Official Orange Beach Fishing Reports

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Just released on WKRG, Channel 5 News: Red Snapper Season Cut? – Discounts Available Now!

By Pat Peterson

ORANGE BEACH, Alabama – Orange Beach charter boat captain George Pfieffer says if the federal government shortens this year’s red snapper season, he could be forced to find another way to make a living.

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“In between both of my boats, I’ll probably lose somewhere between 150 to 250 thousand dollars,” says Pfieffer. “We’ve lost a lot of business due to the economy and with the red snapper season being shortened, that’s compounded the problem.”

Federal regulators want to cut the red snapper season from 74 days to between 51 and 60 days. The feds say the cut would help stabilize the red snapper population many believe was over-fished last year. But recreational boat captains say that information is inaccurate.

“Snapper is not an issue,” says Tom Steber, owner of Zeke’s Landing Marina in Orange Beach. “There’s probably 25 times more snapper out there than there’s ever been.”

“It doesn’t just affect the fishermen,” says Pfieffer. “It affects the whole community. Hotels, motels, restaurants, everybody. Billions of dollars up and down the coast are lost due to economic impact and the cutback of snapper.”

Federal officials could make a decision on whether or not to shorten the season later this week.

While returning from a four hour trip on the Emerald Spirit on August 12, 2009, we came upon a rare site. A Whale Shark easing along with seemingly no cares in the world. He had around 30-40 juvenile Cobia swimming around him. I spotted the Shark and announced over the P.A. system to the customers that there was a Whale Shark off the port side and every one rushed over to see as I slowed the boat down and approached with caution as to not spook the fish. We pulled along side and I quickly reached for my camera. It was as if he knew we wanted to look at him and take pictures. He simply laid there almost motionless, every once and a while swishing his tail to keep moving ever so slowly as sharks have to do to breath.

Call us if you want to have Fishing Trips like this!!!

Whale Sharks are Plankton feeders and skim through the water for small minnows and other microscopic organisms. This is the time of year that we have lots of little red minnows that swarm in huge schools along our coast. Every thing feeds on them from King Mackerel, Red fish, Spanish Mackerel, Blue Runners, Bonito and Sea Gulls just to mention a few. It was a rare treat to see this fish that day because he was only around 10 miles off the beach. Normally they are known for living far offshore in the extremely clear Blue Water of the Gulf Stream usually located 40 or 50 miles out. However, we have been blessed with some real clean water lately all the way up to the beach. The Wahoo are starting to bite good again with this good water flow. The Whale shark was sighted a few more times by some of the other boats in the following days of our sighting. Maybe he’ll stay around for a while.

Red Snapper Making a Comeback

By DAVID RAINER

Capt. George Pfeiffer deftly maneuvered his 65-foot charter boat, Emerald Spirit, to the spot where he had deployed an artificial reef a few years before and confidently said, “Watch this.”

Mate Eric Rochester and deck hand Drew Phillips grabbed chunks of bait and tossed handfuls into the water. Within seconds, the surface of the water turned into a churning pool of red snapper eager to dine on the free meal.

“I told you,” Pfeiffer beamed.

While I’ve witnessed red snapper rising to the surface to investigate the chumming efforts of anglers, never have I seen the number and size that acted as if Pfeiffer had trained the fish in his backyard pool.

The fish performed this trick on two different spots. The first artificial reef had only been down for three years and about 15 snapper cooperated. On the second spot, the snapper numbered close to 30 or so and the size ranged from 8 to 15 pounds – an amazing spectacle.

“Red snapper are at an all-time comeback through the efforts of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS),” Pfeiffer said, paying homage to the federal entity that controls the seasons and bag limits for U.S. territorial waters. “They’ve done a wonderful job through the Magnuson-Stevens Act. Unfortunately, the data is not showing how many snapper there are out there. Otherwise, they’d give us our bag limits back.

