Mangrove Snapper caught in Charleston harbor

Mangrove Snapper caught in Charleston Harbor

Robbie Forbes and Bruce Humbert with some nice sheepshead

Local angler Robbie Forbes has plenty experience reeling in whatever bites in our inshore fishery, and he recently sent me a fish photo for identification help. I offered that it was a mangrove snapper, and that I had seen them on the end of my line while fishing in Florida. I also offered that after a lifetime of fishing the inshore waters in Charleston, I had never heard of anyone catching a mangrove snapper!! Forbes is a master of tricking sheepshead, and reports that he has now caught several of these mangrove snapper in the harbor in late September while targeting sheepies. Sharing his photo with SCDNR, their reply was that due to a hot summer these fish can sometimes occur here, but that this was very rare. It turns out that mangrove snapper are under federal guidelines because of its migratory nature, and a fish must be 12-inches in length to keep. Forbes returned all the 'mystery fish' to the water so that he could get back on the sheepshead, but he experienced one of life's extra benefits when the saltwater mixed bag that we cherish got an unexpected PLUS ONE added to it. Mangrove snapper may be joining other fish that are using the S.C. estuaries more and more now that the water temps are slowing creeping up. Another example might be the continued upswing in tarpon found in coastal waters each year. With several state record fish caught during the past few years, I wonder if warmer waters are inviting more species, including larger fish, to visit our waters. If so, then look for more state records, and 'visitors' like mangrove snapper, in the future.

To view past entries about state record fish caught recently in S.C. click here.