Are you ready to get out on the water? The time for fishing season is here! The Gulf Coast of Louisiana is one of the busiest and most fertile realms for sport fishing of all types. Now is an excellent time for you to charter your personal Louisiana Gulf Coast fishing expedition.
And if you’re going out to the deep Gulf, there is one sport fish that you will be pleased to take home above all others. This is the legendary Red Snapper. When you’re talking about sport fishing – as well as delicious, well earned seafood meals – the Red Snapper is a prize that you’ll be overjoyed to earn.
How Do You Know When it’s a Red Snapper?
The Red Snapper is a legendary denizen of the deep waters of the Louisiana Gulf of Mexico. They have certain telltale features that let you know what you’re dealing with. They come in unmistakably gaudy and bright red to pink hues. And they have comically large canine teeth, from which they get their iconic “Snapper” name.
Make no mistake, those teeth really do snap. The Red Snapper is not only a fearsome predator, it’s also a legendary game fish. Part of the legend comes from the fact that those enlarged canines can easily break the line of an inexperienced fisher. And even a world-class fisher can be fooled by this eminent trickster of the sea.
The Red Snapper is Subject to Fishing Limits
One of the most important reasons for chartering a fishing boat to catch the Red Snapper is to stay safely out of legal hot water. This is due to the fact that, up until a very short time ago, the Red Snapper was listed as a “severely depleted” species due to chronic overfishing.
Thankfully, this is no longer the case. A series of successful population regrowth initiatives have enabled the Red Snapper to breed back up to acceptable levels. In fact, there are more of them out there on the Gulf than there have been for many years. But this doesn’t mean that you can catch all you can eat.
Officially, the Red Snapper is still listed as well below target levels. This means that strict fishing season limits are in place. This rule applies at both the State and Federal level. The limit for catching Red Snapper is listed as2 per person. Please note that the Snapper you snag must be 16 inches or larger.
How Big Can a Red Snapper Get?
Speaking of dimensions, the growth rate of the average Red Snapper is considered to be quite moderate. An adult Snapper can reach up to 40 inches in total length. Most adults will range in weight from a minimum of 5 pounds to a maximum of 30 pounds. In most cases, the Snapper you encounter will weigh about 15 pounds.
How Do You Catch the Red Snapper?
There are a number of highly effective ways to catch yourself a Red Snapper. In most cases, an angler will drop a specially weighted line straight down to the depths. The most usual depth will be anywhere from about 25 to 400 feet. Although you can catch a Red Snapper in shallow waters, the vast majority of them will be found in the deeps.
Depending on your luck, you may find one ranging closer to the shoreline. However, they mostly tend to congregate in small groups near structures such as oil rig platforms or buoys. As noted above, you may find one near the surface but will usually encounter them in deeper waters, sometimes practically down at the bottom.
Most experienced anglers will use live or dead Menhadden, freshly cut Bonita, or squid as bait. Red Snapper prefer to go for live bait. However, you can also employ certain types of artificial bait.
The best artificial bait technique is usually jigging, especially as a last resort. However, the best results will always tend to be produced with the use of live bait.
Charter Your Red Snapper Fishing Trip Today
The Red Snapper is not only an amazing specimen to angle with, it’s also one of the most delicious seafood meals you can treat yourself to. Of course, like all top-notch sporting fish, it has to be fought with and earned. This is where the services of an experienced Louisiana charter fishing boat captain will come in handy.
If you want to experience the thrill of the hunt for the legendary Red Snapper, now is the time. Get in touch with us today to arrange your Louisiana Gulf Coast charter fishing trip. This is one potential holiday excursion that you owe it to yourself to experience. Contact us to arrange the ultimate seafood gathering expedition.