Red Snapper is one of the tastiest and most delectable fish in the oceans, and it is also a great fighter and a real workout pulling one into your boat. These two factors make fishing for these fun fish a priority for many anglers worldwide. The best place to reel in one of them is off the shores of the Gulf of Mexico. From the Florida Keys to the San Padre Islands in Texas, hundreds and hundreds of fishing spots will put you on the fish. Anglers start a pilgrimage to the Gulf for Red Snapper Season each year.
State And Federal Fishing Seasons
Fishing In The Gulf
Texas
These two cities are just 45 miles away, but they have many different fishing grounds. Galveston has many artificial structures and jetties that attract Red Snapper in shallow water. As you go farther out in the Gulf, there are many oil rigs and more artificial and natural reefs for these fish to hide in.
Freeport’s coastal waters are much different. It gets deep quickly off Freeport, so the opportunity of catching larger fish in the reefs is greater than in many other parts of Texas. These are both excellent for Red Snapper, but the beauty of fishing the Gulf is that once the quota for the charter is met, there are plenty of other tasty and feisty fish out looking for a bite. You might reel in some large Bull Mahi or even get lucky and hook into a Blue Marlin.
Louisiana
Louisiana Red Snapper fishing is mainly located south of New Orleans in the Venice and Grand Isle/Port Fourchon. Here you will find massive Red Snapper. In fact, the world record was caught here at a whopping 50.25 pounds.
Alabama
Alabama is home to Orange Beach, known as the “Red Snapper Capital of the World,” and Gulf Shores. These cities have many marinas and charters that take you out to where the fish are. And while the number of Snapper is not as significant as in other places, the quality and size of the fish here are what anglers from all over come to catch.
Mississippi
Like its neighbors, Louisiana and Alabama, Mississippi has an excellent Red Snapper community. Fishing out of Biloxi and Gulfport will put you on large-sized fish close to shore. The waters off the coast of Mississippi are fertile and the perfect fishing grounds for bottom feeders like Red Snapper.
Florida
Florida is believed to have the largest population of Red Snapper. This may be because the coast of Florida is so large, reaching from the Panhandle all the way to the Tip of Key West. On the coast is some of the best fishing anywhere in the states, if not the world.
There are many places to go for Red Snapper. Destin is one of the more popular areas for Snapper Season and all other fish, big and small. The sizable artificial reef attracts large Snapper just looking for your hook, and offshore in the deeper water is where giant-sized Red Snapper lives.
A relative newcomer but quickly becoming a destination for anglers looking for the Red Snapper is Tampa. A pipeline runs all the way to the Louisiana border, which is a prime fishing ground for Red Snapper and many other fish. The Red Snapper are in great numbers near the junction boxes in about 70 – 200 ft. of water. These are just two of the numerous great fishing spots dotted all up and down the coast.