012)

Snapper opening?Federal or ga state waters?


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## rdnckrbby (Aug 28, 2012)

G Reef, Grays Reef, J Reef,CCA all have snapper. You will need to be in 60 plus ft of water in most cases. Very lively bait is usually the most productive on a 4-6 ft flouro leader and 5/0 circle


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## gulpjuice (Aug 29, 2012)

Maggie Dog said:


> What kind of chance would a fisherman have at the artificial reefs for hooking up with some red snapper, say, nearshore, St Simions Island. I have a trip to the area planed for the week of the snapper opener, just lucky I guess, was going to target the sharks, still will, but weather willing, I would like to catch and eat some snappers.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


At sfc and g reef a pretty good chance. Go to west marine or dicks and find hayabusa or marathon red heads #8 sabiki rigs. That will load u up with all the sardines, cigar minnows and Boston macks that hang over the tug boats with higher relief. When u put a big bait down there hang on tight there are plenty of 30" plus snapper down there and they ain't dumb they will burn out drag and bust u off just like a grouper if ur not ready. Since snapper has been closed I have not caught that many small ones out there especially at g reef there are big fish there in the fall. U need a min 50lb mainline snd 60lb leader, and a stiff drag. Tld 15-25 or Penn 4/0 does the trick. Good luck to ya


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## Maggie Dog (Aug 29, 2012)

*Come on Sept.*



gulpjuice said:


> At sfc and g reef a pretty good chance. Go to west marine or dicks and find hayabusa or marathon red heads #8 sabiki rigs. That will load u up with all the sardines, cigar minnows and Boston macks that hang over the tug boats with higher relief. When u put a big bait down there hang on tight there are plenty of 30" plus snapper down there and they ain't dumb they will burn out drag and bust u off just like a grouper if ur not ready. Since snapper has been closed I have not caught that many small ones out there especially at g reef there are big fish there in the fall. U need a min 50lb mainline snd 60lb leader, and a stiff drag. Tld 15-25 or Penn 4/0 does the trick. Good luck to ya




  Thanks for the pointers, first class intel.
I was siting in the boat last night looking over my Garmin Chartplotter and could not find anything on the screen offshore, then I slapped myself remembering I had a Lake card in the slot, took that out and checked out the offshore  areas and all/ most of the reefs came up. G Reef looks to be about 15 miles from the last buoy marker on the channel. Would that be about right?


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## Maggie Dog (Aug 29, 2012)

rdnckrbby said:


> G Reef, Grays Reef, J Reef,CCA all have snapper. You will need to be in 60 plus ft of water in most cases. Very lively bait is usually the most productive on a 4-6 ft flouro leader and 5/0 circle



Thanks Man, 60 plus ft.
Praying for calm seas.


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## Sharkfighter (Aug 29, 2012)

Maggie Dog said:


> G Reef looks to be about 15 miles from the last buoy marker on the channel. Would that be about right?



http://coastalgadnr.org/sites/uploads/crd/pdf/Reef/ReefBooklet.pdf

Site is VERY slow to Download but worth it. 

 Not sure if your chart plotter has the coordinates for the structures or just the bouy locations.  

Tight Lines!


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## Stick (Aug 29, 2012)

saltwatercowboy said:


> Snapper opening?Federal or ga state waters?



Federal - found here: http://www.safmc.net/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2b6v1dG0jqMU%3d&tabid=139

FOR INFORMATION CONTACT: August 27, 2012
Rick DeVictor or Rick.DeVictor@noaa.gov FB12-061
727-824-5305, FAX 727-824-5308
September Opening of Commercial and Recreational
Red Snapper Season in the South Atlantic Federal Waters
Small Entity Compliance Guide
NOAA Fisheries announces the opening of the 2012 commercial and recreational red snapper fishing season in South Atlantic federal waters. Based on a recommendation by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (South Atlantic Council), the commercial red snapper season opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 17, 2012, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 24, 2012. During the open commercial season, the daily trip limit is 50 pounds gutted weight and there is no minimum size limit for red snapper.
The recreational fishing season will open for two consecutive weekends made up of Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The recreational red snapper season opens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 14, 2012, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 17, 2012; the season then reopens at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 21, 2012, and closes at 12:01 a.m., local time, on September 24, 2012. During the open recreational season, the bag limit is one fish per person per day and there is no minimum size limit for red snapper.
The intent of this action is to provide fishermen the opportunity to harvest the red snapper 2012 annual catch limit and enhance the social and economic benefits to the fishery. The commercial and recreational annual catch limits for 2012 are 20,818 pounds gutted weight and 9,399 fish, respectively. The sector annual catch limits are based upon allocations previously decided by the South Atlantic Council.
NOAA Fisheries may change the commercial and recreational season dates if severe weather conditions exist. If severe weather conditions exist, NOAA Fisheries will announce via NOAA Weather Radio and a Fishery Bulletin any change in the red snapper fishing seasons. Additionally, NOAA Fisheries will monitor the commercial landings and may re-open the commercial fishing season in 2012 if landings are less than the annual catch limits.
After the conclusion of the commercial September 17-24, 2012, red snapper fishing season, red snapper may not be harvested or possessed in federal waters of the South Atlantic. After the conclusion of the recreational September 14-17, 2012, and September 21-24, 2012 fishing seasons, red snapper may not be harvested or possessed in federal waters of the South Atlantic.
Harvest and possession prohibitions also apply to state waters for vessels holding federal snapper-grouper permits.
This bulletin provides only a summary of the information regarding this rulemaking. Any discrepancies between this bulletin and the regulations published in the Federal Register will be resolved in favor of the Federal Register.
This bulletin serves as a Small Entity Compliance Guide, complying with section 212 of the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996.
More information, including Frequently Asked Questions for the 2012 red snapper fishing seasons can be found online at:
http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/SASnapperGrouperHomepage.htm
To receive fishery bulletins via email using Constant Contact, please sign up at http://bit.ly/HQDUEU. You may also sign up for Constant Contact by visiting our website http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/ (sign-up option is located on the left side of the page).


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## Maggie Dog (Aug 30, 2012)

Thanks for the link Sharkfighter, I have looked it over and if I catch the weather right, G reef is ideal. My plotter has most all the artificial reefs on it, it's a 2011 model. 

How about that Stick,Throwing us fishermen a bone, in an election year, go figure.


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