News:

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon Link

Main Menu

Snapper? On the fly?

Started by AL trout bum, June 03, 2015, 10:54:21 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

AL trout bum

I have been wanting to catch a red snapper on the fly for quite some time now. I've been bombarding people with questions like: "What kind of leader?", "What weight rod should I use?","What charter should I use?", etc. All this stems from my being consumed with achieving my goal. That's just how I am. When I set out to do something, I am like a crazed maniac until I accomplish it. So, after weeks of reading, bugging people, borrowing the gear I would need, etc., the time had finally arrived. I set out to Pensacola last Saturday for 3 days. One day was basically just to set up camp, procure provisions, learn the lay of the land, etc. That night, I wanted to grill some seafood by the campfire. So we went to Joe Patti's and endured the madness long enough to get what we wanted. Now it's time to relax, enjoy some libations and plan for the next day.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


I rented a kayak for use around the campground on the grass flats, and the weather and tides looked favorable for my time slot. Unfortunately, the fishing wasn't stellar. Not even okay. I caught a single pinfish after casting a 9wt (from a seated position) in a kayak for 4 hours. Oh well, there's always cold beer and nice scenery to enjoy.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


We decided to give up surf fishing for the day because everywhere we wanted to go was pretty crowded. We went to a highly recommended place for lunch and wasn't overly impressed, but we were hungry. After that we did as everyone else was doing and sat under an umbrella on the beach and drank beer.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Went back to the campground and took a much needed shower and headed out to another highly recommended seafood place for dinner. After dinner, we went back and made sure we had everything set for the trip the next morning. Woke up early the next morning and headed to the marina to meet our captain. While heading out, we ran into a pretty nasty storm (little did we know that was going to be the day's norm), and beached the boat and took cover at Ft. Pickens. Once it passed, we stopped in the pass to catch bait because my buddy isn't a fly fisherman.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


I tied on this fly for my quarry, for no reason other than it had some weight to it relative to my other options.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


Made it to our first stop and on my first cast I hooked up with this beauty:

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


I was totally unprepared for how hard these fish fight. I was using a 12wt, and I thought that fish was going to snap it in two. We had snapper and triggers swimming around, and after I caught several snapper, I tried to get one of the triggers to bite. I had to actually start snatching the fly away from snapper to give the triggers a chance. Unfortunately, they wanted nothing to do with the fly. So I caught a few more snapper and we decided to motor off to another spot.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


At the next spot, I used my 9wt because we saw some undersized cobia. I had on a pink clouser and hooked one finally after multiple frustrating follows and rejections. He wasn't big, but it was a cobia.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


I caught a few remoras too, but didn't waste pics on them!

From that point on, the snapper and triggers weren't really hitting the fly anymore. So I watched my buddy catch quite a few on gear and then we motored off to one last spot. We pulled up to where the captain thought there would be some king mackerel. I cast a fly and stripped as fast as I could for about 100 casts, while my buddy caught mackerel and bonita. I finally said to heck with the long rod and grabbed a spinning rod to catch a mackerel. On my first cast I hooked up and we added several mackerel to our snapper haul for the day.

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login

Guests are not allowed to view images in posts, please Register or Login


We ran back in during a horrible storm. I had my eyes closed to keep the water out and could see the lightning flashes. I thought I would die out there. We got back safe and sound, other than drenching wet, and made the long drive back to Alabama. I can now mark snapper off the list, but there's still dorado, pompano, jack crevalle, etc. to go!!!
"Sloppy and rough wading have saved more trout than any regulation written by man."

Dougfish

A+, my man.  'c;
I even started to get sea sick.

Transylwader

 /'/
Fuck yeah Matty L!
Attaboy. My salty 2015 campaign is underway as I type this.
You may want to skip Pompano and go for the holy graille, Permit.
Dorado? Speak to Goldie. His dad fishes the gulfstream alot, those bastards hang out on the seaweed scumline. Easily hooked, not so easy to land.

ptfranze


driver

Awesome!!! I'm assuming you chumed up the snappers? If some what's was the chum? And how deep was the water? This is giving some ideas for A variety of different fish.

sanjuanwormhatch

I grew up on the coast and most of my diy trips end up just floating in a boat drinking beer.  Nice work.

OldDominionAngler


RiverbumCO

My real name is Chad Farthouse.

AL trout bum

Quote from: driver on June 03, 2015, 11:46:31 AM
Awesome!!! I'm assuming you chumed up the snappers? If some what's was the chum? And how deep was the water? This is giving some ideas for A variety of different fish.

Threw out a few cut up fish chunks to get them up. Water depth was probably around 90ft if I remember correctly. The possibilities are really endless for bottom fish species, BUT they have to eat the fly. The captain told me sometimes it works, but most of the time it can be quite frustrating. Sometimes they won't come up, sometimes they'll come up, but not eat the fly, etc. I experienced that first hand with the triggers. They simply wanted nothing to do with any fly I threw at them. Basically all the stars have to align, and thank God it worked out while I was out there.
"Sloppy and rough wading have saved more trout than any regulation written by man."

Transylwader

Quote from: AL trout bum on June 03, 2015, 13:48:00 PM
They simply wanted nothing to do with any fly I threw at them.
Bollocks, a size 2 girdle bug in army green/brown. V:;

AL trout bum

Quote from: Transylwader on June 03, 2015, 15:19:20 PM
Quote from: AL trout bum on June 03, 2015, 13:48:00 PM
They simply wanted nothing to do with any fly I threw at them.
Bollocks, a size 2 girdle bug in army green/brown. V:;

It might have worked. I did forget that trigger fish have small mouths. They probably were like, "there ain't no way in hell I can eat that fly!"
"Sloppy and rough wading have saved more trout than any regulation written by man."

TheYiman

Great stuff Matt!  y;  What a fish on your first cast.

raz

nice red snapper, glad you didnt die.  see you soon