Florida Fishing

lizardsrule · 09-11-07, 09:18 PM

Well here is a sample of what can happen in Florida fishing

I also ran into a 12' Gator today with my boat

Now I know your gonna say how the heck did he know it was a 12' gator

Well as I was returning to the launch, I watched a guy who owns a house on the river, use a poll to push a huge gator out into the water. My first thought was it was a fake gator, like a scarecrow gator. As I got closer the more it looked real. I asked if it was dead, and he replied, yes it washed up to his dock 2 days ago

So he asked me to push it over to the weeds with my boat, and I did, being extremely freaked out the whole time

It's mouth was open, and I know it was 12', becasue I put it up next to my boat. It was scary looking, and rotting at the same time. The snook measured 31.5" when I caught it. However I threw it in the cooler, since it was within the legal slot size, which is 28"-32". When I got home I remeasured it for a pic, and on the same board it measured 30.5"

Now I've fished bass tourney's where the bass have shrunk during the day after catching them early, but a whole inch? Which brings me to the question of if I keep a 28.25" snook, throw it in the cooler, and it shrinks, then the game warden decides to check me, what the heck do I do if it has shrunk below the slot size? In this case, it was in the slot either way, but the next one might be just a little over the slot. Anyone ever had this situation come up before?

Lizards

texasbasser · 09-11-07, 09:48 PM

Beautiful Snook Lizzy! I dont know about bass because I never keep them, but redfish do that aswell. I guess the only way to be safe is keep fish more than an inch over min. slot?

Anyway, nice fish!

tb

bassfisher02 · 09-11-07, 10:38 PM

Lizards, little burned??? It either shrunk in the cooler, or sometimes we dont measure so well out on the boat... My solution to this problem: We only keep fish atleast an inch over the minimum size limit. That way if you do end up not measuring so well, or it does shrink up, we are still safe. Nice fish!

JB · 09-12-07, 08:14 PM

Hey Honey,
come on in the kitchen , the snook is ready.....

JRL · 09-13-07, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizardsrule

Which brings me to the question of if I keep a 28.25" snook, throw it in the cooler, and it shrinks, then the game warden decides to check me, what the heck do I do if it has shrunk below the slot size?

Lizards

The game wardens answer will always be:

"The only thing that matters is how long the fish is when I measure it"

There were a lot of guys on the pier (juno pier) talking about fish shrinking. As in keeping a 33" and hoping it would shrink. To me its just not worth the $500 fine, plus what ever tackle they want to confiscate.

So far Ive got 3 oversized and 5 shorts. Biggest being 40". This season has been a pain to say the least.

JB · 09-13-07, 08:08 PM

ya can always fillet it while its legal, put in a baggie on ice...but then again If I planned all that out, I'd probably get skunked LOL...ya never know when you are going to catch some dinner.

JRL · 09-14-07, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB

ya can always fillet it while its legal, put in a baggie on ice

Thats actually illegal for most of Floridas game fish. It has to be taken whole off of the pier/boat/spillway.

lizardsrule · 09-14-07, 09:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRL

The game wardens answer will always be:

"The only thing that matters is how long the fish is when I measure it"

There were a lot of guys on the pier (juno pier) talking about fish shrinking. As in keeping a 33" and hoping it would shrink. To me its just not worth the $500 fine, plus what ever tackle they want to confiscate.

So far Ive got 3 oversized and 5 shorts. Biggest being 40". This season has been a pain to say the least.

That's a heck of a snook. I have not boated a oversized one yet. I've hooked into more than a few, but never seem to get them to the boat

Caught another 27", and 24" today, with some other shorts. What are you uising to catch these snook?

Lizards

JRL · 09-15-07, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lizardsrule

That's a heck of a snook. I have not boated a oversized one yet. I've hooked into more than a few, but never seem to get them to the boat

Caught another 27", and 24" today, with some other shorts. What are you uising to catch these snook?

Lizards

There as some massive snook swimming around the pier lately.

The 40" was caught using a "dork jack". Hooked him on the top of the head right in front of the dorsal fin.

The rest were caught using pilchards. Either thraot hooked to make them dive, or in the nose to keep them on the surface.

09-11-07, 09:18 PM	#1
lizardsrule BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saint Augustine, FL Posts: 7,374	Florida Fishing Well here is a sample of what can happen in Florida fishing I also ran into a 12' Gator today with my boat Now I know your gonna say how the heck did he know it was a 12' gator Well as I was returning to the launch, I watched a guy who owns a house on the river, use a poll to push a huge gator out into the water. My first thought was it was a fake gator, like a scarecrow gator. As I got closer the more it looked real. I asked if it was dead, and he replied, yes it washed up to his dock 2 days ago So he asked me to push it over to the weeds with my boat, and I did, being extremely freaked out the whole time It's mouth was open, and I know it was 12', becasue I put it up next to my boat. It was scary looking, and rotting at the same time. The snook measured 31.5" when I caught it. However I threw it in the cooler, since it was within the legal slot size, which is 28"-32". When I got home I remeasured it for a pic, and on the same board it measured 30.5" Now I've fished bass tourney's where the bass have shrunk during the day after catching them early, but a whole inch? Which brings me to the question of if I keep a 28.25" snook, throw it in the cooler, and it shrinks, then the game warden decides to check me, what the heck do I do if it has shrunk below the slot size? In this case, it was in the slot either way, but the next one might be just a little over the slot. Anyone ever had this situation come up before? Lizards Attached Thumbnails __________________ There are three types of Snakes I hate 1. Live Snakes 2. Dead Snakes 3. Sticks that look like Snakes. And Gators too!

09-11-07, 10:38 PM	#3
bassfisher02 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 4,765	Lizards, little burned??? It either shrunk in the cooler, or sometimes we dont measure so well out on the boat... My solution to this problem: We only keep fish atleast an inch over the minimum size limit. That way if you do end up not measuring so well, or it does shrink up, we are still safe. Nice fish! __________________ Good Fishin'

09-12-07, 08:14 PM	#4
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	lizardsrule and miss lizardsrule getting ready for din din Hey Honey, come on in the kitchen , the snook is ready.....

09-11-07, 09:48 PM	#2
texasbasser BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Antonio, Tx Posts: 2,301	Beautiful Snook Lizzy! I dont know about bass because I never keep them, but redfish do that aswell. I guess the only way to be safe is keep fish more than an inch over min. slot? Anyway, nice fish! tb

09-13-07, 08:08 PM	#6
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	ya can always fillet it while its legal, put in a baggie on ice...but then again If I planned all that out, I'd probably get skunked LOL...ya never know when you are going to catch some dinner.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)