“There are more snapper out there now, in the estimation of all the charter boat captains that I know, than there’s ever been in my lifetime and I’ve been professionally fishing for snapper for 25 years. I’m 49 years old and have lived here all my life. I build my own reefs. I’ve been fishing from Panama City to Texas. The State of Alabama through its reef-building program with the three-to-one matching funds and the cutbacks in the bag limits has caused the snapper to come back in record numbers, as we saw today. You got pictures of snapper swimming all over the top of the water – 15-pounders swimming around all over the place.”

Recreational snapper fishermen, which includes the charter boat industry, have been under severe restrictions from NMFS for several years because the aforementioned Magnuson-Stevens Act requires that bag limits and/or seasons must be restricted for any species that is overfished or where overfishing is occurring. The current bag limit is two fish 16 inches or larger and the season starts on June 1 and ends on Aug. 5. Because of the restrictions, charter captains have had to change the way they fish to keep what customers remain happy.

“What we’re doing now is being more selective in the way we’re fishing – understanding where the fish are in the water column and choosing the right kind of bait, basically a much bigger bait that a small snapper can’t even get in its mouth,” Pfeiffer said. “It forces you to be more selective about the size of snapper you catch, thus having a reduced mortality rate from the throwbacks. Of course, it increases the catch size in the box. What we do is fish up higher in the water where the bigger snapper live. The smaller fish stay close to the wreck where they know they’re protected. The bigger fish venture away from the wreck because they’re wiser and older and can survive against predators better.

“Knowing all this from scuba diving and all of my experience – we can see them on the fathometer and we can tell where they are depth-wise. That changes from spot to spot, depending on the water currents and thermocline. Sometimes when you have a thick thermocline they won’t come above it or won’t go below it. In either case, I can look at the fathometer and tell my customers where to fish by dropping it (the bait) for a certain number of seconds, thus putting the bait right in front of the fish so they don’t have to swim through a thermocline. Also, we can be much more selective on what we catch.”

To ensure that release mortality is kept to a minimum, anglers on the Emerald Spirit are outfitted with large circle hooks and huge chunks of cut bait, whole squid stuffed with a minnow and live bait caught along the beach just outside Perdido Pass.

“We use the biggest baits we can, preferably live bait like hardtails (blue runners), threadfins and sardines,” Pfeiffer said. “We’ve got 10 Sabiki rods and we give the customers the rods and let them catch the bait, which they enjoy. It’s better than bream fishing because you can catch three or four at a time. We also catch pinfish in traps at the dock. We troll some and if we catch bonita we can use them. Bonita is the best cut bait. Otherwise, we use squid stuffed with minnows and big strip baits.

“According to the clarity of water, the salinity and brightness of the sun, they might like something better one day and like something else better tomorrow. We always have a vast selection of different baits. What we try to do is be selective and harvest a larger fish with less effort. Also, we don’t want to injure the smaller fish.”

Captains like Pfeiffer are trying to keep their customers happy with larger fish, but that turns into a double-edged sword.

“They keep shortening our season because of the total allowable catch,” Pfeiffer said. “The reason they’re doing that is they say that overfishing is occurring so they keep cutting us back. The thing is the snapper are a lot bigger and there’s more than there have ever been. Consequently, now they’re saying that because the fish are bigger we’re harvesting more pounds, so we’re going to go over the limit again. It’s a Catch-22.

“We’re trying our best to survive, but we are going broke. There are several hundred boats that have gone out of business. The economists are saying next year is going to be just as bad, so we don’t expect a turnaround for two or three years.”

Throw in Hurricanes Ivan, Katrina and several other tropical storms and one can understand why the number of charter boats is dwindling along the Gulf Coast.

“With the bad economy, people are not willing to come down here when they can only catch two red snapper,” Pfeiffer said. “Our business is off from 60 to 70 percent from just the change in bag limit and the season, which coincides with the total allowable catch (TAC) that has been reduced by NMFS. We’re working with a 65-day snapper season where it used to be a six-month season.”

For Ira Burris, the dedicated Gulf angler who organized the trip on Emerald Spirit with a number of his co-workers from Bagby & Russell Electric Company in Mobile, a longer season would make the two-fish limit much more tolerable.

