# State Water Snapper



## redsnapperfishing.com (Jun 2, 2014)

With the onset of cooler weather, and the federal snapper season being practically closed for the past several years, the state snapper fishing should really start heating up soon. Cooler weather bring red snapper closer to shore and well within reach for a lot of anglers.

When fishing for state snapper try the following:

â€¢ Use lighter tackle
This includes your rod/reel set up, weights, leader material and hooks. If you are 
fishing a jig like a Snapper Slapper, use the one ounce size and be sure to work the 
entire water column. Fishing with lighter tackle for state snapper is a lot of fun. We 
have even used our trout rods!

â€¢ Anchor up and chum
Anchoring up in 75-80 feet of water is a lot easier that doing it in 120-300 feet or 
water. Get to your spot, figure out which way the wind and current is moving your 
boat and anchor up accordingly. Once anchored, start chumming and see what 
happens. We have done this with great results with snapper coming all the way up to 
the boat.

â€¢ Always watch your sounder while under way
Rik Jacobsen was the master at finding new spots. His secret was, while under way, 
he hardly ever took his eyes off the sounder. If he saw something that even remotely 
looked fishy he would mark it to look another day or circle back and check it out. He 
actually passed over Red Mountain at first thinking it was an abnormal reading on the 
sounder. When he passed over it again, and it looked the same, he decided to fish it 
resulting the honey hole of all honey holes. Also, have one of your crew on the look 
out for nervous bait in the water and birds. We found a spot this summer Inside 9 off 
of Galveston because we saw a sea turtle and stopped to look around. We caught 
state snapper on that spot and could still see the beach houses on Bolivar.

The Texas regulations for red snapper are:

Red Snapper
Daily Bag: 4
Length in Inches (Minimum - Maximum) 15 - No limit
Red snapper may be taken using pole and line, but it is unlawful to use any kind of hook other than a circle hook when using natural bait.

If you need GPS numbers for state water fishing, please take a look at our state water book at www.redsnapperfishing.com.

Good luck and let us know how you do!!


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## lou5036 (Aug 12, 2005)

Thanks for the Info.


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## ML56 (Dec 30, 2008)

Agree 100% on all you listed as "to do" to catch them. As a bonus, redfish are often mixed with the snapper in the winter, excellent time to catch bull reds, and being in state waters means you can keep them.-Mike


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## btravlin2 (Sep 30, 2010)

redsnapperfishing.com said:


> â€¢ Always watch your sounder while under way
> Rik Jacobsen was the master at finding new spots. His secret was, while under way,
> he hardly ever took his eyes off the sounder. If he saw something that even remotely
> looked fishy he would mark it to look another day or circle back and check it out.


I could use some advice here. I have a brand new Garmin EchoMap 50 dv.

My hope was to use the Down View under way at cruising speed (25-30mph) to find potential spots up to 30 miles out of SLP, and cover a lot of ground doing it. But it seems neither the fishfinder or DV works at speeds that fast......I see no fish, and only the flat Gulf bottom.

When I slow down, I get good returns on fish behind shrimpers and further out around the rigs, but still just flat on the DV. I was hoping to find the occasional rockpile, hole, ledge, or debris within 9 miles, but nothing so far.

Any suggestions on how better to use this unit?


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## ding_a_ling (Jul 3, 2010)

Good info on state water snapper! Thanks!

btravlin2

You might try adjusting the tilt of your transducer, or moving it completely. If it is in an area that gets a lot of turbulence it might be causing the problems. If that doesn't help you might try investing in a better sonar. The low end Garmin's aren't the best, especially at cruise speed.


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## fishingmagnet (May 26, 2013)

cool. thkx


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## country7 (May 27, 2007)

eagerly awaiting my state water book


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## jlai (May 31, 2011)

i just got the state water book in last weekend. and used it sunday. we caught a few keeper state snaps and did exactly as you described. used the chum to bring em up and got the bit going good till about 1pm.


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## redsnapperfishing.com (Jun 2, 2014)

Got your order country7 and we will get it in the mail ASAP! Thank you!

Thanks for the report jlai!!


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## saltaholic (Feb 19, 2005)

Any of the new state spots near matagorda?

