Fish Species Gulf of Mexico fishing charters

Red Snapper

Other Names :North American Red Snapper, Snapper, Genuine Red Snapper, Red SnapperRange & Habitat :Red snapper are most common in the northern Gulf of Mexico, followed by the western Gulf and least common in southern Florida. Small and medium red snapper have a strong attraction to any sort of bottom relief or obstruction — reefs, rocks, ledges, wrecks, offshore oil and gas platforms, and even such small things on the bottom as pipeline valves and 55-gallon drums. As red snapper become larger, over 10 pounds, they seem to spend more time on relatively open bottom. Frequently, concentrations of large “sow” snapper over 20 pounds in weight, are located on open, obstruction less, clay bottoms.

Red snappers are caught more frequently in shallower offshore waters in the cooler months than in the warmer months. Whether this is due to actual movement of the fish shoreward in the fall and winter, or due to changes in feeding behavior of fish that are present year round is open to debate. Red snappers are usually found in depths between 50 feet and 300 feet. Juvenile red snappers under 10 inches long live in shallower waters, over mud and sand bottoms.Identification & Biology :Red snappers are an overall rosy-red color. The color fades slightly below. Key characteristics are their red eye, the anal fin being pointed rather than rounded, and the lack of a black spot on each side in individuals over 10 inches long.

Red snappers spawn over 20 times a year at 4 to 6 day intervals between late May and early October, with a peak in June-August. Some red snapper mature at under one foot in length and they continue to spawn for the rest of their lives. Small fish will produce less than 500 eggs per spawn and large fish over 2 million eggs. Red snappers spawn in early evening. Their eggs and larvae are free-floating and at the mercy of currents.

Red snappers are often thought of territorial fish that do not move much as adults. Recent research has shown that red snappers may move around more than commonly thought. In the late 1990s, researchers caught, tagged, and released almost three thousand red snappers in the northern Gulf. Almost 19% of these tagged fish were recaptured. Only about 26% of the fish tagged were in the same place one year later. The average tagged fish moved 18.6 miles before recapture. Tagged red snappers were found to move further and faster than ordinary when hurricanes affected an area. The longest distance moved was 219 miles.

Red snappers are considered reef fish, so it would be logical to assume that they eat smaller creatures from the reefs. Interestingly, most of their diet has been found to consist of creatures that live on mud bottoms, so red snappers get very little nutritional benefit from reefs. Fish are the number one item in their diet, with the most common ones being pipefish, snake eels, searobins, pinfish, striped anchovies, cusk eels, and pigfish. Stomatopods (king shrimp or sea lice) are the second most important food item, followed by several species of crabs. Also eaten are tiny pinhead-size zooplankton and bottom worms. Shrimp make up only a very small portion of their diet.

Food habits change by season. Fish are always important, but crabs are the most common food item in spring and stomatopods are most important in the winter. A lot of stomatopods are also eaten in the summer, but almost none in the spring or fall. Diet also changes with fish size. As red snappers grow larger, they eat more fish. Also, the largest snappers, those 24 inches long and longer, eat far more stomatopods. Red snappers also have daily feeding patterns. One study showed that they had empty stomachs from 7:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. It seemed that the fish then began feeding heavily, reaching a peak at 4:00 a.m., but continued heavy feeding until 6:00 a.m.

Red snappers are a heavily regulated species with a relatively large minimum size. Undersized fish must be released, often to the distress of fishermen. Many of the red snapper caught, especially from deeper waters, have their stomachs protruding from their mouths, forced there by the expansion of gases in the air bladder as the fish are brought to the surface. Most fishermen assume that all of the fish released in such condition will die. Research indicates that, unless another bigger fish eats them first, that 70-80% of these fish will recover and survive. Only one thing will cause 100% of them to die — well intended fishermen poking a hole in the stomach with a knife or other sharp object to 'help the fish swim down.'Size :The most common sizes are between 1½ and 10 pounds although fish in the low 30-pound range are not rare. The world record is 50 pounds, 4 ounces.Food Value :Excellent

     Wahoo

Other Names :Robalo, WahooRange & Habitat :Wahoo can be found Gulfwide, wherever blue water is found. They tend to be more common near banks (lumps), drop offs or weed lines.Identification & Biology :Body color of this fish is blue-green above and lighter below. The body is marked with numerous, wavy, darker, vertical bars. The body is very elongated and streamlined. Wahoo reach over 7 feet long and grow quickly, especially in their first year after hatching. What little research is available suggests that their life span is at least 5 years, and they become large enough to spawn between 34 to 41 inches long. A total of 45 million eggs were counted from an 87-pound female. Wahoo are almost totally fish-eaters. Research done in North Carolina showed that fish accounted for over 97% of their diet and that invertebrates such as squid made up the rest of their total food. Fish consumed include mackerels, butterfishes, porcupine fishes, round herrings, scads, jacks, pompanos, and flying fish. Unlike the other members of the mackerel/tuna family which school or at least form small groups, wahoo are either solitary or found in very small, loosely associated groups.Size :Relatively common at 50-75 pounds, and can exceed 100 pounds.Food Value :Excellent, but the flesh can be somewhat dry if fried or overcooked.