State and Federal regulations require all fishermen to adhere to certain gear rules when hunting for snapper and other popular fish species. Gulf Red Snapper, Photo by Geeklikepi via Wikimedia Commons If you want to see how much your red snapper weighs, You can weigh the snapper you catch with a fish scale to see if you can break the record (46lb in Florida)! Red Snapper Gear Rules There is no weight minimum for Red Snapper.

The minimum size limit on Red Snapper is 16 inches. Minimum size limits are put into effect to assure that juvenile Snapper are able to grow and reproduce in the off-season. Large haul of Red Snapper brought in on one of the many deep sea fishing charters Destin, FL, has to offer The guidelines are broken up into Red Snapper size limit, gear rules, season length for private vessels and for-hire charters, and bag limit. There are also different guidelines for Florida Federal and State waters, which will also be covered below. There are different laws for the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, the following are strictly based on laws created for fishing for Red Snapper in the Gulf of Mexico. Florida lawmakers have since instituted certain rules to help in growing the population back to normal numbers. Over the years, Red Snapper has been overfished due to its inherent value. Here is what you need to know about the 2022 Florida Red Snapper Season.Ģ022 Florida Red Snapper Season GuidelinesĪngler boasts a big Red Snapper caught aboard a fishing charter with Miss Nautica in Destin, FL In recent years, new laws were put into effect that will offer a much longer and more fruitful Snapper season to for-hire vessels, while tightening up on private vessels. Towns like Destin, Florida, are especially popular for commercial charter fishing for some of the best species of fish to catch and eat like Snapper, Grouper, and Mahi Mahi.īecause of the value of Red Snapper, there have been State and Federal law restrictions placed on the species. Your best chance at catching some tasty Snapper is to head out to deep waters, either in your own boat, or by booking one of the many fishing charters that Florida has to offer! Red Snappers are typically found in deep waters, and like to hangout in schools near reefs, shipwrecks, and oil rigs. Red Snapper is delicious in so many ways including.Ĭheck out some awesome Red Snapper cookbooks on Amazon for inspiration!įamily brings home a Red Snapper dinner while deep sea fishing in Destin As popular as it is, there are lots of ways to cook snapper. It is a prized fish that sells for top dollar at seafood markets. Once you have the fillets, there are lots of different ways to prepare Red Snapper. The best knives to use are specialized fillet knives for larger fish species like the Kershaw big game fillet knife.ĬLICK HERE - For a very detailed video on filleting Red Snapper Discard of the carcass in the water or trash.Anglers are encouraged to cook the fillets immediately, put them in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freezer for later use. Place the fillets in sealed freezer bags.Fillet the snapper immediately upon returning to shore.Here is how charter captains handle Red Snapper after they’re caught: This ensures the meat is as fresh as possible. If you catch Red Snapper on your vacation, you’ll want to freeze or fillet the fish as soon as you can. What to do After You Catch a Snapper - Storage, Filleting, Eating The typical Red Snapper grows to a maximum of around 25 pounds, with the largest Red Snapper caught in Florida weighing in at 46 pounds (caught off the Destin, FL, coast). While a large Red Snapper could give a young angler ( like the one in this fishing traveler story) a run for his or her money, they don’t grow quite as large as other game fish or popular table fare, making Snapper hunting the basis of many Florida deep sea fishing charters. Two anglers showing off their giant Red Snapper caught on a Destin fishing charter

Florida Red Snapper Season - State and Federal.2022 Florida Red Snapper Season Guidelines.What to do After You Catch a Snapper - Storage, Filleting, Eating.

The Red Snapper is so fun to catch, and the meat is so delicious, it has become the focus of many Destin fishing charter trips. With any sport, there is always the “game-ender.” For baseball it’s a grand slam, hockey it’s a hat-trick, and for Destin saltwater fishing it’s catching the coveted Red Snapper. That’s why we created the Florida Red Snapper Season Guidelines for fishermen like you! From sharks to sea bass, no fish is out of range when casting a rod and reel in the sunshine state. Anglers with both novice and advanced skill levels travel to the Emerald Coast hoping to snag a prized catch in the Gulf of Mexico. Coastal Florida offers some of the world’s best saltwater fishing.

Red snapper restaurant