# State snapper out of Freeport - any hope?



## TartandHr (Jan 14, 2015)

My son is in from out of town and I've got a hankering to go fishing. What's the chance of catching state snapper out of Freeport this time of year? And is there anywhere in particular to go look? Thanks for any help you can give.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

East bank, Middle Bank, vancouver reefing area. This is the best time of year to try.


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## J_Philla (Oct 22, 2009)

i caught the biggest state water fish of my life a week before Christmas outta freeport. it was a 14.2lb beast caught off the SE lump. Tons of 13-14in fish so take a lotta bait, bigger fish were caught using combos of squid and sardine on same hook. Bull reds were biting pretty good before the freeze, so thats also a option on the way back in.

Capt. Josh


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

Just a Post...
If anyone is planning on taking advantage of the smooth seas prediction window for Friday and is going out of Surfside/Freeport, for a short State Water Run, and needs another Fisherman....IM YOUR MAN!

I figure the snapper and maybe Reds are in close due to the winter colder water 
probably a bit choppy, but small waves

My boats in the Boat Hospital at Bridge Harbor or I'd be go'n in my CC .


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## sammytx (Jun 17, 2004)

We fished Middle Banks on Saturday. Lots of baby ARS but no keepers. Tried a few spots in the area with similar luck. Didn't try the Vancouver reefing area though.
Good luck


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## stammster - temporary (Jul 20, 2009)

Don't waste your time at the Vancouver. I've never done any good there.


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## wiznut (Jun 10, 2013)

Tried the Vancouver a couple weeks back with nothing to show for it. Maybe you'll have better luck!


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## -Jake- (Aug 5, 2016)

Has anyone tried the new pyramids in between matty and freeport this winter?

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## blaze 'em (Jun 4, 2012)

I don't fish up there but I do know one thing. I fish/I lie. Even if I caught something on any of the mentioned spots I still wouldn't tell anyone. Or if I didn't I would say I did.

Good state water spots are hard to come by but once you find them they stay pretty secret.

Point is, best thing is to take live bait and try every spot you can yourself. 

Good luck.

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## SaltwaterTom (Jun 23, 2013)

Middle Bank, May 2015. The colder the water, the better the chance of keeper fish, in my experience. Big baits, live bait, and patience to weed through the little ones.


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

hog said:


> Just a Post...
> If anyone is planning on taking advantage of the smooth seas prediction window for Friday and is going out of Surfside/Freeport, for a short State Water Run, and needs another Fisherman....IM YOUR MAN!
> 
> View attachment 4040914


*bouy weather prediction as of 1/4*

Friday 1/5

Morning
Light ENE winds with a slight chop. Very Small very short period waves.

Winds: ENE 6 to 8 knots.

Seas: E 1 feet at 6 seconds.

Afternoon
Light ESE winds with a slight chop. Very Small very short period waves.

Winds: ESE 8 to 11 knots.

Seas: ENE 1 feet at 3 seconds.

Remember, theres quite a bit to fish in True State Waters out of Freeport.
East Bank, Middle Bank, West Bank, The Vancouver (I havent even gotten a bite on the actual boat any time Ive tried) and then the Reefman Complex, and the TPWL dump area where all the Cement Things were dropped. And a bit more stuff just a couple miles farther down the beach.. It cant handle a army of boats, but, its a pretty stretched out area. Just have to sorta move around and find where their holding on. Might be a great place for one of these new fandangled side scanners.

Other direction, is the small Jr. Lump, then, Theres also some rocks I call the Honey Hole Rks out front of San Luis Pass the other direction that occasionally hold fish.

I think most all of us know the SE Lump is really not in State Waters, its farther than 9 miles if the truth be known.


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## Category6 (Nov 21, 2007)

SE Lump and Junior Lump. Get off on the edge of the SE Lump right where the rock hits the mud. Fish dead on the bottom.


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## Category6 (Nov 21, 2007)

I'd confirm SE lump is in state water though, I'm pretty sure it is but it's close. Junior lump is for sure.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

Nope. it's close, but not quite. Junior lump is in state water.


Category5 said:


> I'd confirm SE lump is in state water though, I'm pretty sure it is but it's close. Junior lump is for sure.


