Special Snapper Season Kicks Off At Grayton Beach

As you may know, the 2010 Snapper Season will reopen in the Gulf on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting Friday, October 1 through Sunday, November 21.

This is an effort by the Feds and the State of Florida to make up for the shortest Federally-imposed Snapper Season ever – 45 days – that was shortened even more by the oil spill. The reopened season is an effort to bring fishermen and visitors back to the beaches this fall.

The Grayton mosquito fleet will be launching this Friday in search of the "endangered" red snapper. In reality, it is difficult to catch anything but snapper on our local reefs because of their increased numbers. The red snapper are everywhere.

So, beginning Friday, October 1, the “Boats of Grayton Beach” will be returning to the water to catch and keep red snapper again. For three-day weekends each month we will not have to see our catch consumed by bull sharks and dolphin. It’s our turn now!

An anonymous local donor has stepped up to the plate and offered $100 to the individual who catches the largest red snapper on a boat launched from Grayton Beach, and weighed in before noon at Grayton Beach on the first day of the reopened season. That would be this Friday, October 1, and the cutoff for weighing fish is 12 Noon. Fish must be caught on a rod and reel. Never let it be said that we don’t know how to throw an inexpensive tournament. Oh, and you had better bring your own water to drink.

Bets are on that the winner of the grand prize will probably be a fisherwoman, as women tend to listen to the captain's instructions and do exactly what he says.

The competition is only open to boats with proper beach launching permits from Walton County. No registration fee is required. Come see how large our Red Snapper are.