how far for snapper?

When I booked our charter the captain mentioned that he was quite busy due to snapper season opening. I've done some reading on snapper, but frankly, I don't know much, other than the fact that they are delicious. My question is how far out do you need to go for them (I know there are lots of regulations and differences between recreational and commercial). Are people able to catch snapper on a typical 4 hour charter or is it something where you need to be booking 6+ hours and need bigger than a 32" boat? The original plan was to fish dixey bar for reds and specs and the like, but I must say I was intrigued by the idea of snapper. However, it may not even be a realistic possibility with only a 4 hour morning trip booked.

With snapper populations as high as they are, I don't see any reason you couldn't run out on the close reefs on a 4 hour trip and catch them. In the past, before the current population explosion, we caught them on the wrecks and rigs 3-6 miles off the coast.
But ask the captain, he is the best source of information.

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Originally Posted by CarlF

With snapper populations as high as they are, I don't see any reason you couldn't run out on the close reefs on a 4 hour trip and catch them. In the past, before the current population explosion, we caught them on the wrecks and rigs 3-6 miles off the coast.
But ask the captain, he is the best source of information.

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Thanks Carl. much appreciated. About how far offshore are the close reefs? How long does it take to get to them from the Fort Morgan marina? I'd love to consider going out there, but I'd also hate to miss out on fishing the bar or getting some specs for dinner. Wasn't sure if you basically spent 1.5 hours getting out there, fished for 1 hour and then 1.5 hours coming back.

Typically the bigger boats run out about an hour before you start to fish. Depending on how many are on the boat, you should have your limit in plenty of time to spare. I went out once on a six hour and we had our limit in about an hour after we started to fish.They started trolling and finally we all agreed to just come on in. It turned into about a four hour trip. There were 7 of us fishing.

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Originally Posted by the_reel_doc

Typically the bigger boats run out about an hour before you start to fish. Depending on how many are on the boat, you should have your limit in plenty of time to spare. I went out once on a six hour and we had our limit in about an hour after we started to fish.They started trolling and finally we all agreed to just come on in. It turned into about a four hour trip. There were 7 of us fishing.

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Thanks Reel_doc. It will be 4 of us in total and we chartered a 32" boat (private charter). Also, we are all staying in the same house, so i'm not sure limiting out would be of concern as there is only so much we would want to eat. Then again, I have no idea how much meat you get off your average snapper. I was hoping that the close reefs might be like 30 minutes out or less. Wishful thinking I suppose.

They can be caught in Pensacola Bay over here. Plan on taking my kayak put fishing for them.

The rigs are close to fort morgan. Only 15 20 minute ride, then another 10-15 minute ride to the next one. There are reefs that are no more the a 30 minute ride outside of fort morgan. If the snapper are there you should limit out quickly, you can only get 2.

If they get you on fish, you are looking at 30 minutes of fishing to limit everyone on the boat out. I love to eat snapper, but I can't justify a trip for 4 fillets.

I went out on a Head boat from the marina by Florabama a couple of years back during snapper season on the 4 hour trip.

All 25 people on the boat limited out (2 each) with no problem. What surprised me a bit is the fact that when they target snapper, that is all that was caught (maybe 2 other fish caught between the 25 people).

With the cost of the trip, tips for the deckhands, and letting them filet the fish at the dock, they were some expensive filets! Must admit they were darn good though.

You have to look at it as a day's entertainment rather than cost per pound; sort of like a bass boat.

Do have fun on the charter!!!!

My brother works for the dcnr of Alabama and they have been doing stock assessments the past few weeks in the reef zone. Just a bit of information he told me the other day. He said you wouldn't believe how many fish an upside down tank holds compared to a pyramid.

You need to ask your captain before the trip instead of surprising him on the day of. Depending on the specifics, he may have no problem changing to target snapper on a 4 hour, or he might tell you it requires some extra $$ to go the additional miles.

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Originally Posted by Pierless

You need to ask your captain before the trip instead of surprising him on the day of. Depending on the specifics, he may have no problem changing to target snapper on a 4 hour, or he might tell you it requires some extra $$ to go the additional miles.

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I definitely wouldn't spring that on the captain, as i figure he would maybe need to consider different gear/bait/lures. I was just asking to see whether I should even bring it up with him before the trip. If it wasn't remotely feasible, then I wouldn't even inquire about it.

Since the rigs are somewhat close to Ft. Morgan, would it be possible to do snapper fishing AND still have time to drift the dixey bar and try to find some specs as well? or would that be packing too much into one 4 hour trip and putting too much pressure on trying to catch snapper too quickly?

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Originally Posted by mforbesiii

Since the rigs are somewhat close to Ft. Morgan, would it be possible to do snapper fishing AND still have time to drift the dixey bar and try to find some specs as well? or would that be packing too much into one 4 hour trip and putting too much pressure on trying to catch snapper too quickly?

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The snapper catching could be near instant or could actually take some effort depending on a few factors. If you are talking about the first few days of the season, the water is decent, the seas aren't rough, and you get going early, the snapper will probably be caught very quickly at close in rigs. If you are fairly late in the season on a Saturday, the water is rough chocolate milk, there are a dozen boats tied to every rig... you get the picture.

I personally consider fishing the rigs to be more fun than fishing the bar, but that is just a personal preference thing. I just can't get excited by specks -- I'd rather catch one drag screaming mackerel than a limit of trout. Again, that is purely a personal preference.

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Originally Posted by Pierless

The snapper catching could be near instant or could actually take some effort depending on a few factors. If you are talking about the first few days of the season, the water is decent, the seas aren't rough, and you get going early, the snapper will probably be caught very quickly at close in rigs. If you are fairly late in the season on a Saturday, the water is rough chocolate milk, there are a dozen boats tied to every rig... you get the picture.

I personally consider fishing the rigs to be more fun than fishing the bar, but that is just a personal preference thing. I just can't get excited by specks -- I'd rather catch one drag screaming mackerel than a limit of trout. Again, that is purely a personal preference.

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Thanks so much Pierless. Apologies for the constant follow up questions, but I guess that is what you get for providing good feedback! We would be going out on Wednesday the 17th of June in the morning. Is snapper season even still open then? While trying to catch snapper, what else can be caught? I don't know the first thing about snapper fishing. Is it something where 2 people can be trying for snapper and two others could be using lighter tackle for other fish that hang out by the rigs? It would be me, my brother in law, his wife and their 10 year old son. So bringing in a huge fish might be tougher for some of the group, who may enjoy catching things like specs or reds or whatever else may be caught by the rigs. What kind of gear is used for snapper? conventional reels on thick boat rods?

No problem. If you are going with a charter boat who holds a reef permit, their season is open then. The recreational season will be closed at that time, so it is doubtful that other boats will be in your way at all. As far as catching other things while snapper fishing, that depends largely on where you go and what your captain is willing to do. Women and kids can pull in big snapper with the right gear and possibly a little assistance, I would not worry about that. In my experience doing charters, the harder pulling the fish, the more fun everyone has almost all the time. You could possibly catch spadefish on light tackle with small pieces of shrimp or squid. King mackerel are a common catch around the rigs. Specs won't be out there. Bull reds are an occasional catch at the rigs, but they are not legal to keep in federal waters. I am not much of a trout fisherman, but honestly I don't expect you'd be tearing them up on the bar reliably in the middle of June. If I'm wrong on that someone correct me. Hopefully you can ask your captain and get an honest answer, or even check a few days ahead of your trip to see what he's been catching.

The rods and reels used for snapper just depends on what your captain wants you to use, ask him. Both heavy conventional setups and spinning reels on jigging style rods are common.