I have all the old books


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## planohog (Nov 1, 2006)

Waiting and hoping that thx giving weekend is good, I would love to try some snaps. 
Found a nice king out of freeport few weeks back. 
Will be leaving out of galveston this time. To test out the spots from the book .


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## MTSkibum (Mar 12, 2014)

Any recommendations on how to avoid triggerfish?

Many times I go out for state snapper and I as soon as the line touches the water the triggerfish are on it.


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## ML56 (Dec 30, 2008)

MTSkibum said:


> Any recommendations on how to avoid triggerfish?
> 
> Many times I go out for state snapper and I as soon as the line touches the water the triggerfish are on it.


I've had success with getting away from where the triggers are, move upstream 50 yards or so and drop down, then drift into your spot while baits are already on bottom. Some of the time triggers are top to bottom and the solution is just to try someplace else. 
Artificial's, like snapper slappers, knife jigs, and twin tail grubs, will usually make it past triggers near the surface and at least give you a chance to present a bait to the snapper down below.
I've never tried it, but saw a TV show where they put bait on hooks and molded wet sand around it in a ball, as they lowered the bait the sand fell away and allowed them to get below triggers. Not sure , but the way the sand held together I'd guess they had mixed something with the sand to make it sticky -Mike


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## saltaholic (Feb 19, 2005)

MTSkibum said:


> Any recommendations on how to avoid triggerfish?
> 
> Many times I go out for state snapper and I as soon as the line touches the water the triggerfish are on it.


Chum the triggers up on one side of the boat and drop lines with weights on opposite side


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## MTSkibum (Mar 12, 2014)

Thanks ML56 and Saltaholic. I definitely use both those tactics already.

Another tactic I try is to fish at night. For some reason the triggerfish shut off 30 minutes before sunset.

I was hoping to find a secret method for dealing with them. The sand is one I have not heard about, although not sure how to get that to work.


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## Gamblinhand (Mar 6, 2007)

I'm fishing out of Port A. Are there plenty of numbers going from there?


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Gamblinhand said:


> I'm fishing out of Port A. Are there plenty of numbers going from there?


The winter fishing gets better on the lower coast because the 9-mile line can be 70 to 80 feet and you can cover a lot of ground. Rocky bottom seems to work best, such as north of the Port Mansfield Jetties but check closer to Port A. Snapper schooling on inshore reefs tend to be small, however.

The sows sometimes are dispersed and not "on the numbers." They often find hard bottom right in the sand and hang out there - these numbers come and go with the storms the cover and uncover them. So watch the bottom machine. Your larger sow snapper will be here and there located tight on the hard bottom.

One way is to have an orange buoy or jug line with a small weight on the bottom, about 80 feet of line, and mark the spots as you pass them. Then drift down on the spot, maybe catch a few, and haul the buoy back up. The fish usually want meat like squid. Good luck y'all.


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## sabotage (Sep 17, 2013)

Does Rik's book cover areas out of Freeport and Galveston?


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## Totally Tuna (Apr 13, 2006)

sabotage said:


> Does Rik's book cover areas out of Freeport and Galveston?


More so in Freeport, but yes.


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## sabotage (Sep 17, 2013)

Thanks! That'll be added to my list of must have's...


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## saltaholic (Feb 19, 2005)

saltaholic said:


> Any of the new state spots near matagorda?
> 
> I have all the old books


Anybody?


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## redsnapperfishing.com (Jun 2, 2014)

In reference to your question. When u say all of the old book are u including 2013 edition?

If so then you are up to date.

I hope this helps. I also hope the wind lays and we can get out there and hammer them!!

Tight lines and stay warm!

Tom


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## Day0ne (Jan 14, 2006)

MTSkibum said:


> Any recommendations on how to avoid triggerfish?
> 
> Many times I go out for state snapper and I as soon as the line touches the water the triggerfish are on it.


IMHO, the triggers taste much better than the snapper. I like to catch them.


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## MTSkibum (Mar 12, 2014)

Day0ne said:


> IMHO, the triggers taste much better than the snapper. I like to catch them.


I sort of agree. I also like catching keeper size trigger fish. The problem is that seems to be 1 out of 20 in state waters.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Day0ne said:


> IMHO, the triggers taste much better than the snapper. I like to catch them.


