We were on the water at dawn on Saturday June 1 for the opening of fishing season for Gulf Red Snapper in Federal waters.
We launched from the Marker 37 Marina in Corpus Christi and made our way through the bays and out the jetty.
Captain Danny took us 20 miles offshore to a reef where five fishing boats clustered. We caught a huge mangrove snapper–but none of the red snapper we were targeting. At a second location, we encountered even more boats and caught a red snapper or two.
Finally we hit the jackpot at a third reef. The bottom was 165 feet down, but the fish were thick at around 80 feet. The fishing line changed color every ten feet so you could figure out how far down your hook was. We were using big pieces of squid on circle hooks for bait.
These were some big fish that hadn’t seen any fishermen in 9 months. They hit the baits violently and fought hard.
At one point four of us were standing along the rail reeling up four fish at the same time. I caught my limit and enjoyed the fight.
Looking forward to dinner!
Here’s the legalese from Texas Parks & Wildlife: AUSTIN- The private recreational angler red snapper season opens Saturday, June 1, 2019 for a projected 97-days in federal waters. Red snapper fishing is open year around in state waters. The season length is based on historical landing data, last year’s fishing effort data and the increase in the state’s allocation from the 2018 stock assessment. Bag and size limits will remain unchanged; 2 fish per person daily with a 16-inch minimum size limit in federal waters, and 4 fish per person daily with a 15-inch minimum in state waters.