# catching beeliners



## Deep Blue (Jan 30, 2008)

since u can"t keep red snapper,what is the best way to catch lane and vermillion snapps. I catch them on occasion,but usally can"t get pass the red snapper when i use a small bait 4 the beeliners.I hear of party boats bringing in 100"s of them.


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## fishingreg (Feb 11, 2008)

Best luck I have had is fish water between 140' and 180' and only fish bottom structure, no rigs. We tend to hang a bit off the top of the sturcture and fish the surrounding area on the bottom. Once we find them, we don't have much problem with Red snapper. I will be curious to read all the ideas that get posted here. Good Thread.


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## oldtrackster (Jul 20, 2007)

You will recieve some good responses on this I believe. I fish Dolphin Docks as I do not have buddies with offshore boats nor do I have much money so sixpacks are out. Smaller hooks are often in order for beeliners and the party boats do not stay long if the customers are pulling up large numbers of the endangered red snapper. I have also had some better luck than other members of the party boat by using my own gear which allows me to use smaller line with a heavy weight and try to get to the bottom quick and hope it slides past the larger red snapper which usually suspend over the smaller beeliners (beware small red snapper seem to school right up with beeliners). Those boats also fish the top of rocks for beeliners and move off to the edges for red snapper.


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## B-Money (May 2, 2005)

Beeliners are an indicator species. They indicate the co-presence of the endangered Red Snapper. If you start catching beeliners, you should immediately leave the area. The only environmentally responsible fish to harvest is the gray triggerfish. Good fishing.


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

I had luck catching them one day (during snapper season), but after watching a divers video (I belive was posted here), it seemed to me that they hand up 50+ feet above snapper. So my advice and something I was talking to my bro about last weekend is to drop down half depth and chum.


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## KG2 (Nov 15, 2006)

also, on the scat cat after the boat has been limited out we sometimes switch to using way smaller bait and smaller hooks to avoid hooking up with the reds although they are always arouund.

Kevin


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## wacker (Mar 22, 2006)

5 hook ganyon w/ them berkly lil'crabs or real ones kick but. don't tell any one though OK?


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## bostonwhaler (Aug 24, 2006)

watch the fish finder and it will show there depths over a wrecks...and they can also be caught on rigs the same way


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

KG2 said:


> also, on the scat cat after the boat has been limited out we sometimes switch to using way smaller bait and smaller hooks to avoid hooking up with the reds although they are always arouund.
> 
> Kevin


That's true ... you'll pick up more small patoots like beeliners and trigger with small stout circle hooks and small baits. Russel Tinsely used to say that in his Texas Fishing book (still got mine). You might also get lucky and pick up a stray strawberry grouper or two (rock hind). Don't knock 'em, they're small but some of the sweetest fish the Lord invented, and no limits I know of ...


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

*groceries*

here are some tasty viddles.


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## B-Money (May 2, 2005)

You ruined your pic with that platinum poo poo in the front.


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

thats not poo poo, thats free ice lol


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## POC Transplant (Feb 26, 2008)

Swells said:


> That's true ... you'll pick up more small patoots like beeliners and trigger with small stout circle hooks and small baits. Russel Tinsely used to say that in his Texas Fishing book (still got mine). You might also get lucky and pick up a stray strawberry grouper or two (rock hind). Don't knock 'em, they're small but some of the sweetest fish the Lord invented, and no limits I know of ...


Rock hind are included in the aggregate grouper limit 5/person. Triggers are oddly enough included in the aggregate reef fish limit which is 20/person. I have had good luck catching Vermillions on the larger Sabiki rigs. Try this first and you will also catch some live bait to use for the big boys. Match the Hatch.


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

Bobby Miller said:


> You ruined your pic with that platinum poo poo in the front.


Thats funny


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

POC Transplant said:


> Rock hind are included in the aggregate grouper limit 5/person. Triggers are oddly enough included in the aggregate reef fish limit which is 20/person. I have had good luck catching Vermillions on the larger Sabiki rigs. Try this first and you will also catch some live bait to use for the big boys. Match the Hatch.


Thanks for the correction and the tip, POC. /sam


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

mmmmm, strawberries.


