# Big Snapper



## raghead (Jun 27, 2005)

This mama bottomed out the 30# scale we had - I know, not the most accurate, but a sow anyhoo..


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

Check the scales, 18-20 MAX! I'll post up a pick of a 26 that won the AADE and the hall of fame last month. Makes that fish look like a schoolie.
Really big fish take on a whole new personality and that one doesn't have it.
Just sayin.


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## Kenner21 (Aug 25, 2005)

but a nice fish non-the-less


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## wallacpl (Apr 29, 2008)

looks like a 30 to me lets see yours


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

I'm not sayin its not a nice fish but 30# no way. If its 30 its a star winner the last 14 years. I have to call a spade a spade, sorry.
This was caught by Johnny Walker and it was weighed at the AADE and Hall of fame tournaments a few weeks ago and it went 26.2#
If that fish is 30# then Johnny Walkers is 40#.
Remember all fisherman lie except me and you and I'm not so sure about you.


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## hangON and watch this :) (Jun 10, 2010)

I was trying to find the picture of one we caught last year on friday before the Bluewater Challenge that probably would have won it, and it was around 23 or so. Good fish though....


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## Kyle 1974 (May 10, 2006)

nice photo cha-ching.... , I wonder if he could have stuck that fish a little closer to the camera? :rotfl:

that first fish is big. I guess you don't look at many big fish, or you would be able to tell. 

look at the width of his hand versus the entire length of the fish. Unless your buddy with the AADE winner has hands that are 8" wide, those fish aren't that different in size.


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## hangON and watch this :) (Jun 10, 2010)

a few from last year..


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

I've seen my share of big fish. yes it's close to the camera but she is way fatter than yours. It takes a huge snapper to make 30#. I'm not saying it's not a nice fish and maybe 23-25 but 30??
Happy Father's day anyway. Hope everyone enjoys their day.


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## DavidCorpusTX (Aug 11, 2005)

Kyle 1974 said:


> look at the width of his hand versus the entire length of the fish. Unless your buddy with the AADE winner has hands that are 8" wide, those fish aren't that different in size.


This


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## Mont (Nov 17, 1998)

Nice fish and a nice haul of snaps. Good eatin' right there. Congrats.


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## saltwater4life (Aug 5, 2010)

no doubt that snapper is a quality above average sow *******, but not 30+ lb. I would say around 22-25 lb range. None the less, great fish bro


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## REELING 65 (Aug 18, 2009)

A nice fish,Congrats!


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Man, people will argue about anything on the forum ... but what a nice haul and ya done real good.


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

Nice snapper two bad it was not a tournament weekend that would win some cash.


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

I wasn't saying it wasn't a good fish nor was I trying to argue. I was saying to check your scales because they aren't right. If you were on your way in to weigh that 30 lb'er your baloon would deflate really quick once you saw the real weight.
Nice fish and nice haul.


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## texasjellyfish (Jan 23, 2006)

nice snapper 
good job getting all the fish in the picture


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

Nice snap. You can tell how big she is in that second pik. 

Cha Ching - 2cool's very own internet fish weigh master! You post it he weighs it :slimer: The closer to the camera,the bigger it is!


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

sea sick said:


> Nice snap. You can tell how big she is in that second pik.
> 
> Cha Ching - 2cool's very own internet fish weigh master! You post it he weighs it :slimer: The closer to the camera,the bigger it is!


No, I'm not the weight master. I sent that picture to a guy that has caught more snapper than all of us put together. I guess some people are more experienced at "estimating" than others. Too many people bs fish weights on here but I guess that's what it's here for.
Too bad red snapper is no longer in the star tournament or you'd have a brand new boat with that 30 pounder!
The picture I posted the fish was really close to the camera BUT that fish was weighed in 2 tournaments and the results are a fact.


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## crashboatbasin (May 21, 2009)

that's a nice snapper great job ........ cha ching how much did these weigh????? LOL they didn't break 30


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## raghead (Jun 27, 2005)

ChaChing - you reply personifies the reason people don't post reports as often.. Here is another pic of the same fish.. As I stated before - no, it wasn't a certified scale, but the guy in the first pic was an 'evil' commercial fisherman, and I have been a guide for almost 20 years.. She was 30#


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

Ok she was 30. Great job capt.


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

crashboatbasin said:


> that's a nice snapper great job ........ cha ching how much did these weigh????? LOL they didn't break 30


I'll say 23 left and 20-21 right. Nice fish.


