Despite choppy water, opening of red snapper season kept Destin busy

It was all part of the plan, at least it was for most who braved the rough seas to fish opening day of red snapper season.

Red snapper season opened Thursday, with many of the charter boats in Destin loaded with anglers in search of the signature fish of the Emerald Coast. The federal for-hire season is 85 days this year, the longest in more than a decade. The limit is two snapper per person and the fish must measure 16 inches to keep.

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Boats started rolling in at the docks a little before noon with some good-looking catches.

“We always plan around snapper season,” said Andy Brudgeman of Indiana. This was the fourth or fifth time they have fished opening day aboard the Mighty Fine charter boat.

Kyle Cheney, 14, of Texas hauled in this massive red snapper, 23.6 pounds, while fishing aboard the Only Way with Capt. Pat Meyers on opening day of red snapper season.

The Indiana group pulled in their snapper limit and had a huge wahoo on the racks.

“We were not disappointed. … We’ll use them again,” said his son, Matt.

A group from Tennessee aboard the Into the Blue with Capt. Craig “Groovy” Davis and Nino Bright were repeat customers as well.

“As soon as I get back to the docks, we schedule it for next year,” said Russell Collins. He said they have been making the trek to Destin for opening day of red snapper season for about 10 years.

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The group of anglers from Indiana aboard the Windwalker II with Capt. Bernie LeFebvre brought in their limit of red snapper. This wasn’t the group’s first time fishing out of Destin, but it was the first time for opening of red snapper.

Capt. Don Dineen on the Sure Lure backed in with a limit of red snapper with customers that have been making the trip every year from Oklahoma for more than a decade. The Hembree twins, Walker and Weston, now 16, have been fishing opening of snapper day on the Sure Lure since they were four.

Nashville anglers on the Backdown 2 with Capt. Phillip Blackburn filled the racks with red snapper.

“We do it every year,” said Teresa Barron, who was fishing with her husband, Billy, and friends.

However, Thursday was a bit rough on the Gulf of Mexico with 4- to 6-footers.

“It was really rough, but we caught fish,” Billy Barron said.

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Blackburn said it was a “little sloppy, but nothing we haven’t been through before.”

As a matter of fact, some boat captains opted not to fish Thursday, while some customers canceled.

The party boat Destin Princess backed in with people holding up stringers filled with red snapper and mingo.

Amy Phillips and her family from Ohio were here on vacation.

“I’m just glad it was the first day of snapper season. … That was a bonus,” Phillips said.

Capt. Brantley Galloway on the Full Draw came in with a group from Louisiana.

“They did a great job … it was rough out there,” Galloway said, noting they battled 4- to-6-foot swells most of the morning. But they still managed to catch their limit of red snapper.

Chris Spurlosk reeled in a 20-pounder. “It pulled really hard,” he said.

Capt. Pat Meyers on the Only Way backed in about 1:30 p.m. with some huge red snapper. They had four that weighed 18 to 20 pounds each.

“We just cut bait and clap, they do all the work,” Meyers said of his anglers.

Kyle Cheney, 14, of Texas had the biggest snapper on the racks weighing 20-pounds or more. Prior to Thursday, the largest fish Cheney had caught was a 24-inch catfish.

Thursday was just the start of a long season ahead with many more fish to be caught.

Red snapper for recreational boats opens June 16 and runs through July 31, including Father’s Day and the Fourth of July. It will end for a couple of months before picking back up in October, when it will run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until the end of November. This will include Veterans Day and the weekend after Thanksgiving.