Just curious, how many of yall have shot Red snapper freediving(without chumming to the surface)?

Opening day, out of Louisiana my limit consisted of two fish 23.4lbs and 23.2lbs. They are not hard to shoot if you can hunt at about 50' deep.

I also shot some freediving out of St. Augustine while on vacation a few weeks ago. These were in water from 65 to 80 feet deep.

shot a couple in 55 foot freediving.... we don't see them all that often where we dive.... all others have been on scuba....75 foot or more...

Have been three times since snapper season has opened an managed an easy limit every time. We're seeing them as high as 25' on down.

Nice fish Griswold:smthumbup: How was the vis in SA? Never shot out there, even though I'm only 40 min away. Guess I've always seen crappy vis when I fished it so I never tried diving it.

SaltyFinger, where are you going out of and where's the reports man! Got any pics? I'd love to see what you all are doing:toast:

Sorry if I derail the thread ... I usually don't post pics...we have had a pretty good year so far.

I only have two on my PC here at work. The lemon was from 6/10 (two days ago). 68lbs. The ARS was from last week, it was somewhere around 12-14estimated lbs...Still working on my first 20lb'er...

I remember the first time I ever went to Palatka. Shot a few red snappers freediving in 85' before the scuba boys could even get their tanks on.

I remember the first time I ever went to Palatka. Shot a few red snappers freediving in 85' before the scuba boys could even get their tanks on.

That's no joke! People just don't realize the unreal ARS fishery here in the river :D

Nice fish Salty:smthumbup: Where did you say you're going out of?

Well, I guess I went to Palatka, and then st aug and then back to palatka....

Out of Ocean Springs, MS.

I have never seen one in South Florida waters. We used to catch them bottom fishing off Cape Canaveral in 300 +

Out of Ocean Springs, MS.

So you're rig diving those? I've never heard much about natural bottom up that way.

Out of Ocean Springs, MS.

Me too.... I was with Freeman, Head and Crawford for the HDR a few years ago. It was just sick dude and a awesome time with great guys. This pic was when you could have 4 RS per person. My biggest was 24 lbs and smallest was 19 lbs. The 24 lber was the first one I shot at 15ft from the surface and still my biggest to date and the deepest I had to go was 30ft. Mike has some sort of footage somewhere of me coming back with the 24. The cobia was 41 lbs.

I also shot some freediving out of St. Augustine while on vacation a few weeks ago. These were in water from 65 to 80 feet deep.

There is good freediving out of there but they tend to be a little deep and spooky. We had to work to get ours there and no less then 80ft with a bitching current. The big ones were 19lbs.

There is good freediving out of there but they tend to be a little deep and spooky. We had to work to get ours there and no less then 80ft with a bitching current. The big ones were 19lbs.

Nice Ritchey:toast: That's exactly what they were doing off of Tampa Mon.

yep, all rig diving. Dive with Freeman & Head (Junior) often. Both are awesome divers!