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## cobia 254 cc (Jun 10, 2006)

crashboatbasin said:


> that's a nice snapper great job ........ cha ching how much did these weigh????? LOL they didn't break 30


Wow you caught the Great White Snapper. Wild looking fish


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

crashboatbasin said:


> that's a nice snapper great job ........ cha ching how much did these weigh????? LOL they didn't break 30


He's sending your pik to the guy that has caught more snapper than all of us put together, so he can eye ball it and get you the correct weight.

Kind of like the carni at the fair that "estimates" your weight 

I know what your mean CC,sometimes a fish weight can be over estimated,darn scales.


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## crashboatbasin (May 21, 2009)

CHA CHING said:


> I'll say 23 left and 20-21 right. Nice fish.


that pic was from a few years back but i think you are close !!


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

CHA CHING said:


> Ok she was 30. Great job capt.


HAHAHAHA That made me laff now. It was that "other angle" huh !

This is good stuff,all in good fun. Hope you guys are having a Happy Fathers Day, Hopefully we get some mono-hull weather soon,these cat only seas suk.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

proud for you, nice fish







the end



.


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## Angler 1 (Apr 27, 2005)

I have been looking at this thread and picture since it started. It is a super nice fish. I know sometimes pictures do not do justice but IMO the fish does not appear to be a 30lber. Again IMO. Nice fish not matter what though



******* said:


> This mama bottomed out the 30# scale we had - I know, not the most accurate, but a sow anyhoo..


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

nice snaps


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## trapper67 (Mar 23, 2011)

*hmm*

i am keeping my opinion to myself on this one...i have many red snaps over 36"......i wish i knew the length of each fish.......although girth matters..nevermind...... GREAT FISH....mount it


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## Angler 1 (Apr 27, 2005)

Here is one to look at caught last year. It was right at 26lbs

http://2coolfishing.com/ttmbforum/showthread.php?t=306660


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## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

Great fish in all pics!!


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

I think this one weighed ......? Like CC mentioned earlier,they get that dinosaur look to them after a certain weight. Nice snap Eugene.


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## cobia 254 cc (Jun 10, 2006)

Any guesses on this one? I have no idea, maybe 20?


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## sotx23 (May 4, 2010)

Both new additions are pigs!!


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## CAPSIZED (Aug 10, 2004)

You are right on 25 left and 21 right! Both caught on a hard spot.



CHA CHING said:


> I'll say 23 left and 20-21 right. Nice fish.


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## Elgatoloco (Feb 9, 2008)

In my experiences with mid to high teens snapper and mid to high twenty snapper is in the head of the fish a distinctive bump above the eyes or you could say raised area.IMO Great fish.


Tom


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

Seriously guys, I wasn't trying to be a dick about the 30# er but I have never seen a 25 plus pound fish that was that clean.
I have seen a few big snapper in my years of doing this and usually am pretty good on guessing. No harm intended please.
A 30 pound snapper is like a 200 pound tuna or a 100 pound wahoo, fish of a lifetime. I've caught the tuna and wahoo but never a 30 pound snapper.
Congratulations *******. Sincerely


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## Chase This! (Jul 20, 2007)

You've busted the 200 and 100 on the tuna and wahoo, respectfully? Nice!!! Post up some pics!!! I've been close on the wahoo (94.5) but not that close on the tuna (145). 

B


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

Tuna 204 and 212 both in Venice 2003. Wahoo 107 Venice 2004. 
Thanks Brandon


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## trapper67 (Mar 23, 2011)

*head*

great point about the head of the fish..........when we catch a huge one, usually we call them a mullet head because the head is so pronunced.....i thought this wa informative........http://www.lsu.edu/seagrantfish/pdfs/factsheets/redsnappergrowth.pdf


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Kyle 1974 said:


> :rotfl:
> 
> that first fish is big. I guess you don't look at many big fish, or you would be able to tell.


Thats funny right there! Jeff you dont catch any big fish to know:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

CHA CHING said:


> Tuna 204 and 212 both in Venice 2003. Wahoo 107 Venice 2004.
> Thanks Brandon


if you did that as the captain of your boat those are great accomplisments and worthy of bragging. if you rode with someone else not so much...

Scott


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## fishon2 (Sep 11, 2004)

My buddy caught this hog last year. What do you think she weighed?


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## tokavi (May 6, 2006)

*sometimes it's about girth*

Here's one I caught a couple of years ago. 34.5" long, 29" girth. She was full of eggs that were spitting out as I held her. I would have released her if I could have but we were bottom dropping in 450' of water and she could not be saved. She weighed 27.4 lbs on certified scales.