“For them (charter boats) to be able to make it, we just need a longer season,” Burris said. “Keep it at two fish, but give us more time to fish. When you charter a boat like this you’re just looking for a good time and decent-sized fish. I had met Capt. George before and I knew his passion for fishing. He promised us he would put us on some good-sized fish and he didn’t let us down.”

With the current regulations, the charter industry along the Gulf Coast is desperately trying to educate anglers about the other species of fish available to catch. It’s a difficult task because Orange Beach has been known as the “Snapper Capital of the World” for decades.

“We’re trying to tell our customers – and it’s a hard thing to do – that there are other things to catch besides red snapper,” Pfeiffer said. “I remind my customers there are lots of other fish out there. On an average 12-hour trip, we spend three or four hours fishing for snapper. That’s about half of your fishing day. If snapper season is closed, we simply fish for something else – grouper, scamp and amberjack. We are currently using deep-drop electric reels that will fish in 700, 800, 1,000 feet of water. That’s where you catch the yellowedge grouper, snowy grouper, tilefish and scamp. These fish live in water that’s 250 feet deep plus. We understand that that’s hard for the average person to wind. A couple of drops and they’re tired. That’s why we’ve incorporated the electric reels and the braided line that cuts through the water. So I tell my customers that we will use the time normally devoted to red snapper to look for grouper and other stuff. Actually, you’ll have as many or more pounds of fish in your cooler than you would when you can catch snapper. And to be honest, it’s better table fare.

“But it’s not like snapper fishing where you pull up to a spot and you get a bite instantly. With grouper fishing, they’re scattered around on natural bottom and you have to be patient. You may have to move around, but eventually it pays off. I let them know that before we leave the dock so they’ll know what to expect.”

Pfeiffer said he does all he can to help NMFS and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Marine Resources Division gather accurate information about each fishing trip – including the number of fish caught, how many were released, now many were released alive and how many were eaten by bottlenose dolphin.

“The only problem is this is a paper trail and a paper trail takes time,” he said. “We’re trying to implement some electronic reporting methods with laptops linked to satellites that we would use to upload data that day. The main purpose is to provide accurate data to NMFS for its survey so we can get our seasons and bag limits back.”

Pfeiffer admitted that he picked out several prime spots for our trip.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I wanted to show exactly how easy it is for anybody to go out there and see the fish so thick that they swim on top of the water. People are catching snapper in Escambia River at Pensacola and they’re catching them in the upper end of Mobile Bay. The fish are in places they’ve never been before because of the efforts of NMFS.

“And if they don’t do something about it soon, there are going to be red snapper swimming around in schools like piranha, eating the swimmers 10 feet off the beach,” he added with a hearty laugh.

PHOTOS: Red snapper rise to the surface to eat bait.

Karl Baldwin holds up a large red snapper caught off the Emerald Spirit.

Buddy Kroner holding an amberjack caught during a recent Gulf fishing excursion.

Fishing Orange Beach - Cold-Front Catch

We don’t like it when it gets cold, but the fish don’t seem to mind most times. As a matter of fact, they seem to notice the change in barometric pressure and go on a feeding frenzy. As the high pressure center approaches it draws in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico with low pressure. As the pressure drops the fish sense it and knowing of the impending change begin to feed. This gives us a chance for some great opportunities to catch the big one. We also remember to consider the tidal flow when planning your trip. In our area some of the best spots for bait are, under the bridge at the sea wall, out at the end of the rock jetties, on the point in the grass beads, generally somewhere there is a change in structure to give the bait somewhere to duck in and hide while being washed down stream. Remember, live bait is always preferred for offshore fishing for the big ones. If you have any questions that I can help with please call me @ 1-888-558-3889 or e-mail me CatCharters@FishOrangeBeach.Net.

-Captain George Pfieffer

The Catch from Fish Orange Beach - Call 888.558.3889 to Book Today!

We have great anticipation of the 2009 season and know how hard everyone works all year to finally get a few days off to go fishing. We went fishing this past week with a group of guys who did just that and boy did it pay off. We had a great day of fishing as you can see from the pictures attached. Although Grouper season is closed currently, one of the anglers caught a huge nice Grouper which we released after taking pictures. We also caught Snappers, Triggers, Amber jacks, Mingos and just had an overall great catch.

