# UNOFFICIAL WORLD RECORD - Red Snapper on Fly



## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

Took a buddy out the other day to do some offshore fishing. Brought some fly rods of course... My buddy Caught this massive Red Snapper on fly that would for sure have qualified for a world record, but we missed the bus on the IGFA fly overall length category with the photo measurements. Now that I know that is a thing, I'll definitely be pursuing this record, got some spots stacked with them. 
For those interested in any details: 12wt, 500 grain line, 12lb tippet, tiny trigger fish fly sz 1. 
Worked the fish up as high as we could then made a few casts....


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## The Fin (Sep 28, 2021)

Hey! I recognize that spot!😉 Great fish!


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

That's awesome. Congrats

What do you think the weight would have been?


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## LtShinysides (Dec 27, 2018)

That's awesome man. I've gotten a couple on the 12wt but not that big yet. Good luck on your conquest!


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Dang! Do you have any more photos?


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Long arm weight versus short arm weight…bwahaha


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## Jred (Sep 22, 2013)

Need longer arms to get that official world record


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Jred said:


> Need longer arms to get that official world record


I long armed my personal best trout years ago and still catch hell about it.


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## Jred (Sep 22, 2013)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I long armed my personal best trout years ago and still catch hell about it.


Haha it’s definitely a big snapper for a fly rod


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

Uploading a few more photos


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)




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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)




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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)




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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

It's very unofficial so no one get their panties in a wad. Long arms or no this thing was freaking huge. I'd estimate over 30 pounds, it was HEAVY. Maybe like 35-40" long. Hard to know for sure I had no measuring devices. Was concerned about getting the fish released properly also.


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## SkiffaDeeDooDah (Jan 20, 2020)

That’s a nice Red Snapper on any tackle. But on fly?? You’re lucky if you could do that once in a lifetime.


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## bryson (Jun 22, 2015)

That's pretty cool -- looks like he choked that fly! How heavy was the bite tippet?


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## Flyguy88 (Jun 9, 2021)

Man that is a beast!


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

bryson said:


> That's pretty cool -- looks like he choked that fly! How heavy was the bite tippet?


No bite tippet at all, couldn't believe it was landed. Just a little bit of fray on the 12lb. 
Had the thin diameter line on mainly trying to get the fly to sink down to the triggers we could see faster. Didn't think this would happen...


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

not biting on that one


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

topnative2 said:


> not biting on that one


What does that mean?


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)




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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

citadelmarineservices said:


> What does that mean?


camera angles,distance,zoom etc....just can't get a real sense of size..regardless ,it is a nice fish!


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## ReelBoi (Dec 17, 2020)

All I know is I’d love to catch that fish world record or not haha


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## Fishshoot (Oct 26, 2017)

Nice red snapper.


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## Buybyland (Jul 21, 2017)

Impressive fish.


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

topnative2 said:


> camera angles,distance,zoom etc....just can't get a real sense of size..regardless ,it is a nice fish!


Well go look up the actual world record photo and tell me what you think, because it's not even remotely close to the size of this fish.


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## neueklasse (Dec 25, 2019)

topnative2 said:


> camera angles,distance,zoom etc....just can't get a real sense of size..regardless ,it is a nice fish!


Look at the other photos he posted .. that things a moose.


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Good grief you guys everyone has said it’s a nice fish! The photos are still funny, the camera is like 3 inches from the fish, take a compliment and some chafing. And next time take a normal photo too if you think it’s a world record your gunna release! I think you have my biggest snapper on the fly by double!


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## numbskull (Jan 30, 2019)

Awesome fish.
It deserved a better photo.
Your buddy’s tiny head is distracting.


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

Y'all are great😅 As soon as I saw the freakin thing I knew a lot of people wouldn't believe it anyways... that's how you know it was a good one. 
For those ragging about the photos, I honestly think some of them are pretty good. I was literally standing like 4 feet away in a couple of those, no matter what angle or distance you took a photo it was absolutely massive. I included a photo of the fishes head AWAY from the lens, and standing back. 

I'll make sure to take shitty photos to make it look smaller when I catch the actual record so everyone is happy 😊


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)




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## BM_Barrelcooker (May 4, 2011)

Heck with the record ………I’m lamenting the lack of fish sammiches from that big boy. 
All those starving kids in Africa.


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## mfoster91 (Oct 3, 2016)

Good work man! Stoked for you that’s so badass!!


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## Jason M (Aug 13, 2017)

Did you guys measure it at all ?


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## Half Shell (Jul 19, 2016)

If you look at the size of the OPs hands in comparison to the fish's body, and then compare to that pic of the current record... the OP's fish sure looks a lot larger to me. That or he holds the record for worlds smallest hands.


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## Silent Drifter (Apr 29, 2021)

Im lovin the watermelon shorts 😅🤣😂


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## tyler0421 (Jun 27, 2012)

So how much did it weigh?