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## Chase This! (Jul 20, 2007)

We caught one pretty big a while back. Not sure of the weight, but I'd say every bit of 30. 

Brandon


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

luna sea II said:


> if you did that as the captain of your boat those are great accomplisments and worthy of bragging. if you rode with someone else not so much...
> 
> Scott


I chartered in Venice from 1999 thru Katrina. Yes they were on my boat. The spring of 2003 in Venice was special. I thought it was easy back then.
Here's the wahoo. This isn't the 200# tuna, this one was only 173. I hope I have that photo on an old computer somewhere because I know without pictures it didn't happen!


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## Mr. Tuffy (May 5, 2005)

First off, nice snapper! 

Secondly, I used to dock right across from Jeff (Cha-Ching), and Johnny at the yacht basin. I usually felt like a loser when I came back to the dock after seeing their catches. Those guys can fish.

Hope all is well Jeff, 
Chris.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

CHA CHING said:


> I chartered in Venice from 1999 thru Katrina. Yes they were on my boat. The spring of 2003 in Venice was special. I thought it was easy back then.
> Here's the wahoo. This isn't the 200# tuna, this one was only 173. I hope I have that photo on an old computer somewhere because I know without pictures it didn't happen!


very nice! I caught a 184.7 on february 11th 2003, my first over 150. were you out of venice marina or cypress?

Scott


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

Mr. Tuffy said:


> First off, nice snapper!
> 
> Secondly, I used to dock right across from Jeff (Cha-Ching), and Johnny at the yacht basin. I usually felt like a loser when I came back to the dock after seeing their catches. Those guys can fish.
> 
> ...


 Thanks Chris, how much do I owe you??
There was a period in Galveston, 03-07 that snapper fishing just flat sucked unless you built your own spots. Most days I would make sure that Johnny's fish and customers were long gone when we backed in the slip. 
Not that we didn't have really good fish with a wide variety but because Johnny's fish were all 20 pounders.


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## cobia 254 cc (Jun 10, 2006)

Not to high jack, but Scotts statement to Jeff seems weird. First trip to venice in my boat we fished four days on the lump and "lucked" into this 188 pound yellow. We were skunked til the last day and this is the only one we caught. Have not got close to it since. Maybe 80-90 is our next biggest. Scott why does your biggest fish have to be caught on your own boat to be an accomplishment? Seems a little weird.

Nice fish *******


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

luna sea II said:


> very nice! I caught a 184.7 on february 11th 2003, my first over 150. were you out of venice marina or cypress?
> 
> Scott


I fished out of Cypress Cove. I think Peace had 3 boats back then. If Brett is still down there ask him about breaking a beer bottle in my boat one night. Those guys used to get pizzed off when out of towners would come down and set up camp and learn the waters and get luckier than them some days. Met alot of friends and great people down there.
It was all about the anchor drop on the lump. I used to like anchoring up over the wreck so we could bottom fish if the tuna bite was slow.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

cobia 254 cc said:


> Not to high jack, but Scotts statement to Jeff seems weird. First trip to venice in my boat we fished four days on the lump and "lucked" into this 188 pound yellow. We were skunked til the last day and this is the only one we caught. Have not got close to it since. Maybe 80-90 is our next biggest. Scott why does your biggest fish have to be caught on your own boat to be an accomplishment? Seems a little weird.
> 
> Nice fish *******


I had a few drinks in me when I typed that and I didn't realize he had run a charter business out of Venice so it didn't come out right. no offence to anyone but what I meant is it is a real accomplishment when you can pilot your own boat to the fishing grounds, find the fish, and then catch them. he mentioned 3 fish of a lifetime and I was just saying in my semi-intoxicated way that paying someone to do the leg work for you then reeling in a fish isn't the same as doing it on your own.

Scott


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

CHA CHING said:


> I fished out of Cypress Cove. I think Peace had 3 boats back then. If Brett is still down there ask him about breaking a beer bottle in my boat one night. Those guys used to get pizzed off when out of towners would come down and set up camp and learn the waters and get luckier than them some days. Met alot of friends and great people down there.
> It was all about the anchor drop on the lump. I used to like anchoring up over the wreck so we could bottom fish if the tuna bite was slow.


I haven't seen Brett since '09 so I don't know what he's doing now. Peace sold reel peace charters to Devlin Roussel a few years ago and is doing his own thing out of venice marina so I don't see him much.

they still don't like outsiders down there and there was an ongoing feud with the alabama charter capts when they used to come over before the wintertime fishing went to ****. now that the lump is dead and the best cool weather fishing is to the east they just stay in alabama.

