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Hog Snapper Closure on 8-24

CaptJCaptJ Posts: 685 Officer
in Keys General Fishing & The Outdoors #1
The Feds are closing the Hog Snapper season till January 1. According to NOAA the rec catch was + - 500,000# I would be interested in knowing how they gathered that information.

Replies

  • Lobstercatcher229Lobstercatcher229 Posts: 4,843 Captain
    #2
    CaptJ wrote: »
    The Feds are closing the Hog Snapper season till January 1. According to NOAA the rec catch was + - 500,000# I would be interested in knowing how they gathered that information.

    Seems like it would be a wild guess.
  • Jack HexterJack Hexter New Port RicheyPosts: 4,377 Moderator
    #3
    Everything NMFS does is a wild guess
  • drgibbydrgibby Posts: 1,281 Officer
    #4
    Lobstercatcher229 wrote: »
    Seems like it would be a wild guess.

    I think the word WILD is great understatement!!!
  • drgibbydrgibby Posts: 1,281 Officer
    #5
    I find it odd that the NOAA bulletin says the closure on hogfish is being done to protect the snapper and grouper fishery. Hogfish do not belong to either group. Makes perfect sense, I guess.................
  • R.BoonfieldR.Boonfield Posts: 128 Officer
    #6
    Honestly, after visiting the keys last week and seeing how dead that water is near shore, I don't think its a terrible idea.
  • Soda PopinskiSoda Popinski GrovelandPosts: 9,239 Admiral
    #7
    Dart board?
    People use statistics the way a drunk uses a street light, for support rather than illumination.
  • drgibbydrgibby Posts: 1,281 Officer
    #8
    R.Boonfield wrote: »
    Honestly, after visiting the keys last week and seeing how dead that water is near shore, I don't think its a terrible idea.

    Only Federal waters are closing. State waters remain open for the time being.
    Heading down next week, gonna get em while we can. From what I have seen the hogfish population in the lower Keys has proven to be very stabile for the past 15 or 20 years, limits are easy to obtain if you know where to look.
  • latitudeajustmentlatitudeajustment Posts: 2,001 Captain
    #9
    We fish the lower keys, there are hogs around but not a ton ofy keepers IMHO..definitely see a fair share of shorties which is good for their future....I do spear a nice one once in awhile and that is all I usually take.
  • Grouper GeniusGrouper Genius Posts: 1,205 Officer
    #10
    drgibby wrote: »
    Only Federal waters are closing. State waters remain open for the time being.
    Heading down next week, gonna get em while we can. From what I have seen the hogfish population in the lower Keys has proven to be very stabile for the past 15 or 20 years, limits are easy to obtain if you know where to look.

    I think now that they see folks catching them regularly with hook and line, it's become a different story.
    2400 CC Sea Chaser-Yamaha F250-Bad **** Tower (SOLD)
    Grady White 306 Bimini 300 Suzukis
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  • Lobstercatcher229Lobstercatcher229 Posts: 4,843 Captain
    #11
    R.Boonfield wrote: »
    Honestly, after visiting the keys last week and seeing how dead that water is near shore, I don't think its a terrible idea.

    Someone gave a very positive report after diving Pennekamp and seeing lots of hogs. Did you visit Pennekamp near shore?
  • Grouper GeniusGrouper Genius Posts: 1,205 Officer
    #12
    Lobstercatcher229 wrote: »
    Someone gave a very positive report after diving Pennekamp and seeing lots of hogs. Did you visit Pennekamp near shore?

    Is Pennekamp a "no take" zone? Could have something to do with it.
    2400 CC Sea Chaser-Yamaha F250-Bad **** Tower (SOLD)
    Grady White 306 Bimini 300 Suzukis
    Hurricane 246 FunDeck
  • CaptJCaptJ Posts: 685 Officer
    #13
    An option would be to raise the size a few inches and lower the bag limit to 5 rather than closing the fishery down, but what do I know?
  • Ilive2fishIlive2fish Posts: 263 Deckhand
    #14
    you can't spear inside Pennekamp but you can take them on hook and line...and yes, the park has a good population of hogs but they are not big....
  • Capt KurtCapt Kurt Posts: 355 Deckhand
    #15
    Agree with Ilive2fish. Was there recently and saw very few mature ones.
    visit Pure Pilates in Fort Lauderdale - http://www.pure-pilates.net
  • CaptJCaptJ Posts: 685 Officer
    #16
    Capt Kurt wrote: »
    Agree with Ilive2fish. Was there recently and saw very few mature ones.

    Now maybe they'll have a chance to grow up.
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