Mobile Saltwater Fishing Club

From AMRD FB page.

The Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources has been in negotiations with the other Gulf states, the US Department of Commerce and several Gulf Coast Congressmen to develop a plan for more fishing opportunities for red snapper in federal waters this year. The current discussion is to have state and federal waters open on Saturdays and Sundays through Labor Day weekend 2017 beginning June 17th. These weekends would include July 3 and 4 and Labor Day. The states would agree to close their state seasons on weekdays during the summer of 2017. When a final decision has been made and the dates have been finalized, AMRD will provide a press release with detailed information. We would appreciate your feedback on this issue.

Today was a zoo trying to launch at Dauphin Island. First nice day on the weekend for a while, I guess. And every spot in the 9 mile zone open to snapper was packed with boats. We didn't get any but didn't give it long at each site because I don't like playing rodeo/bumper boats 8.5 miles from land.

We did see a lot of schools of spanish and bonito while heading southeast from DI. We caught a few of those for fun. And under one school there were some big jack crevalle, which my son's friend hooked up with. Great fight. While that was going on, my son caught a nice 12 lb golden bronze redfish on a big home-made tube lure that looks like an eel. That was fun.

We wound up going out to Federal waters just to have fun. We caught a bunch of smaller snapper and one 19.5 pounder right at the end. All were released.

Lots of Sargassum and hydrilla offshore. Current was strong probably because of the full moon, and it was going with the wind so drifts were too fast.

Personally, I think we should stay away from trying to make a deal with the feds. They are not to be trusted and I think giving up any control over our state season would just end up coming back to bite us in the butt. Instead I say let them keep their fishery and we invest in developing the same amount of structure in state water that exist in the federal water. Then we permanently close state waters to commercial and charter boat fishing for red snapper. I figure if they can push us out of the federal waters we ought to return the favor.