Deep Color

Queen Snapper Shine  Bright In The Twilight Zone.

- Captain Steve Dougherty

THERE’S SOMETHING ODDLY INTRIGUING about the uncharted depths of the continental shelf that keep wide-eyed anglers coming back for more. Maybe it’s the incredible table fare of exotic snapper species that come to the surface ice cold, or the fact we know so little about these deep-water environments due to the extreme pressures that limit exploration. Then there’s the fact you truly never know what you might catch when plying unforgiving stretches of seafloor that never see the light of day.

Whether it’s the main agenda or saving grace at the end of the day, deep dropping is an increasingly popular way for anglers to put fish on ice. And although everyone has their favorite, fresh queen snapper produces what are without a doubt the finest fillets of any fish in the ocean. In the Lutjanidae family of many colorful species, queen snapper shine the brightest and inhabit the deepest depths, with mesmerizing red and pink hues that eclipse the vibrancy of vermillion, mutton and red snapper combined. Rising from the cobalt blue water, the first sight of color is unmistakable and surprisingly unique for a creature that’s adapted to live in complete darkness.

However, the brilliant coloration of queen snapper is not what meets the eye. As sunlight penetrates the ocean surface the distance it travels decreases significantly as the bottom drops out. In fact, at depths surpassing 700 feet visible sunlight is reduced to the point where photosynthesis isn’t a possibility. And if you remember elementary science class, the seven spectral colors—red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet—are arranged in order of decreasing wavelengths. Because seawater absorbs light in ways air does not, the long wavelengths of red are first to transition to gray barely a few feet below the surface.