Big snapper out from Boca Grande
Capt. Darel Carter
September 15, 2015
Boca Grande - Saltwater Fishing Report
9-3-15
My good fishing friend Joe and I were going to target big mangrove snapper today. Our plan included using live or dead greenies off shore in my flats boat. The first stop was to catch small bait just before day light. One cast and we were good with threadfins and greenies. Our next stop was to catch large greenies and threadfins using Sabikis just outside of little Gasparilla pass. The bait has been extremely thick there for weeks.
With bait in the well, we were off to the snapper spot. Joe marked the spot with a buoy and I always position the boat up current from the mark. The current was slightly moving to the north and the wind was coming from the north. We caught a few snapper but it was not quite right. We moved the boat two more times until I had the right angle I wanted. Getting the right angle is critical because you have all of the cent, scales and other fish parts going to the structure. That worked because I used 20lb leader attached to 65lb power pro line with a 3oz sinker to pull in some nice mangos. Joe was using 30lb leader attached to mono line. We caught some good mango to 17 inches long.
As I fished, I would throw out some dead bait to create a chum slick. All of a sudden, Joe yelled look at all of the mangos. We had mangos chummed to within 3 feet of the surface. I instantly removed my sinker and started to free line dead baits to them. At times, we would have up to five snapper trying to eat one bait. We caught mangos up to 19.5 inches long and Joe caught an 18-inch yellow tail (flag). Joe caught it while dead at dead stick. Know to us as a free lined bait drifting back while the rod is in the rod holder. We arrived at this spot at 0820 hours and were finished at 0930 hours with our 20 keeper snapper.
At was time to target red grouper with a short move. It was slow but we put one keeper in the boat. The water at the snapper spot was clean but the water ½ mile away was dirty iced tea color.
The FWC office at the boat ramp was confused by the red grouper. He thought it was a short gag grouper. No, it was a 21.5" red grouper. O'well he was kind enough to take a picture for me.
Contact Capt. Darel Carter at 941-456-0415 for florida flats fishing at its best Shark-snook-redfish and trout
Boca Grande Fishing Forecast:
More off shore snapper as long as its flat.
Target Species:
Snapper, grouper,shark,snook,redfish and trout
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