The 2019 Destin Fishing Season is upon us!
2019 Red Snapper season for For-Hire fishing vessels.
More Red Snapper Fishing Days for 2019.
Double your Red Snapper 2019 Fishing season
Book with the Double Time Charters, a federally permitted vessel, and double your fishing days.
Federally permitted vessels are getting 62 Red Snapper fishing days and state boats (non-federally permitted) are getting only 32 red snapper fishing days.
Here is some information regarding our fish seasons for the upcoming year, and there is good news for Red Snapper anglers! While the NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) hasn’t finalized the rule for the 2019 Red Snapper season for For-Hire fishing vessels, we do expect a longer season than last year, and it should be around 60 days beginning on June 1st, 2019. This is great news, as the reason we are getting more days is because of several reasons: First, we did NOT OVERFISH our quota for 2018 so we get some of that leftover quota this year, which equates to MORE DAYS. Also, the NMFS has reduced the buffer of our allowable catch, which means we can catch an amount closer to the allowable limit. Both of these factors means MORE RED SNAPPER FISHING DAYS FOR 2019! Last year we had a 51 day season, so we are definitely moving in the right direction.
Please note that all of this Red Snapper seasonal information only pertains to Federally-Permitted for-hire vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, which Double Time is one of those vessels.
State guide boats (non federal-permitted) should get a 32 day summer season with possibly more days in the fall depending on the amount of fish caught during the 32 days.
From here on out we have more species available to harvest as spring progresses into summer.
March 1st brings the opening of Grey Triggerfish, a mighty fighter (and great bait-stealer!), and a very tasty eating fish. This adds to the Vermilion Snappers we are already catching along with White Snappers as well. Spanish Mackerel will show up in March, and their larger cousin the King Mackerel usually shows up in April. A local saying is “The kings are here when the Magnolias bloom”, and this holds true! Cobias also show up by April, and May 1st we will have the Gulf’s “Reef Donkeys“, the hard-fighting Greater Amberjack available for harvest until June 1 when the Red Snapper and Gag Grouper open.
We are spooling new line and tying new rigs at Double Time Charters in anticipation of another great fishing season, so get your reservation in and call Captain Tim! Tight lines and Screaming Drags!
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Book Now – Call Captain Tim at 850.685.1932
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