Opening Day of Red Snapper

PANAMA CITY — The opening day of red snapper for recreational anglers was June 11. Usually I take off this day of work every year since red snapper season is only 30 days and not as many boats are on the water during the week. The weather app called for rain and thunderstorms with the seas at 3 feet, so I didn’t bother.

On the way into work, I saw the bay and it was slick calm — and I knew I shouldn’t have listened to the marine weather app. My boss was understanding and let me leave early so I could run out and catch a couple and check some numbers I found 15 to 20 years ago that I haven't fished in five to 10 years.

I grabbed the boat and gear and headed for the landing. My plan was to hit a school of mullet or menhaden on the way out with my cast net but didn’t see any and didn’t want to waste too much time. I did have some 5-ounce vertical jigs, 3- and 6-ounce feathers, and some 3-ounce jig heads and artificial baits if I didn’t find anything to use for bait. After leaving the pass, I saw birds and Bonita busting, so I stopped and caught two of them fast and threw them the cooler for cut bait and headed for the first spot at eight miles.

I found the pile, deployed the trolling motor and set the anchor lock. I began by dropping the jig and jigging off the boat for about 15 minutes with nothing. I could see on the graph, fish sitting on the bottom and 20 feet off the bottom. I cut a piece of bonita and dropped down to the bottom, as soon as it hit, I felt the thump and fish on. I landed a 16-inch trigger, which is closed until January. I spent an hour there catching and releasing 25 to 30 trigger fish from 12 inches up to 16 inches long. Not having live bait, cut cigars or squid put a damper on the snapper catching, as I could see them on the machine. I decided to leave there and check a spot at about 15 miles.

Pulled up on the numbers there and didn’t see anything on the machine. I circled around a few minutes starting tight and going wider on every pass. I never found anything on the bottom or saw any bait or fish on the graph. I drifted for a moment watching the machine, and nothing ever showed up, so I headed to a spot I hadn’t fished since 2009 at 18 miles out.

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As soon as I got within 250 feet of the spot, the screen lit up. I could see fish and bait on the bottom, fish 20 feet and 50 feet off the bottom. I dropped a piece of cut bait, and as soon as it hit bottom I felt the thump and reeled up a 21-inch trigger fish. I dropped again, same thing, and reeled up a 23-inch trigger fish. I looked at my notes; last time there, I caught big red and gag grouper and big red snapper.

I cut about 6 inches off the tail of the bonita, butterflied the cut, and dropped down. It sat on the bottom about five seconds and I saw the line move. I reeled tight and the fight was on. I knew from the pull and the weight it was a grouper. I got it about 15 feet off the bottom and the leader broke. I re-rigged, dropped another big piece of bonita down and same thing, except he lodged himself in a hole. I gave him slack, tightened down the drag, reeled up the slack, and gave it everything I had, and he came out.

I landed a 30-inch red grouper that weighed right at 17 pounds. In the cooler it went. Put on another big piece of cut bait and dropped, waited about five seconds and felt the weight. I got it about 15 feet off the bottom and it took drag and ran back down. Keep in mind, the drag was cinched all the way down from the previous fish on a 4/0 Penn reel. He got into the structure and broke me off. I re-rigged again, dropped down a small cut piece, felt the thump and reeled up a 20-inch red snapper.

That was all I needed to feed the family dinner and lunch the next day. So I cleaned up, put everything away and headed in so I could make dinner for the family. Now with what I know from this trip and the previous trip, when Jake, Dad and I head out again, we can tussle with some grouper and snapper.

This Friday afternoon and the morning of Saturday, June 14-15, my NauticStar and I will be at MarineMax on Panama City Beach just over the Lagoon bridge directly across from Capt. Anderson's in the same parking lot as Treasure Island Marine. If you're around, swing by and check it out.

Anthony Watson of the Liquid Dream Fishing Team shares his fishing adventures weekly in the Entertainer.