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## Nick728 (Jul 27, 2020)

That’s badass right there. I’ve only ever caught one giant red snapper in my life and it came in right around 25lbs and I’d say this fish is bigger. What a shame you couldn’t get an official weight on her but congrats to your buddy on an absolute fish of a life time.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

So no bite, why didn’t it qualify. You can do a length and girth measurement to calculate weight


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## Drifter (Dec 13, 2018)

Half Shell said:


> If you look at the size of the OPs hands in comparison to the fish's body, and then compare to that pic of the current record... the OP's fish sure looks a lot larger to me. That or he holds the record for worlds smallest hands.


Yeah that tail is a total give away it’s a big boy!


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## NDuncan (Jun 18, 2016)

I recently saw a pix of the current record red snapper on fly, the bladder was distended out of the mouth, looked like it came out of more than 200 feet of water. I my day we weren't allowed to let out any more line than you could cast! We were catching red snapper on fly over 50 years ago!


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## j_f (Dec 15, 2021)

NDuncan said:


> I recently saw a pix of the current record red snapper on fly, the bladder was distended out of the mouth, looked like it came out of more than 200 feet of water. I my day we weren't allowed to let out any more line than you could cast! We were catching red snapper on fly over 50 years ago!
> 
> View attachment 225138


Awesome photo, and crazy that you chimed in when you did given my soundtrack!


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## Geologist (Nov 20, 2020)

BM_Barrelcooker said:


> Heck with the record ………I’m lamenting the lack of fish sammiches from that big boy.
> All those starving kids in Africa.


I'm all about catch and release, until it's a snapper, then it's to the grill.


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

permitchaser said:


> So no bite, why didn’t it qualify. You can do a length and girth measurement to calculate weight


Had absolutely 0 measuring devices on board somehow. I had just removed a bunch of stuff for cleaning and somehow that stuff got left on the hill...


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

NDuncan said:


> I recently saw a pix of the current record red snapper on fly, the bladder was distended out of the mouth, looked like it came out of more than 200 feet of water. I my day we weren't allowed to let out any more line than you could cast! We were catching red snapper on fly over 50 years ago!
> 
> View attachment 225138


SO COOL! Thanks for commenting sir. Although we didn't have the measuring devices to qualify for the record, I'm proud to report this fish was hooked mid to upper water column in about 100 feet depth, fought by an experienced angler and released properly, swam straight down with no venting or anything.


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## barry noll (Jul 2, 2019)

That catch is definitely a feat in itself. Teasing it up. Getting it to eat. Then not breaking the 12lb on its Gnarly teeth. Outstanding!


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## sealarke (Nov 16, 2021)

Sheesh what a toad! Would be pretty rad to get that guy on the surface like this, but I imagine a fish of that size isn't gunna be the first one to bust out of the water + a you might need a bank loan for all the chum


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## jesseflyangler (Mar 13, 2017)

Looks like that was an awesome adventure! Thanks for the thread about fishing. Getting a little rare on here.


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

Screw the record talk that's a fish of a lifetime. I'm strongly in the "Catch and release unless it's a snapper (or flounder)" crowd.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

SkiffaDeeDooDah said:


> That’s a nice Red Snapper on any tackle. But on fly?? You’re lucky if you could do that once in a lifetime.


THIS!! ^ ^ ^ ^

Even dink snapper earn my total respect on fly or any tackle! But that thing is a monster!!!


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

BM_Barrelcooker said:


> Heck with the record ………I’m lamenting the lack of fish sammiches from that big boy.
> All those starving kids in Africa.


It's always about the food with you bro! 🤣


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

citadelmarineservices said:


> Took a buddy out the other day to do some offshore fishing. Brought some fly rods of course... My buddy Caught this massive Red Snapper on fly that would for sure have qualified for a world record, but we missed the bus on the IGFA fly overall length category with the photo measurements. Now that I know that is a thing, I'll definitely be pursuing this record, got some spots stacked with them.
> For those interested in any details: 12wt, 500 grain line, 12lb tippet, tiny trigger fish fly sz 1.
> Worked the fish up as high as we could then made a few casts....
> View attachment 224830


Don't listen to these knuckleheads. Lol.... That fish are what fly fishing dreams are made of, I don't care how it's held! 

This has been a fun thread to read.


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## Backwater (Dec 14, 2014)

NDuncan said:


> I recently saw a pix of the current record red snapper on fly, the bladder was distended out of the mouth, looked like it came out of more than 200 feet of water. I my day we weren't allowed to let out any more line than you could cast! We were catching red snapper on fly over 50 years ago!
> 
> View attachment 225138


Norm, you're dah man!


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## citadelmarineservices (Jan 22, 2021)

Backwater said:


> Don't listen to these knuckleheads. Lol.... That fish are what fly fishing dreams are made of, I don't care how it's held!
> 
> This has been a fun thread to read.


Thanks man, that's what it's all about. Glad people were able to get a kick out of reading this!


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## Shadowmackin (1 mo ago)

Amazing fish to catch on a fly! There some good openings for class tippet records on these and 🥭. Have a couple trips planned this summer to get some on fly and we are trying to get in the books.


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