The Best Mangrove Snapper Charters

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 309 mangrove snapper trips, and the most popular trips are Port Isabel 5-Hour Trip - 25' Majek guided by Walter, Clearwater Mixed Bag Trip guided by Gage, and Galveston Bay Trophy Hunt guided by Blake.

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Inshore fishing is the most popular for mangrove snapper as well as nearshore fishing, deep sea fishing, and flats fishing.

The most common fishing techniques are light tackle fishing, bottom fishing, and live bait fishing but trolling and artificial lure fishing are popular as well.

for mangrove snapper prices can range anywhere from $250 to $3,000 and up, but the average price for a half day for mangrove snapper is $663. The average price for a full day for mangrove snapper is $1,423.

The most popular season for mangrove snapper fishing is spring, and most anglers book their trips 29 days in advance.

See here for more information on mangrove snapper fishing licenses, mangrove snapper bag limits, and fishing season regulations for mangrove snapper. When in doubt, your fishing guide will always know the right mangrove snapper rules and regulations.

The mangrove snapper (Lutjanus griseus), also known as the gray snapper or colloquially as a “mango”, is a species of snapper located in the Atlantic Ocean, in both brackish and fresh waters. They are popular commercially, as gamefish, and also in the aquarium trade. Although they are named after the mangroves where they like to reside, they can also be found in deep rocky bottoms, wrecks and reefs, seagrass beds, and even inshore estuaries, rivers and lakes.

They are usually a grayish red color, but can also be found range from bright to copper red, with a dark stripe across their eye. Although they become fully mature at about 2 years, these snappers can live for up to 20 years.

The smallest of all the snappers, the average size of a mangrove snapper is only one to 3 pounds. However, in rare instances, they can reach over 18 inches and 10 pounds. Unlike many fish species, both the females and males tend to be about the same size, and are externally indiscernible.

The current record with the International Game Fish Foundation is held by Tim Champagne, with a 32 inch long, 18 pound, 10 ounce mangrove snapper. On July 22nd, 2015, he landed the beast out of Cocodrie, Lousiana while aboard Captain Andre Bourdreaux’s boat, M/V Showtime. Using live croaker, it only took five minutes to reel into the boat, and completely crushed Steve Maddox’s 1992 record of 17 pounds.

Mangrove snapper can be found in the southern half of the United States, into the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. As their name suggests, you can find them in mangrove lagoons, the largest will be found on offshore reefs and wrecks.

Some of the most notable places to target these snapper are the Gulf of Mexico, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico.

Although mangrove snapper are good to catch year round, they spawn from April to November, making summer the peak season. The warm weather will bring them closer inshore, where you can find them around piers, bridges, and within jetties. Since they are night foragers, you can even target them after sundown.

Mangrove snapper are temperamental and finicky creatures. Once a few out of their school have been caught, they can become difficult to catch.

Though, when it comes to gear, it is much more simple. Any inshore, light tackle will do. Bait-wise, you can use artificials, live, or flies. For artificial bait, the most highly recommended is Berkeley Gulf shrimp, or any other soft, plastic imitation of typical live bait, which includes mud minnows, finger mullet, or crabs.

Mangrove snappers are typically regarded as being a very delicious fish to eat. Some of the most popular methods of serving are fried, grilled, and smoked, typically paired with garlic or citrus flavors.