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.