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## JigMastah (Jan 14, 2008)

The bigger b-liners are generally in the 75ft depth day or nite. I use homemade 4 hook sabikis tip with white shrimp flavored Fishbites to catch my limit in minimum time...and go to other species. Try it! and you'll never waste ur time with squid/cutbait again.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

Anybody tried gulp! for b-liners yet? We were griping about the squid on Sunday, and fishbites and gulps seemed like a good substitute, 'cept we didn't have any.


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

I've had real good luck with using chum over structure, small hooks and small baits.

You can make a good snapper chum that doesn't attract a lot of toothy predator fish by boiling up a bunch of elbow macarony, put it in a bucket with menhaden oil. Just go way up current from your drift or anchor location and dump some in the water. By the time you get back to the fishing area your chum should be at the depth they normally feed and they will start coming closer to the surface as you thow in a little more chum at a time..

With the laws these days, it is best to try everything in the book to get as many other species of fish to make the trip worthwhile. IMO Good Luck


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

could someone post a picture of a beeliner for identication. I have only seen one.


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## Day0ne (Jan 14, 2006)

I find that fishing higher up in the watter column usually works best and seems to avoid the red snapper. I drop down a ways, wait for bites and continue to drop in 10 ft increments until I find them, then return to that depth each time. seems to work. Small circle hooks work well.


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

Google vermillion snapper...



jdusek said:


> could someone post a picture of a beeliner for identication. I have only seen one.


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

James Howell said:


> mmmmm, strawberries.


Yeah, I started to too, but figured whats the use. I guess we should just fish for Cubera Snapper instead?

OH Forgot the pic.


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## Red Tuna (May 19, 2007)

I will give you a few of my observations...however I am not an expert by any means. 

I think that in general beeliners are more of a blue water species, found in 150'+ of water. I have only seen them in numbers 50+ miles from Freeport. I have had success in around 200' of water. 

Overall they are usually found higher in the water column than red snappers. The suggestion about starting pretty shallow then working down in 10' increments is a good one. You're probably going to catch some triggers, but then again triggers are a good red snapper alternative too when the red snaps are out of season.

If you stop at a location and you're catching mostly red snapper, either try a completely different depth, or move on to a new spot. Most of the time if the beeliners are present in good numbers, you will catch more beeliners than snapper (assuming you've found the right depth).

And as mentioned, use small baits (squid worked very well for me last time I had success with beeliners) and small hooks. The only thing about this...many beeliner spots are also good AJ spots (and possibly ling and grouper), and you won't catch AJ with small squid. So drop down a live bait on a bigger rod if possible, and you might catch an AJ or grouper. Or use a big jig.

Good luck...


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## Angler 1 (Apr 27, 2005)

Here is a couple of pictures


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

angler 1

SHOW OFF!
Those are a bit bigger than average! LOL

The shallowest spot I have found them is 100feet and they were smaller than the angler 1's examples, but that rig is gone now. Sure miss it! They were always tight to the leg of the rig and shallow. Sometimes you could even see them.


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## jdusek (Apr 7, 2006)

I was thinking of lane snapper when I posted first; Do they have season?


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

Thats a whole different story.



I doubt you'll be able to target just them. 

I did one time catch a large number of them one time...I mean a large number. I had caught a couple at this spot before, but that one time the spot was loaded. They were holding on a pipe line off a rig. I can still catch a couple at that spot, but the Red Snapper are thick there....before and after that one time.


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## Tiny (Dec 19, 2006)

Angler 1 said:


> Here is a couple of pictures


No no no Eugene!! Those ain't Beeliners.....they're Freightliners!!!









I like them 20" ers, really makes a worthwhile trip.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

jdusek said:


> I was thinking of lane snapper when I posted first; Do they have season?


Well the Lane seems to be rare, mixed in with reds and beeliners of course, maybe a few for every hundred boated. Pretty fish, tastes wonderful.

Interesting to hear of somebody finding a nest of them. The beeliners will tend to school together but I've never heard that about the Lane until now.

And Angler 1, whatcha doing, dumping beeliner steroids overboard in yer chum, r what?


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## Captn C (May 21, 2004)

Swells said:


> Interesting to hear of somebody finding a nest of them.


"Nest" LOL you could say that!

I posted a pic of the catch on another board....the response...well I'll say it would make lastest shoe thread seem...trival.