Scott


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## craig ellington (Aug 15, 2006)

*The elusive 30lb snapper*

These are pics of the two largest caught on my boat. the first with the boys was 37 3/4" long and weighed 25.8lbs on the Yacht Basin scale. the other was 37" long and weighed 29lbs on a scale in my boat. Still looking for the 30lber.


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## awesum (May 31, 2006)

craig ellington said:


> These are pics of the two largest caught on my boat. the first with the boys was 37 3/4" long and weighed 25.8lbs on the Yacht Basin scale. the other was 37" long and weighed 29lbs on a scale in my boat. Still looking for the 30lber.


That's a nice fish *******.

This red snapper weighed 27 pounds and 6 ounces about 8 hours after an 8 foot Mako snacked on it at the gaff. I don't know how much it would have weighed if all the meat and fluids were still there but I'm guessing close to 30 ....


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

Ain't funny how sharks always target the good fish (snapper as opposed to triggers, blackfin as opposed to bonito behind a shrimp boat, etc.).


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## FISHINPOC (Jun 19, 2006)

luna sea II said:


> I had a few drinks in me when I typed that and I didn't realize he had run a charter business out of Venice so it didn't come out right. no offence to anyone but what I meant is it is a real accomplishment when you can pilot your own boat to the fishing grounds, find the fish, and then catch them. he mentioned 3 fish of a lifetime and I was just saying in my semi-intoxicated way that paying someone to do the leg work for you then reeling in a fish isn't the same as doing it on your own.
> 
> Scott


Last I heard records (a "reel" accomplishment if you will), be they personal, state or all time go to the angler, not the boat or Captain!

It's true that the unsung heroes are often times the Captains but that's what you sign up for when you buy the boat and take the helm.


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

*******, two questions. Was that fish caught on Pat's 43 Viking at the intersection rigs? What charter business do you run?
Jeff


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## Shark Chaser (Aug 2, 2009)

Nice snapper and yes Johnny Walker and Preston are the best red snapper fisherman around, bottom line.

Matt


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## Angler 1 (Apr 27, 2005)

Just saying! About 85-90% of the people I take fishing over estimate the wieght of there Snapper! Normally they catch the biggest Snapper that they have ever caught and really do not have a clue what the wieght really is. Since most have never seen a Snapper that big it is hard for them to guess. most people guess 25lbs on a 14-16lb fish. Nothing wrong with it just part of learning. There are very few 30lbers caught around here.


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

Not going to weigh/judge anyones fish but I can tell you a story. I used to average 15lb snapper before I started to weight them:spineyes: I could judge most fish but snapper always look bigger than the weight IMO.

Here is a fish Big Pappa on this board caught on our boat. This was before he owned the Blind Date. Now it was weighed because we were in DSR at Port A. And ended up winning big snapper. But if we never weighed it wold have guessed back then 25+ pounds.

Well it was just under 19lbs and you can view that on the DSR website from the Deuces Wild in 2009.

I don't know Cha Ching Jeff personally but I know a friend of his Cobia 254 and talk with him over the phone about fishing regularly. He is a stand up guy so I can bet that Jeff did not mean anything personally about the weight of the fish and just made comment.


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## devildog2856 (Feb 15, 2009)

CHA CHING said:


> I chartered in Venice from 1999 thru Katrina. Yes they were on my boat. The spring of 2003 in Venice was special. I thought it was easy back then.
> Here's the wahoo. This isn't the 200# tuna, this one was only 173. I hope I have that photo on an old computer somewhere because I know without pictures it didn't happen!


Here are the pics of the BIG TUNA!!!!!!(SORRY THERE FROM A FILM CAMERA) I know first hand cause i caught them ,A 204,181 and 125 or so (we had to cut the head off the small one and jump up and down on fish box to make them all fit) A matter of fact we were going to have to whip some **** ***'s because they were mad some Texas boys came over and caught there Big TUNA and "we dont pay no taxes there"........The 204 was the biggest tuna caught down there that for the year at that time Feb 2004 and there were very few if any bigger.... I had a great time went and partied on Bourbon ST. for MARDI GRAS and FAT TUESDAY........Then got to show up some **** ***'s how us TEXAS BOYS catch BIG TUNA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

GREAT JOB TO CAPTAIN JEFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## devildog2856 (Feb 15, 2009)

Lets see if these pics come out bigger (my smallest and my biggest tuna) Caught with JEFF on CHA CHING 2


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## devildog2856 (Feb 15, 2009)

And bye the way JEFF with CHA CHING is a stand up guy that i have fished with for 10 years and have caught many BIG FISH a few months after this tuna trip we went snapper fishing in Galveston, Texas and got into some sow snapper only 25 miles out. We were throwning 15# snapper back cause there were to small .....O and here is a sail fish caught only 45 miles out!!!!!!! SO CAPT JEFF KNOWS WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

**** Jim, now I owe you and Chris. Send me your new address so I can remit payment. Thanks for the compliment, I just like to fish.
********, I wasn't trying to be an *****. Sorry if I came across wrong.


