Hello.
I am doing a trip out of Port A the first week of July with a guide. Last year we did one of the party boats out of Port A for the 5hr snapper trip, my boys loved it. This year, I wanted to do a little more fishing (vs driving out for 2 hrs, fishing for 1, and driving back). I found a guide, but he does state water fishing. Is there that much of a difference between state and federal waters? I understand that if we catch snapper- they won't be as big. Personally, I don't care what kind of fish we catch as long as we catch fish and have fun. Plus, I'm taking my daughter for the first time and can probably use a little more personalized attention of a private guide.
Thank You

I believe that charter boats (guides & headboats) are required to have a federal permit of some sort to fish in federal waters. My saltwater experience is a little light though so someone else may have a better answer.

Good luck on your trip.

You are better off with a guide vs a head boat. Guide will do his best to keep his clients happy. I lost my faith in head boats years ago. Took my daughter for the first time on the Dolphin Express and the captain went out 4 hours and anchored down for Vermillion Snapper. Wouldn't move. Went out last October with a guide and my daughter limited on bull reds and caught a kingfish as her kicker. She's hooked now.

Please note, I grew up fishing out of the Dolphin Docks for 20+ years. I have spent THOUSANDS fishing on their boats. I even helped as a deckhand on the longer trips when I was in my 20's. So I have my experience with them, but never again.

In state waters, the limit on red snapper is 4 vs 2, and you can also keep redfish. Odds are that your kids will have more fun if they're catching more fish, even if they're smaller, and yes, it's much easier for the guide to give 1-on-1 coaching to your kids this way.

This is a great time of year to go to Port A and there are lots of choices of boats and guides. Both state waters and federal waters should have plenty of fish. Shallow rigs in state waters will have red snapper, sand trout, redfish, spadefish, and a really good chance at a cobia. Depending on water quality you can catch king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, jack crevelle, ladyfish and lots of other stuff. Sharks are plentiful in both state and federal waters. My wife and I fish out of Dolphin Docks all the time and they have a four hour trip that my wife and I have done very well on in the summer. The longer federal water trips will load up on snapper while the season is open. My last trip on the Dolphin Express I landed a 175 pound spinner shark.

If you were coming a week later I'd say just come offshore with me...I love taking kids out for their first offshore trips and am set up for just about anything from snapper to swordfish.

But at that time of year you should catch plenty of fish in state waters with a guide. With 4th of July in that week, it'll be bumper to bumper with boats in state waters though.

Thanks for the replies. Should be fun. I was a little worried about it being busy on 4th of July week, but work obligations- can only get down there that week. Hoping that because I'm going on a Tuesday, won't be as busy. My daughter keeps talking about it- she's getting excited!!