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## baitbig (Jul 20, 2010)

Got this one on middle bank end of November. Several fish in the 5lb range as well. Another note too is when flipper isn't around the larger snaps will suspend off the bottom. We caught our bigger fish 10-15ft off the bottom. So try different depths if all you're finding are dinks. Good luck.


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## Category6 (Nov 21, 2007)

James Howell said:


> Nope. it's close, but not quite. Junior lump is in state water.


What about the Glory B wreck? I might be confusing that with another one but if I'm right it's just east of the junior lump. I only would have loran coordinates and it's been 20 years since I was over it. Wasn't too much left of it then so it might completely gone by now.


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## Category6 (Nov 21, 2007)

Never mind about Glory B, different wreck. There is one east of the junior though but I can't recall the name of it.


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## FirstCast (Dec 14, 2012)

SE Lump is outside of 9 miles. The green fish marks are the lump and the red line marks the official state water line.









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## TartandHr (Jan 14, 2015)

Wow! Thanks for all the great info. Going tomorrow, were probably going to start out at West 27s and try for Hoo and AJ before trying for state water on the way in.


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## unc_jaws23 (May 29, 2008)

*If you can, go sw!!!*

Between port Oâ€™Connor and Freeport there are lots of rigs that are hauppper productive in the winter. Going to fight a bunch of huge bull reds though!!!!


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## Texas76mako (Jan 22, 2017)

Caught them good in October, Biggest one i have ever caught in state water that trip @ 17 pounds. Same spot I have stuck many over 10 pounds. 

I went back there right before christmas and they were gone.. super low tide not marking anything. I caught one right at 8 pounds and that was it!


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## fishinguy (Aug 5, 2004)

I've never caught anything on Vancouver. SE Lump will hold more fish but I think bigger fish are at middle bank in my experience. 

Has anyone tried the artificial reefs that have been deployed?


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## MTSkibum (Mar 12, 2014)

fishinguy said:


> I've never caught anything on Vancouver. SE Lump will hold more fish but I think bigger fish are at middle bank in my experience.
> 
> Has anyone tried the artificial reefs that have been deployed?


I have tried Vancouver 5-6 different times for very short stretches. A couple of those times there was another boat fishing it as well. I have never seen anything except a hardhead caught there.

I wonder why it does not hold fish.


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## Category6 (Nov 21, 2007)

^^^ All the giant jewfish eat everything most likely! I dove it once years ago, they are all over and in that wreck. Spooky in 12-15' of visibility!


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## hilton (Jan 28, 2008)

The various marina owners around Freeport report that their customers have been catching redfish and red snapper on the reefs. We deployed 800 pyramids there this spring, so it should get interesting around there in the years to come - we will be deploying an additional 45+ reefs there this spring.


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## hog (May 17, 2006)

hilton said:


> The various marina owners around Freeport report that their customers have been catching redfish and red snapper on the reefs. We deployed 800 pyramids there this spring, so it should get interesting around there in the years to come - we will be deploying an additional 45+ reefs there this spring.


We thank you VERY VERY much Tom..... and Our Grand children will be thanking you too in a few years...


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## fishinguy (Aug 5, 2004)

hilton said:


> The various marina owners around Freeport report that their customers have been catching redfish and red snapper on the reefs. We deployed 800 pyramids there this spring, so it should get interesting around there in the years to come - we will be deploying an additional 45+ reefs there this spring.


I plan to stop by and check them out next time I go out of Freeport. The boat ramp situation over there has me fishing everywhere else.


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## Eb78 (Jun 21, 2017)

Best place to catch state water snapper in the winter is rigs in the 15 mile range??????


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## Eb78 (Jun 21, 2017)

!!!!!!!!!!!


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## tpool (Aug 21, 2005)

Eb78 said:


> Best place to catch state water snapper in the winter is rigs in the 15 mile range??????


Hahahahahaha! Yes! LOL...

T-BONE
(tpool)


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## TartandHr (Jan 14, 2015)

No Hoo, no AJ at West 27. Did C&R snaps there. Starboard motor died on the way in but got it back after 1/2 an hour. No snaps when we were back in state water. All in all, still a good day.


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