Keys Snowies gone deep

[KWtuna]

Lower Keys current has dropped way down over the last few weeks. Looks like the grouper have gone deeper. 850' to 950'

[Disco Lady]

COÑO!!!!!! Nice fish brotha....

DL,

[wearevermx]

Good job man!!!,,,,,,,,,a curious thing ,,,same situation is happening here,,,,Quenn´s are going deepper as well.

Thigth lines and Saluddd....

[Catch-All]

Noice fish !!!!!

[TTesterman]

good report also and some very nice size fish! (I always figure I want at least two dinners every time I go out!) ..

[KWtuna]

Originally Posted by TTesterman

good report also and some very nice size fish! (I always figure I want at least two dinners every time I go out!) ..

One for me and one for her...hm!!
Got a question and I know you guys are gonna think I am stupid, but what is a "Queen" fish. Down here in the keys I seem to catch four types of fish, Snowies, Rosies, Tiles and this fish they tell me is a Barrel fish. It looks like a permit and a wahoo got together and it fits like hell all the way up!
Another question, does anyone know why sometimes these snowies come up with snow flakes all over them and somtimes none?

[sammythebu11]

Nice Fish......
I think the snowies read amendment 17......

[TTesterman]

they are all red and great eating. some snowys have a bunch of spots some don't thats all. the mystic's are actually a 7 banded grouper (stripes), the barrel fish are just a weird looking creature, very oily I don't too much care for the meat. really nice size groupers your doing great.

[KWtuna]

Originally Posted by TTesterman

they are all red and great eating. some snowys have a bunch of spots some don't thats all. the mystic's are actually a 7 banded grouper (stripes), the barrel fish are just a weird looking creature, very oily I don't too much care for the meat. really nice size groupers your doing great.

Thanks for the info ttman - The fishing down here has been great for a while now and I am not BS'ing when I say you get a fish on almost every drop. I have done SIGNIFICANTLY!! better after changing my hook rig. I use a Bahama rig which is 2 to 3 hooks that I make myself. The hook leader to main line is much longer than store pre rigs - 5 feet or better. I use a straw or flouro tube at the knuckle to stop main line spin tangle on the way up or down. - Hey it works for me

The barrel fish, well someone at the dock has given me bad information. The fish that I am refering to is 15 to 20 pounds, kinda shaped like a permit with a big eye, wahoo stripes on the side and slimed up - but the meat is pure white, firm and very tasty like grouper. Its a constant rod bobing fight all the up and they dont have a bladder discharge - I will get a photo of one
Thanks for the info guya and great forum

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by KWtuna

The barrel fish, well someone at the dock has given me bad information. The fish that I am refering to is 15 to 20 pounds, kinda shaped like a permit with a big eye, wahoo stripes on the side and slimed up - but the meat is pure white, firm and very tasty like grouper. Its a constant rod bobing fight all the up and they dont have a bladder discharge - I will get a photo of one
Thanks for the info guya and great forum

Well, for the most part, I seem to be the local forum expert on Barrelfish. Your description is dead-on, except for the "wahoo stripes". I'd call it more of a herringbone pattern, but whatever. Some show the pattern more than others. Here are the first 4 I caught, back in October '06.



And this is a Queen Snapper. More often caught in the Bahamas, but I've read reports of some being caught in the Keys too.

[Uncle Buck]

Originally Posted by TTesterman

...the barrel fish are just a weird looking creature, very oily I don't too much care for the meat...

Ted, Are you sure it was a barrelfish that you tried? Their meat is not oily at all. Clean, white, and meaty when cooked.

[TTesterman]

we took it home and cleaned it ... looked good but was terrible oily to me. did I ever tell you I like yelloweye eyed snappers???

[Uncle Buck]

Hmmm... maybe meat quality drops off with age, like giant groupers.

[backwoods1]

I had to cook for a big family fish fry and all I had in the freezer was deep stuff. Snowy,Yellow Edge, Gray Tile, Rosie's, and Barrels everyone loved it all. I could see the difference in the look of the meat between the groupers and Barrels but taste was no huge difference. I personally cant get enough Rosie's very delicate meat. Has anybody been catching southern hake? I caught two last trip and had never seen one before.
Beau

[KWtuna]

deep drop rig - not sure if this photo came thru but I was asked about the straw or tube at the knuckle - This helps twist tangle on the way up and down

[Catch-All]

I like that. A nice, simple rig that is easy to make yourself. Thanks for the pic!


Catch

[dpdash]

Why do you like a longer section from main line to hook? When you get more than one fish don't they tangle? Curious.

[backwoods1]

Hey Peter,
Great pick of your rig it makes makes a lot of sense. I have started going lighter and lighter on the mono. Tried a 150 main line with 100 on the hooks. It worked OK but i only got one trip out of it. I think I will stick with 250lb red lp mono all the way from now on. The 9/0 Demon Circles have been working great. If you do get out in the gulf to chase the shrimpers around and can get a few bone heads save me a few this week i can pick them up anytime in the afternoons after 2. I didn't see the birds on them on the way out Sat. Here is a pick of the fish we caught Sat. Man i hope that worked.
gl,
Beau
550.jpg

[Disco Lady]

COÑO!!!!!!!! Beau,Very nice snowie brother... That's a very pretty little lady you got there. Now go catch a swordie next time congrats! on your snowie, again.

DL,

[KWtuna]

Originally Posted by dpdash

Why do you like a longer section from main line to hook? When you get more than one fish don't they tangle? Curious.

Great question - I fished short leaders for a few years and noticed that on a slow drift if I held the bottom longer I seemed to get more bites. My theory was that banging the weight on the botttom every 10 feet spooked the fish. I started making longer leaders to get the bait away from the lead. I experimented with leaders up to 20' - this lenght was a disaster. After trial and error I found that a 5 to 7' leader with the tube up against the knukle worked best. And yes I do get fish tangle but nothing that leads to any big hair ball tangle issues. Fishing a more conventional rig next to my "Bahama Rig" there is no comparision - it works for me but feel free to make your own judgement - catch em up!!!

[KWtuna]

Originally Posted by backwoods1

Hey Peter,
Great pick of your rig it makes makes a lot of sense. I have started going lighter and lighter on the mono. Tried a 150 main line with 100 on the hooks. It worked OK but i only got one trip out of it. I think I will stick with 250lb red lp mono all the way from now on. The 9/0 Demon Circles have been working great. If you do get out in the gulf to chase the shrimpers around and can get a few bone heads save me a few this week i can pick them up anytime in the afternoons after 2. I didn't see the birds on them on the way out Sat. Here is a pick of the fish we caught Sat. Man i hope that worked.
gl,
Beau
Attachment 3622

Pretty work Beau
Thanks for the rig info - I fished friday evening and I could not hold bottom for more than 10 sec without getting jumped by snowies - man they are insane hungry!! Is this some type of snowie orgy out there? they are all over 750' - I think its tikme to make a shrimp boat run for tunas, just have to wait on weather - will bring you boneheads
Pete

[Fishatic31]

Pete, thanks for the pics, i will give it a try.

[Spicy Mikey]

nice fish, nice rig. I like it!