Panama City Beach Fishing

Complements of the Panama City News Herald

They’re everywhere.
Red snapper season in Florida waters in the Gulf of Mexico opened on Tuesday and there doesn’t seem to be a shortage. If anything, there's an overabundance. “They’re a nuisance,” said Capt. Eric Thrasher on the Daybreak. “There’s too many of them.” He explained while they were fishing in federal waters Thursday for grouper and other species, the snapper kept taking their bait. “We threw back about 30 or 40 snapper,” Thrasher said. “Snapper fishing is as good as I’ve seen in a long time,” he added. “They are there ... in every direction you want to go.” The Daybreak kept 16 red snapper. They also came in with grouper, black snapper and a couple of triggerfish.
Recent regulations have cut the bag limit on red snapper from four fish daily per person to two fish per person, and the captain and crew of the charters are not allowed to be counted in the bag limit. In addition, the recreational red snapper fishing season in Gulf federal waters has changed and will now open on June 1 and close on Aug. 5. Gulf federal waters extend well offshore beyond state waters, which only extend nine nautical miles from the shore.
Capt. Steve Hauesler on the First Light had no problems finding the red snapper. “There’s plenty of them out there,” Hauesler said. “And we caught all the law would allow.” His group of anglers from Louisiana limited out on red snapper. They also pulled in a grouper and a huge 10-pound triggerfish.
The group on the charter boat No Alibi didn’t have a problem catching red snapper either. “They’re everywhere,” said Capt. Chuck Turbanic of the No Alibi. “You can’t get away from them ... You can’t fish for other species because of the red snapper.” He said hungry dolphins were even stalking the boat and waiting for anglers to return the reds to the sea. His group, however, did catch their red snapper limit, a couple of grouper and a pair of cobia. Turbanic said they found a pair of cobia and caught one, then later saw a single and hooked it. Both cobia weighed about 40 pounds each.
Anglers on the Top Gun with Capt. Jeff Culbreth brought in a nice catch of red snapper, lane snapper and amberjack. Some of their snapper weighed in the 12- to 15-pound range. First mate Jay Singletary said they didn’t have any problem catching snapper. As a matter of fact, “we had a problem catching grouper because of all the snapper,” he said.
Captain Art Smith on the Nautica and his anglers from Ohio and Delaware filled the racks with red snapper and grouper. The Destin Princess with Capt. Judah Barbee at the helm came in with a big catch of red snapper, mingo, white snapper and triggerfish.
Capt. Bruce Marler on the Gulf Breeze had several baskets full of mingo, lane snapper, red grouper, amberine and amberjack.

Lets go fishing!!

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