# 2018 Snapper season



## trubluau (Apr 17, 2018)

Well, 40 days is nice although I'm a little disappointed in the start date. June 11-July 21. We have our yearly family vacation to Mexico Beach scheduled for June 1-10. I wish they would of done like last year and had every weekend from Memorial Day weekend till Labor Day weekend. Oh well. I guess 40 days is better than 3 right.


----------



## Pointpuller (Apr 17, 2018)

Im liking the dates.  You need to reschedule your vacay if at all possible.  Gonna be a blood bath in the cockpit.


----------



## Rabun (Apr 18, 2018)

trubluau said:


> Well, 40 days is nice although I'm a little disappointed in the start date. June 11-July 21. We have our yearly family vacation to Mexico Beach scheduled for June 1-10. I wish they would of done like last year and had every weekend from Memorial Day weekend till Labor Day weekend. Oh well. I guess 40 days is better than 3 right.



Is this state or federal waters or both? And assuming Florida Gulf of Mexico?


----------



## Dustin Pate (Apr 18, 2018)

It is definitely a step in the right direction!


----------



## hawg dawg (Apr 18, 2018)

Both Fed and State.


----------



## spurrs and racks (Apr 18, 2018)

*read*

http://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/snappers/

s&r


----------



## notnksnemor (Apr 18, 2018)

Dustin Pate said:


> It is definitely a step in the right direction!



Feds turning control over to the states is a good step.


----------



## Rabun (Apr 19, 2018)

NOTNKSNEMOR said:


> Feds turning control over to the states is a good step.



I agree with that 100%!!  Rescheduled my vaca to coincide with the new snapper season.  It will be nice to go after them any day of the week and not have to worry about an imaginary line in the water separating state and federal waters.


----------



## lampern (Apr 19, 2018)

NOTNKSNEMOR said:


> Feds turning control over to the states is a good step.



Congress made them do it.


----------



## C.Killmaster (Apr 20, 2018)

How far off of Mexico Beach do y'all usually have to go to get into them, or what water depth is best?


----------



## notnksnemor (Apr 20, 2018)

C.Killmaster said:


> How far off of Mexico Beach do y'all usually have to go to get into them, or what water depth is best?



Can't speak for others, but my experience is inside of 15 miles is going to get hammered.
I've started targeting other species... Lane Snapper, Grey (Mangrove) snapper and black sea bass.


----------



## CamoDawg85 (Apr 20, 2018)

C.Killmaster said:


> How far off of Mexico Beach do y'all usually have to go to get into them, or what water depth is best?



Charlie, I have caught them within 5-7 miles from the Mexico beach canal. Water depth is 65-70 in that area. I have a 20’ seafox and run out there a couple times a year. Sent you a PM.


----------



## C.Killmaster (Apr 21, 2018)

NOTNKSNEMOR said:


> Can't speak for others, but my experience is inside of 15 miles is going to get hammered.
> I've started targeting other species... Lane Snapper, Grey (Mangrove) snapper and black sea bass.



I'm certainly not hung up on big reds, but I already had a trip planned during the season.  I'm all about those other species you mentioned, we caught tons of grey snapper in the keys several years ago and they are about as good a fish to eat as any.  Any tips on targeting those species you mentioned?  I've caught sea bass, but never any snapper on my own.


----------



## C.Killmaster (Apr 21, 2018)

CamoDawg85 said:


> Charlie, I have caught them within 5-7 miles from the Mexico beach canal. Water depth is 65-70 in that area. I have a 20’ seafox and run out there a couple times a year. Sent you a PM.



Thanks buddy!  I haven't gotten into water quite that deep yet.  Still building up my comfort level in unprotected waters.


----------



## notnksnemor (Apr 22, 2018)

C.Killmaster said:


> I'm certainly not hung up on big reds, but I already had a trip planned during the season.  I'm all about those other species you mentioned, we caught tons of grey snapper in the keys several years ago and they are about as good a fish to eat as any.  Any tips on targeting those species you mentioned?  I've caught sea bass, but never any snapper on my own.



Mainly downsize a little.
Find structure in 30 to 50 feet. Bell Shoals reefs out of MB is a good place to start. Car Bodies will probably be full of boats. Also don't pass up fishing the buoy line.
I generally use cut bait (fresher the better) on a 2/0 or 3/0 circle hook.
Greys are very hook/leader shy so flourocarbon is a must and bury the hook in the bait.
Good luck.
You'll probably have to wade through 50 or 60 triggerfish to get your limit, but it's doable.
Good kids fishing. Lot of action.


----------



## skiff23 (Apr 23, 2018)

Date change got us too. We have rescheduled because of it. Hope the weather is good. A couple years ago we went and got beat to death.