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## JigMastah (Jan 14, 2008)

Peak times for Lanes are during the fall Sept-Oct time frame. Nice B-liners, almost as big as the ones I always catch at my secret hot spots hehehe.


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## Angler 1 (Apr 27, 2005)

You now all the jerks you do when you miss a fish, Thats actually beeliners stealing the bait and getting fat. All I do is go behind everyone and catch them. LOL J/K



Swells said:


> And Angler 1, whatcha doing, dumping beeliner steroids overboard in yer chum, r what?


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

Angler 1 said:


> Here is a couple of pictures


I dont call those size beeliners,,, I call them ocean liners.

Those are truely nice ones.

besides being good eating an an extra species for the icechest, a live one about 6-12" long is about the best big AJ bait I know of in deeper water over large structure

The "_I will be glad when the water/weather straightens up_" Hog


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## Angler 1 (Apr 27, 2005)

Thanks Hog...Yep AJ's love them also.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

I believe that Mr. and Mrs. Groupa likes them to, bro. 

Send them down slow so they don't kersplode.


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## gut hooked (Mar 23, 2005)

y'all are full of it. everyone knows beeliners taste worse than hardheads and don't fight a bit. i don't know why anyone would want to catch one when they can catch and eat kingfish.


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## MMMMGOOD (Aug 16, 2005)

Why is there only a 2 fish limit on a fish that you can catch hundreds of (red snapper) if you want to, and a 20 fish limit on a fish that there seems to be very little of (vermilion).

Kinda of odd when you think about it. Seems like the wrong fish is being protected here. Just my 2 cents...............


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## woody7 (May 28, 2004)

I must admit, when we caught a large number of good size beeliners, it was by accident on a rig leg in 150' of water. We had caught AJ's off the same rig leg a couple of weeks earlier and some of the guys we were fishing with didn't want to rerig and dropped down smaller double drops. They were slightly up above the red snapper, and after about 4-5 good size bees hit the ice chest, the aj's were second on the list. The beeliners that day made for a larger than normal box of red. Something to think about while trying not to deplete the ever shrinking population of the elusive red snapper, aka the "our commercial quota in yo face rec boys". Sincerly Billy Bob Crabtree esquire! P.S., my retirement fund is not only swelling it's throbbing! Thanks fer the memories girls.


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

MMMMGOOD said:


> Kinda of odd when you think about it. Seems like the wrong fish is being protected here. Just my 2 cents...............


*shhhhhhhhhh* .................the dang NMF feds will read your post and put a 1 beliner per trip per boat per month that can only be between 12 and 12 3/8 long limit on'm and have to buy a beliner stamp every other month thats only good for odd numbered days 

We are all gonna have to take a book along with all the limits and lenghts and days information or we are all gonna be broke from paying fines

Hog


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## mredman1 (Feb 4, 2007)

*Beeliners*



gut hooked said:


> y'all are full of it. everyone knows beeliners taste worse than hardheads and don't fight a bit. i don't know why anyone would want to catch one when they can catch and eat kingfish.


If you look at the fresh fish section of the supermarket, the majority of the time you see "red snapper" on the ice, they are almost always beeliners. I went shopping at HEB tonight and of course the "red snappers" for sale were beeliners. Personally, I like beeliners better than red snapper- their small heads mean they have more meat per pound than red snapper and if you are lucky enough to find a "nest", you can quickly fill the cooler.

Beeliners and gray triggers are not big fighters but both make outstanding table fare.

Mike


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## gut hooked (Mar 23, 2005)

yeah mike that was kind of my point. but thanks for that. my sarcasm is often lost in print. thanks for stating the obvious. i was just poking fun at the fact that if everyone starts fishing for beeliners, what's next to be regulated. 


i agree with everything you say in your post.


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## callsignsleepy (Apr 3, 2007)

iono about you guys, but when i go fishing i fish exclusively for hardheads, gafttop, mullet, and triggers! but occasionally i'll opt for the rare and tasty jack crevalle!!


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## brentwhitis (Jan 25, 2008)

we always catch beeliners suspended above the Red Snappers. They seem to usually suspend off the rock, and above the reds. Use small circle hooks and dead bait. Out of Matagorda, we find them in 120+ feet of water. Watch your bottom machine for them....it will either be triggers or beeliners usually about 50-75 feet down.

good luck


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