Action Charter Service has also just purchased a new 65’ Bonner named The Emerald Spirit. It is powered by Twin 600 h.p. Lugger engines which allow it to cruse about 19 knots. We have two 2.5 ton air conditioners/heaters, a 900 lb. a day ice machine, a 3,000 pound fish box and live well. There is a refrigerator, microwave and large Green Egg.

The Emerald Spirit is U.S. Coast Guard Inspected for Safety and Certified for 49 passengers out to 100 miles with overnight accommodations for 12 people from Apalachicola Bay, Florida to Brownsville, Texas.

We have purchased the boat and completed a full and extensive overhaul to the entire Vessel. From all new steering and electronics to running gear and deck stringers, wiring, paint job inside and out to plush new cushions in the v-berths. We have literally re-built the entire boat with the latest and greatest.

The Emerald Spirit has all new tackle. 70 matching rods and 4/O Penn reels. We have a 100 gallon live well to keep all the live bait you can use fresh and vigorous.

Josh's 50lb Grouper - Call 888.558.3889 to book today!

With over 160 feet of rail space over the walk around deck, there is plenty of room to fish anywhere you please.

Two bathrooms have hot water showers and the cabin has plenty of air conditioning or heat to keep you comfortable.

Visit our websites at www.FishOrangeBeach.Net or www.FishEmeraldSpirit.Net to book a trip and get your day of fishing on the Gulf.

With Action Charter Service, consistency is the key to success. The good weather, calm seas and hungry fish are all consistent as well as our catches lately. We’ve had the good fortune of good weather and great anglers who have been bringing in the fish. Amberjack are plentiful offshore around 40 to 50 miles and a few Cobia have been showing up on the deep water wrecks.

We stop in the mornings and catch our live bait just offshore before we go out. Hard tails, green Elwys, and Cigar Minnows are still plentiful around the pass. As for the deep water fish, Scamp and Grouper are still holding strong in about 250 feet of water. The extremely large Vermilion Snapper (or Mingos) have slowed a little bit but are still in good numbers. As usual, they still prefer cut squid or small live bait like Cigar Minnows. We use small circle hooks in the deep water because it is so hard to feel them bite, it seems to help the customers land the fish in the boat.

King Mackerel, Bonita, Jack Cravelle and Spanish Mackerel are all biting good on the four hour trolling trips close to shore and out about five to six miles. We use small clark spoons and a number 2 planer with about a twelve foot leader and troll at about 5-6 knots. Most of the fish are holding around some of the wrecks but there are schools swimming out in the open water close to the beach. Just look for the birds, they’ll always show you where the fish are.

Check out our catches below and come fishing on the C.A.T. Boat with Captain George Pfeiffer!

Fishing out of Orange Beach Alabama is building to an all time great high.

Red Snapper are more abundant than ever before and there has been a few 90 plus pound Wahoo brought to the weigh in scales for the Salt Water Series Tournament. We have seen some big Amberjack being caught in the 35-45 pound range as well as some 50-75 pound Yellow Fin Tuna. The Black Fin Tuna are biting well also.

On our last few offshore trips we have been bringing in some Scamp in the 15-18 pound range as well as some 4.5lb Vermilion Snapper (Mingo). Trigger Fish are making a good show along with big White Snapper in the 3.5lb range.

The Inshore action is doing well with the Cobia showing up, some weighed in at 90.3 lb, 86.5 and more. Spanish, King mackerel and Red Fish are biting along the beach. There are plenty of Cigar Minnows starting to bunch up in schools on the bottom.

So far we’ve seen an improvement in every species and it looks like we’ll see even more in the future. The weather is warming up every day and is expected to reach as high as 90 degrees today. We are all looking forward to the opening of Federal Waters for Red Snapper on June 1st. The season will be open until August 5th. There will be the “World Championship Red Snapper Tournament” going on the entire season for Red Snapper. Check out our web page and the photo gallery for pictures of some “Big” Red Snapper and Call or E-mail us for a chance to win $25,000.00 in the Tournament.