----------



## asc (Apr 28, 2018)

lampern said:


> Congress made them do it.


Dept of Commerce made them do it.


----------



## trubluau (Apr 30, 2018)

C.Killmaster said:


> How far off of Mexico Beach do y'all usually have to go to get into them, or what water depth is best?



There are plenty of snapper just a few miles off the beach but they get hit by everybody with a boat so I normally head anywhere from 30-50 miles out. There are much bigger fish that far out and plenty of red grouper and scamps.


----------



## C.Killmaster (May 1, 2018)

trubluau said:


> There are plenty of snapper just a few miles off the beach but they get hit by everybody with a boat so I normally head anywhere from 30-50 miles out. There are much bigger fish that far out and plenty of red grouper and scamps.



Wish I could, but that's too far for my 20 ft bay boat.


----------



## flatheadpatrol (May 1, 2018)

C.Killmaster said:


> I'm certainly not hung up on big reds, but I already had a trip planned during the season.  I'm all about those other species you mentioned, we caught tons of grey snapper in the keys several years ago and they are about as good a fish to eat as any.  Any tips on targeting those species you mentioned?  I've caught sea bass, but never any snapper on my own.


Live bait...keeps the trash fish away too. Pinfish trap out the night before with some pogie and a sandwich bag full of seafood flavored cat food with some holes punched in it.


----------



## Georgiagator (May 2, 2018)

I am gonna be at mexico beach from june 8 to the 13  I have a 20 hydra sport and I have been out 40 miles in it when the seas are right  so if any of yall want to get together i ususlly keep my radio on ch 14  just give me a call


----------



## Chas (May 3, 2018)

*5 to 10*

There are plenty of snapper within 5 to 10 miles out...Don't have to go that far to find fish...#s aren't hard to find if you look around! I fill the boat with a limit just about every trip.


----------



## Rabun (May 4, 2018)

Georgiagator said:


> I am gonna be at mexico beach from june 8 to the 13  I have a 20 hydra sport and I have been out 40 miles in it when the seas are right  so if any of yall want to get together i ususlly keep my radio on ch 14  just give me a call



I will be at the cape 6/12-17 with my boat...25 foot bay boat.  Looks like I will miss you...would have liked to hook up and tag along on an off shore run.  Would you mind reporting back on how you did...maybe give me a couple of pointers.

Good luck!


----------



## Georgiagator (May 14, 2018)

if i find a real good spot i will send ya the numbers
  just got my chip in for that area  hope its as good as the one i have for keatons area


----------



## kingfish (Jun 8, 2018)

Fished the Reeling For Kids Tournament out of Steinhatchee last weekend before the season opened.  The snapper were so thick, the only way we caught our grouper was on butterfly jigs.  Every live and cut bait was intercepted by big red snapper.  We caught them trolling Stretch 30's and we caught them slow trolling ribbonfish for kings way up the water column.  Put out a 3 lb Jolthead Porgy on a balloon and a giant red snapper ate it. The thing that was weird and kind of concerned me is the areas that were loaded with snapper, I could not sabiki a bait up off the bottom, not one bait not once.  As soon as we brought a snapper  up, the whole herd would follow it up from the bottom.  Same with flat lining,  nothing but snapper.  The good thing is that if they had been in season, every fish would have been in between 15-20 lbs or better.  Good luck to everyone !!!


----------



## Rabun (Jun 15, 2018)

Been having a pretty good week here on Cape san blas...when we can get on the water.  Monday we got within 2 miles of our numbers and had to run for the hill due to huge thunderstorms that blew up.  Tuesday was same weather so did some beach fishing and caught a couple pompano and whiting.  Wed was dead calm and only landed one good keeper red snapper and a couple lane snapper, four kings and a couple big spanish.  Had a goliath grouper steal several fish...tackle and all.  Thurs we limited out on snapper and caught a chiken dolphin a couple bonito, small cobia and a couple sharks.

Hopefully have two more trips...waiting on weather now.  Hope some of y'all got out there and caught some!


----------



## sea trout (Jun 15, 2018)

Awesome Rabun!!!


----------



## trubluau (Jun 19, 2018)

We went out of Keaton Saturday with 6 on board. Left the dock at 7:30 and had our limit of snapper and 4 nice gags and back at the dock by lunch. Really good day.


----------



## Rabun (Jun 19, 2018)

trubluau said:


> We went out of Keaton Saturday with 6 on board. Left the dock at 7:30 and had our limit of snapper and 4 nice gags and back at the dock by lunch. Really good day.


That's the way to do it!  Congrats on a great day!


----------

