Red Snapper Regs and Refreshers

The red snapper fishery and the regulations that regulate it have gone through more iterations in the past decade than the iPhone. It seems like each and every season, there are new regs, new gear you have to carry, and new changes in what you can and can’t use to catch these fish. And heck, by the time you read this they’ll likely have changed all over again. It’s an angler’s personal responsibility to make sure that they adhere to the current regs and we’re not about to print them here where you may see the “old” regs a month from now. Rather, it does seem like a good time for a refresher on some of the gear that’s required, likely to be required, or which you may want to adopt simply to be a more responsible angler.

Circle Hooks – Non-stainless-steel circle hooks are a must. And at least as we look at the regs right now, must be non-offset in state waters. But you should really adopt them for federal water use, as well, because in study after study non-offset hooks have been showed to reduce gut-hookings as compared to offset hooks. And don’t forget: don’t set the hook! Circle hooks work better the slower you apply tension to the line.

De-hooking Device – Fishing regulations are funny things, and at least as it stands now, no one can say you have to use a de-hooker. But, the law can state that you must have one aboard. When you crank up a little fish, it can be tempting to grab it, yank the hook out, and rebait to get back in action as quickly as possible. But using that de-hooker does make a difference. Any time you handle a fish you may swipe away some of its slime, which acts as the fish’s natural defense against disease and parasites. And squeezing fish hard enough to control them can damage their internal organs. So, bottom line, don’t just carry a de-hooker – use it.

Descending Devices – These seem to be the darlings of recent times, and were recently made mandatory in Atlantic waters. They combat the problem of barotrauma by allowing you to send the fish back down deep even if their air bladder has blown up, so that it can recompress. While the science isn’t complete on just how effective they are, we do know that they give the fish a shot at survival. An undersized red snapper floating on the surface with its belly sticking out of its mouth, we know for sure isn’t going to make it. So no matter where you go after red snapper, if the water’s 50 feet deep or more using one of these devices is a good move.

Okay: you have all your gear and you’re looking forward to fishing for some snappers? Then, you’d better check the latest regs!!

www.ccatexas.org