I checked the TPWD bag limits for State waters and you can keep 20 trigerfish over 16 inches. Now 16 inches is a big trig! But I think they're fun especially if the snapper fishing is slow. Excellent table fare.


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## hilton (Jan 28, 2008)

Triggerfish ceviche is hard to beat.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Texas rules go by the overall length of the fish. Triggers often have very long thin sections of tail that makes a small fish over the 16" Texas length limit if you measure all the tail. 

But I am not positive how to measure a trigger does anyone know if you measure triggers to the tip of the long thin section of there tail, or to the end of the wide section of there tail.


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## Jerry-rigged (May 21, 2004)

Jolly Roger said:


> Texas rules go by the overall length of the fish. Triggers often have very long thin sections of tail that makes a small fish over the 16" Texas length limit if you measure all the tail.
> 
> But I am not positive how to measure a trigger does anyone know if you measure triggers to the tip of the long thin section of there tail, or to the end of the wide section of there tail.


In TX, always pinch the tail to measure...


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

Jerry-rigged said:


> In TX, always pinch the tail to measure...


 do not think you are understanding what I am asking. Will add a pic for reference.

example


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## pomakai (Jun 7, 2012)

Fork length


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## ChampT22 (Mar 7, 2011)

http://www.gulfcouncil.org/fishing_regulations/RecreationalRegulations.pdf page-14 Federal Waters


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## ChampT22 (Mar 7, 2011)

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/regulations/outdoor-annual/fishing/measurement-tips State Waters


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## planohog (Nov 1, 2006)

Best trigger fishing techniques. ?

These fish are naturally picking at the reefs and other structure, I thought
like parrot fish they actually ate the reef, sounds like someone eating fritos
on a scuba dive.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

In Texas waters you can include the tail tendrils for the length measurement.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

James Howell said:


> In Texas waters you can include the tail tendrils for the length measurement.


Thanks that what I always thought, just wanted to make sure, they can add 2-4" to a trigger easy

I do not target them, but one of my good fishing buddies loves them and always want to keep some.


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## MTSkibum (Mar 12, 2014)

planohog said:


> Best trigger fishing techniques. ?
> 
> These fish are naturally picking at the reefs and other structure, I thought
> like parrot fish they actually ate the reef, sounds like someone eating fritos
> on a scuba dive.


Go to any state water spot on rik's book out of freeport.

Put your line in the water with any bait.

Wait 5 seconds.

Catch a triggerfish.

Repeat.


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## Jerry-rigged (May 21, 2004)

Jolly Roger said:


> do not think you are understanding what I am asking. Will add a pic for reference.
> 
> example


Here you go - straight from TPWD: How to Measure fish

I'll add - I have a buddy that got a ticket for over-size red drum. He did not pinch the tail, thought he had a 27-3/4"fish. The Game warden did and said he had a 28-1/4" fish.

For the fish in your picture, I would measure to the end of the sickle on the tale.


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## awesum (May 31, 2006)

So .... what ever became of the fabled "Inside Nine" video? Hmmmm?


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## redsnapperfishing.com (Jun 2, 2014)

Thank you for asking about the Inside 9 video awesom.

We are currently working on the video. We have been shooting footage and writing the script with the notes that Rik left us. Unfortunately, the video was put on the back burner after Rik passed away. It was difficult to edit it together without Rik sitting by our side.

The answer to your question is that we will release it in 2015!

Here's the promotional video for Inside 9.


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## Hotrod (Oct 11, 2006)

Nice. Glad to the video coming about. That was a heck of a day on those spots


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## BigEgg (Jul 29, 2013)

If I purchase the "ultimate offshore book" will it also have most the state water coordinates in it as well? Or do I have to buy both


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## redsnapperfishing.com (Jun 2, 2014)

There are about 25% of the state water numbers in the Texas Offshore Fishing Guide.


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## BigEgg (Jul 29, 2013)

thanks for the reply. looks like i will be purchasing state water and new updated offshore.


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## mr crab (Feb 13, 2009)

Any idea when the new state water book will be released?


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## Mckeeman (Nov 6, 2013)

After all the fish are caught


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