6-8-lb Bohar Snapper
Bohar Snapper on Cosmoledo Island
Daniel Keller with a Bohar Snapper on Cosmoledo Island
6-8 Pound Bohar Snapper
https://fishbase.us/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=1417&AT=bohar+snapper
This beautiful red Bohar Snapper (Lutjanus Bohar) was caught in about 10-15 feet of water around some coral structure and reef patches. It was on my 8-weight rod with a large fly and sinking line, so it was fun to bring it in to the boat. Seeing its bright side color as it surfaced was fantastic. Decent sized fish with nice body/head/mouth structure.
Look at how beautiful the body is:
The Bohar (Family Lutjanidae) has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.
It is a commercially important fish and recognized game fish. It is a long-lived (longest 56) and slow-growing species which reaches maturity at 9-10 years. They are aggressive feeders, mostly feeding on other fishes, crustaceans, and mollusks. These large tropical snappers have darker fins, a more rounded head, and a groove from eyes to nostrils.
It was easy for my guide to recognize the species as I brought the fish in.
But when I got home, I wanted to research the species to see if it was much different from the Lane and Red Snappers we see in SW Florida.
One great website for species review is:
This is a useful tool in understanding your catch.
And specifically, for the Bohar,
https://fishbase.us/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=1417&AT=bohar+snapper
FishBase is a global species database of fish species (especially finfish). It provides a comprehensive database on multiple species giving key details like taxonomy, geographic distribution, behavior and habitats and population dynamics. It is a great tool to use.