Texas Gulf Coast Red Snapper Season in Full Effect!
If you plan on fishing offshore this summer, I recommend trying to catch some red snapper. Red snapper season is going to be from June 1 to July 19 for charter companies this year and they are some of the most delicious fish in the world. The internet is filled with thousands of tasty recipes to try. If you want to catch some of these delicious fish, here is everything you need to know.
Where to find them
Red snapper, especially the big adult ones, enjoy deep water. They also stay around specific geological formations such as drop-offs, rocky ledges, and reefs (natural or artificial). This means that the best way to catch those big tasty snapper is to take a charter off shore.
What bait to use
Dead cigar minnows and shrimp can do fine but a lot success catching large red snapper comes from using squid. As for lures a ½ ounce jig head paired with a pink egret wedgetail is a good choice. Also, make sure to use some heavy weights to get the bait to deep water, where the snapper dwell.
Using the right rod and line
Red snapper are big fish, hard fighters and currents can be strong at the depths you will be fishing at, so it’s important to use a heavy rod and strong line. Another key point is make sure to not use a wire leader. Red snapper are excellent predators and this is partly due to their great eye sight. They may not be fooled by some bait if they see a wire sticking out of it, because of this it is better to use a fluorocarbon leader. Fluorocarbon leaders are nearly invisible in the water and will give you better chances of tricking the snapper into biting.
What reel to use
Red snapper’s go to tactic is to use strong head shakes to try and free themselves rather than long runs, because of this, there is no need to use a slower gear ratio. A fast gear ratio will get the fish to the boat faster which is important because there is a whole slew of predators at the depth you will be fishing at. You don’t want some shark to enjoy that dinner you worked so hard for.
Which charter to pick
We might be a little biased here but we’d say Galveston Fishing Charter Co. is the way to go. We’ll take you to the best fishing spots we know and teach you some handy angling secrets. Either way we hope these tips help you to catch some tasty red snapper this season.
