Thread: any inshore charters that do snapper trips?

Hi all. Is anyone aware of an inshore charter that will make a quick-ish snapper run and then troll around the rigs for a bit and then head back in (for like a 4 hour trip)? I'm looking to book for me, brother in law, his wife and their young son. a 5-6 hour trip at $1,000 for a true offshore boat/snapper trip isn't financially in the cards this year. Ideal trip would be to head out for snapper first thing, fish for 45 mins (assuming they are biting), then troll around the rigs for a bit and head back and maybe drift the bar a time or two. We were able to pull that off last year, but i got the impression it wasn't a normal trip and was being done that way because the captain (rightly so) figured out that our inshore trip was going to be a bust with all the silt and fresh water coming into the bay after the flooding last spring/summer. we went out of ft morgan last year.

I would say you got lucky, I was always under the impression that charters who have only inshores licenses cant venture past 3 miles, which includes the close rigs outside of fort morgan. IMO I would rather drift the rigs and sand bar and catch kings and Redfish, than waste time fishing for snapper. I know those rigs can hold snapper, its just better fight, also the rigs have a lot of fishing pressure on them so your trip my be wasted looking for them. Everybody and there mother goes there, its an obvious reef structure that people go to outside of fort morgan If you use the seach bar there is some excellent recommendations for inshore guides

Thanks Pokenfish. I was under the impression he had both licenses, as he had a larger boat (not a typical inshore boat that I've seen) and took clients out there regularly, but generally on actual dedicated snapper trips. The problem I now have is that the snapper fishing was so popular last year with the in-laws, that's all they want to do (or at least they want to make sure that's part of the overall experience). I've told them that it isn't always the case that you can just hit a spot 8 miles out with little above the water structure, drop lines and limit out on snapper for 4 people in 25 minutes (most of that time spent rebaiting and dealing with logistics of 4 people hooked up at once). if you have to hunt them down, it cuts into the time heavily, and a captain is less likely to want to do that if he is making inshore rates versus snapper trip rates.

I can do a trip like what you are talking about for $100/hr. Depending on when you are coming, I can do snapper trips in AL and FL state waters out to 9 miles. You can reach me at 251-233-1716 or tom.eberly@gmail.com

Last years trip was one of those days when all the stars lined up for you guys. for 4 people...a limit of snapper...troll for some kings...and then drift the bar.
Why don't you call the guy back you went with last year for Heaven's sake?
When the trout stop jumping in the boat on command, more than just a few inshore captains (I'm sorry to say!) jerk your chain and go the Gulf route and most don't have the permits to do so either.
Pierless will do you a great job on the snapper.

PS...there wasn't any floodwater in Mobile Bay while snapper season was open...might have been stained from wind and rough is all.