by Capt. Bill D’Antuono
Who says there aren’t seasons in Florida? We have fishing seasons. Opening in June are gag grouper and red snapper seasons. Each being unique and exciting in their own ways with different challenges required to get them on ice in the boat.
Gag grouper season opened June 1st and goes through Dec. 31st . We have been targeting them on spear recently. Generally, ‘gags’ can be found on nearly any structure in the gulf. Live bottom, ledges or wrecks are primarily where we target these fish. Gags aren’t the easiest fish to spear and they do keep their distance. They like to run off into the sand once spooked and do so easily. I specifically upgraded my spear gun just to hunt gag grouper.
Red Snapper opened June 1st – July 21nd for federally permitted vessels and June 11th – July 22nd for recreational anglers. Red Snapper is targetable offshore while spearfishing, but primarily it is done hook and line. Once you get past 140’, red snapper are everywhere. I hope we see a secular rule change for Red Snapper in the future for our region.
Offshore Naples Fish & Dive Charters will be booking for Gag grouper and Red Snapper trips starting June 1st. If you have any additional questions don’t hesitate to ‘shoot’ me an email. If you are looking to get into the sport of spearfishing, give me a call and I’ll get you started. Make sure to check the regulations before you head out, as they can change at any time.
