I had read many good reports about Dolphin Docks over the years but had never been able to get time to run downs there. I recently retired and since I have free time now I called them and they were putting together a 12 hour state water red snapper trip. I signed up and headed south. The fishing was great and we ended up with some really nice snappers. I think there were about 20 fishermen and we limited out the boat. We also caught quite a few smaller ones that we threw back. There were also three big bull reds caught (Unfortunately not by me!) along with I don’t know how many hard heads. I did also catch a bonnet head shark. Everyone on the boat seemed pretty happy about the success and everyone I talked to thought the captain and deck hands were top notch. I was going to sign up for another trip or two when we got back in but my wife called with a weather report and said if I wanted to get home I better head that way. I’ll definitely head back down when things warm up again.

Nice snapper! That second one looks like it had a great throat/collar on it, that's my favorite part of the fish.

Also I can't really tell, in your last pic, bottom left...is that a speck?

Nice haul.

the best saltwater eating fish IMO.

Thanks fellas. Not sure if it was a speck or not, it had been on the ice several hours by that time but I couldn’t see any spots on it. The little one beside it was a strawberry grouper and on the far right are couple of nice size trigger fish. I haven’t cooked up any yet as I’m still trying to get my nerve up to go outside and set the cooker up!

Good caught.

Great thread!

My dad and I went on an offshore trip out of Port Aransas when I was about 10.

It is one of my most memorable fishing trips and have always wanted to go back.

thats some good eating i wish we had state water fishing like that in Galveston

State water snapper hard hard to come by in Galveston. A little better odds in Freeport. Water is much deeper around port a with ALOT better fishing in state waters. You had a great trip though.

Nice snapper. My favorite fish to eat. I have had many great days of fishing with dolphin docks. Now that you have been, try one of the 12 hour trips, especially if you have never caught king mackerel. It is a hoot and you should get vermilion snapper if red snapper is closed in federal waters. Just watch the sea height.

That strawberry grouper is the best eating fish. I used to catch those against the rigs and could sell them at the docks when I was younger. They don't get that big, but dang good!

Was is a good time ? or a HARD time ? with all those folks ? it seems the more that get sick the better time i've had due to "SPACE" issues.

Decent sized state water Snappers.

Question…what’s the limit on snappers?