http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2013/06/federal_judges_red_snapper_rul.html

good for us, I can get another trip in!!!!

Still think its BS that even if the Charter stays within State waters, they have to adhere to Federal Bag Limits! Sorry but that's horseshite Feds overbearing State Laws!

Sadly no one in the State Representatives are gonna balk or fight the issue, so we as the recreational fishermen in TX get shafted to just 2 daily bag limit as apposed to the 4 allowed by State!

Now makes me want to purchase a boat and go every single weekend all year long and catch my daily limits within State Waters!

Incorrect, sir.
It is because of the Tx congress, & Tx a.g. filing the suit on behalf of rec's & TPWD that got us this far, & made NMFS play fair.
Tx state lawmakers are not the enemy, the fed is.

a small win, but a win nonetheless!

True Brian .... I'm not really expecting much from this so I will continue to fish "STATE WATERS".

I just did a 12 hr trip Wednesday out of DSH. the snaps were so thick and so hungry you couldn't get a bare jig down more than 15'. You could see 5 - 7 fish swarming the jig. It took about 20 minutes for the boat of 35 people to limit out.

All of which makes me wonder what all of these snaps are eating when we are not out there feeding them. Poor snappers .

tunatamer.... After you limited out on snapper, what else did the DSH trip catch?

X2
I'm going on that trip next Wednesday.

They are eating the triggers and each other. We went out before the season started and there were tons of snapper. I dropped a line hooked abt a 3 pounder set it in the water to find the dehooker and had something cut it in two. As i was trying to get it out of the watr another snapper grabbed what was left. The way things are going there will be only big snapper until they are gone and no new ones to keep the circle going.

Mike .... After we limited out on Red Snappers we moved to a Beeliner spot. I got about 10 - 12 Beeliners. BTW if you don't like using those messy pieces of squid I was using "Fishbites" and was getting more bites and catching more fish than the others. While we were Beeliner fishing there were some folks flatlining for Kings off the back of the boat. My friend that was with me caught a 31" AJ while we were Beeliner fishing. I assume he had hooked a small one that the AJ ate.

There were also two Ling caught. A huge Ling was lost at the gaff. I also caught two Kings and handed some off to other folks. The boat had about 40 Kings. Also a 7'+ Scalloped hammer.

When we pulled up to the spot where we were going to Red Snapper fish the Capt. announced that we were not going to anchor because the fish were on top. It was so fast and furious you really couldn't cull a lot because it was going to be over in a few minutes. In the 20 or so minutes I caught 8 Snapper, two of which I handed off to folks that were not catching any because they were dropping to the bottom or didn't know how to use circle hooks.

Here's my two ....

You going to be going out next week, Bobby? I might be able to get down and fish next week, probably on the 12 hour and an 8 hour. I hate only being able to keep 2 snapper but it's too far to drive for just one trip.

Wasn't saying TX Lawmakers were the problem, I was just stating that our representatives are allowing the Feds to hand down orders that override the State Regulations, which blows

Oh well not like we're gonna get to make any changes to it now... I went out on 2 charters and came back with 4 Fat Red Snapper so I'm content I guess.

Yeah I can go. There really isn't any reason to do a 12 hour because it takes a few minutes to limit out on snaps. And they fish for sharks, kings and sometimes Beeliners afterwards.

Shoot me an email if you still have my addy and let me know if you are coming down.

Someone clarify this for me - a private boat that is NOT for hire, or a for-hire boat that does not have Federal permits (i.e. State waters guide license only), may still retain the state limit of 4 red snapper in State waters year-round, right?

Yes