http://www.tampabay.com/sports/outdoors/Captain-s-Corner-Tips-on-targeting-American-Red-Snapper_169259329

American Red Snapper (ARS) season opened a few days ago and some types of bottom are holding bigger schools of ARS then other bottom types. The hard bottom areas that most fishermen prefer are holding large schools of ARS, but the fish have yet to move to the big ledges, sink holes and wrecks where the divers prefer to find them. It’s hard for a spearfisherman to get close to the bigger/older/smarter ARS on the flat, featureless hard bottom areas. The big ARS tend to just move away when a diver approaches and since there is no structure to keep them protected, they just move away from the diver. Some of our divers have found ARS over 10 pounds in the southern Middle Grounds and just east of the Elbow, but they haven’t fully moved into the thick of the Grounds and the Elbow. South of Tampa Bay, there are a few spots holding ARS, but when there are no ARS to be found, there has been plenty of action on African Pompano. These big silver pelagic beauties can be found in water deeper than 140 feet and most of the time they swim back and forth over deeper bottom structure. Usually they hang up in the water column in 30 to 70 feet of water. Have an extra wrap of line on your speargun for African Pompano. The shots are usually long ones and you’ll want to be able to reach the fish with your spear.

Bill Hardman teaches scuba, spearfishing and free diving through Aquatic Obsessions Scuba in St. Petersburg and can be reached at (727) 344-3483 and captainbillhardman@gmail.com.

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