Once again we enter the fishing season with some good weather and the fishing has been great. We’ve reported to you on the start of the season and how it looked like it might be a sign of better things to come and so far it hasn’t let us down. The offshore action is picking up trolling out around the rigs like the Marlin, Beer Can, Patronius, and even the Ram Powell. Some 60lb.

Yellow Fin Tuna and small Black fin Tuna have been caught on each but are still moving around from rig to rig depending on the current and wind direction. Most are being caught trolling with small Ballyhoo and soft head lures wile there have been a few caught with live bait on a kite or chunk fishing. The other day one of my buddies told me that as he was trolling by one of the rigs early in the morning the Rainbow Runners suddenly showered out of the water toward the rig.

This could only mean one thing; the man in “Blue” was after them. He knew there was a Blue Marlin chasing the school for a morning snack. “They’re here”.

As for the bottom fishing, it hasn’t slowed down at all. If any thing it’s gotten even better due to the water temperature rising and the bait fish showing up more. The Red Snapper are bigger and more plentiful than ever before for as far back as I can remember and I’ve been here for 48 years in this Gulf Coast area. Thanks to the efforts of the National Marine Fisheries we now have so many fish that if they don’t let us have back our fish limits and Total Allowable Catch you can look forward to seeing swimmers being eaten alive like Piranha from the Red Snappers. Yet still they say that the Fish Stock hasn’t rebuilt itself from “Over Fishing”.

The Wahoo and King Mackerel are biting good trolling. We use a #2 Plainer with a 3-4 inch Drone spoon either plain silver, Hot Pink or Chartreuse. It depends on the clarity of the water that day and how much sun light there is. When we troll for Wahoo we use a pair of 9/0 Penn reels with wire line on a Bent Butt Deep Drop rod. Then we put a 16oz. to 48oz. trolling weight in front of a lure that is around 24oz.

Sometimes we change that up a little and use a soft head in front and over the top of a skirt with an 8oz. lead in the head for a different effect at a slower speed. Generally we troll between 13 and 18 knots. This is why we use all of the heavy line and weights, to get the lure down far enough for the fish to see it. Let me tell ya, “It Works!” We troll out to our fishing holes in the morning and then between spots and back home again every day.

The Scamp and Grouper bite is still going strong as is the Magnum B-Liners (Vermillion) or (Mingo). Some of the Scamp as big as 18lbs.and the Mingo’s as big as 5.5lbs. The Scamp are biting small Pinfish and Squid and the Mingo’s on Squid. The Trigger Fish are showing up as well in good numbers.

All in all you can’t ask for it to get any better that that. We are all looking forward to the Federal opening of Snapper Season on June 1st. That is when the “World Championship Red Snapper Tournament” starts. There will be a First Place Prize of $25,000.00 and it pays out thru 10 places, Tenth place being $1,000.00. I can’t wait. We’ve always placed in the top ten coming close to the big money, but not yet. Maybe next time. Call us and let us take you out for a chance to win.

Fishing season is warming up and we were fortunate enough to have beautiful weather when we went out this past Wednesday, March 12. In mid-March, most of the fish are still offshore a few miles in warmer water. So our first stop was 22 miles south of Perdido Pass in Orange Beach, AL. (The water temperature at the pass is still about 61°.)

The fish seemed to be anticipating our arrival. As soon as we stopped on the first spot it was action-packed. No sooner than we dropped our lines they started hitting; vermilion snapper (or mingos), triggerfish, white snapper, banded rudder fish. Then some small Amberjack started hitting. The fish were biting as fast as we could get fresh bait in the water.

After an hour-and-a-half on this spot, we decided to try our luck on some deeper water species. We headed south another 5 or 6 miles to around 180 feet of water. Sure enough, soon as we dropped our lines the fish were ready. We picked up some really big white snapper, and a few scamp. Just as we were about to come back home, we lucked into a couple of 33 inch Amberjack (a nice “Cart Topper”).

As we were headed to the dock at the end of the day, the fishing team was busy planning their next trip.