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

guy shows a pic of a fish he is proud of and it becomes a look at me


















nice










.


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

CoastalOutfitters said:


> guy shows a pic of a fish he is proud of and it becomes a look at me
> 
> Sorry Coastal, believe me that wasn't the point of it. I could care less if anyone "looks at me" way too old for that drama ****. My point was 30 pound snappers are as rare as 1000 pound marlin around here, then I became the "Internet weight master".
> 
> ...


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## whos your daddy (Jun 2, 2004)

Friends, Lets let this thread die. *******, dang nice fish! All fish posted are very nice also. This wind has us all stirred up and we all are ready for the salt, including me. I know Jeff personally and he meant no harm. I think I have polished, waxed, polished, waxed, polished, waxed my boat so much here lately just waiting for the seas to drop. Installed some bad ___ speakers and amp made by Wet Sounds and im ready. These discussions always happen when the wind blows for this length of time and I dont think anyone means any harm, we are all just stir crazy. 


Mark


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

I'm done, thanks Mark. Sorry everybody.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

All very nice snappys and its a good thing no wine got spilled on anyone's sweater from this thread.

See y'all out on the blue soon hopefully,

AGF


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

no wine,but i did get a little grey poupon on my slacks 

Cha Ching, I was just ribbing ya earlier,all in fun. Keep hookin um!


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## fishingtwo (Feb 23, 2009)

I personally found it very profish in nall. nice to see calm seas in the future. be safe


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## ssteel069 (Mar 7, 2009)

Listen, **** the wind is still blowing!


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

ssteel069 said:


> Listen, **** the wind is still blowing!


nahhhhh,thats just Jacki getting the grease hot for them groceries!:rotfl:


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

sea sick said:


> nahhhhh,thats just Jacki getting the grease hot for them groceries!:rotfl:


For dem Cudas in da box mang!


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## Koolero (Jul 12, 2006)

CHA CHING said:


> I'm not sayin its not a nice fish but 30# no way. If its 30 its a star winner the last 14 years. I have to call a spade a spade, sorry.
> This was caught by Johnny Walker and it was weighed at the AADE and Hall of fame tournaments a few weeks ago and it went 26.2#
> If that fish is 30# then Johnny Walkers is 40#.
> Remember all fisherman lie except me and you and I'm not so sure about you.


 might belive you if Preston wasnt holding that poor little snapper staight out at arms length deliberatly trying to make it look bigger, an now that I looked againg so is the other guy !!!! LOL!!! when I get home I'll post a pic of a BIG SNAPPER !!!:an5:


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## roundman (May 21, 2004)

i saw a 31 pounder that tricky ricky caught a few years ago and that was a nice big one,lol, biggest i got was almost 29 caught on a huge pinfish at the big yellow rig at 4 in a row years ago , nice fish whatever the weight!


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## blueproline (Sep 25, 2007)

dang the funs over....and i was gonna post a pic of my 40 pounder(buried a 50# scale)! maybe ill catch the next 30 pound snapper thread......


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## CHA CHING (May 21, 2004)

roundman said:


> i saw a 31 pounder that tricky ricky caught a few years ago and that was a nice big one,lol, biggest i got was almost 29 caught on a huge pinfish at the big yellow rig at 4 in a row years ago , nice fish whatever the weight!


Ricky caught the biggest snapper that I have ever got to touch with my own 2 hands 4 or 5 years ago. 33 and change. It was scarey big.


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## IVPLAY (Jun 27, 2011)

OK, here's mine. Since we're all wipping them out and measuring them....haha. All nice fish.:brew::brew:


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## E10C FF (Jul 11, 2010)

Koolero said:


> might belive you if Preston wasnt holding that poor little snapper staight out at arms length deliberatly trying to make it look bigger, an now that I looked againg so is the other guy !!!! LOL!!! when I get home I'll post a pic of a BIG SNAPPER !!!:an5:


Hey Koolero,

You home yet? Wanna see pictures of BIG SNAPPER


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