Daily doubles at the docks - Two trips and two snapper a day keep the captains away

Since the day red snapper season opened, June 1, it seems like the charter boats have been running two trips a day with captains and anglers trying to make the most of the season that wraps up June 28.

"We've been running double trips every day," said deckhand Greg Meyers on the Perfect Shot. Meyers and Capt. Brady Bowman on the Perfect Shot came in from a morning trip Wednesday with wahoo and a limit of red snapper. They were scheduled to go out again after lunch.

The same was true for Capt. Steve Regan on the Cutting Edge. They brought in a little cobia, a limit of red snapper and a king mackerel, "and we're getting ready to go again," the deckhand said.

"It was a beautiful day out today," said Capt. Craig Mann of the Mary Lou. He finished up a morning of red snapper and king mackerel fishing and was looking forward to a four-hour trip in the afternoon.

"I've booked seven trips in the last two days," Mann said. "People are starting to want to go fishing. I started the week with nothing, now we're booked every day."

Capt. Jim McMahon came in Wednesday morning on the Sea Venture with a limit of red snapper and four king mackerel.

Anglers on the Silver Lining with Capt. Ed Shields reeled in red snapper, mahi mahi and a barracuda, while Missouri anglers on the Miss Hazel with Capt. Bill Williams filled the racks with red snapper, black snapper and a cobia they pulled off the bottom.

Capt. Steve Pixley on the Reel Deal backed in with a limit of red snapper and a king mackerel.

Anglers on the Back Atcha with Capt. Tres Peerson hauled in a limit of king mackerel and red snapper by lunch.

Houston anglers on the Fish-In-Daze with Capt. Robert Broestler reeled in a cobia, a limit of red snapper and a couple of king mackerel on a four-hour trip. "We even took a swim at Crab Island to cool off at the end," Broestler said.

"I've had doubles four days in a row," said Broestler. "But it's a good kind of nuts."

Georgia and Oklahoma anglers on the Daybreak with Capt. Judah Barbee had their limit of red snapper, one king mackerel and a 30-pound king that got a way. The deckhand Nick Kirby said they were trolling on the way in when a king mackerel snapped up the bait and skyrocketed.

"I was in the wheelhouse," Nick said. "I ran down … but it was a swing and a miss" on the mackerel by the time he got down on the deck.

Anglers on the Strike Zone with Capt. Phil Hessinius came in with red snapper, black snapper and one king mackerel.

Capt. Brad Biggers on the Mother Lode had a rack full of red snapper, a couple of king mackerel and a blackfin tuna. "That's two blackfins in two days … about 40 miles apart," Biggers chuckled. His anglers were from Chattanooga, Tenn. Capt. Biggers headed back out about 1 o'clock for an afternoon trip.

Kentucky anglers on the Sure Lure with Capt. Don Dineen reeled in their share of red snapper and a couple of lane snapper.

Capt. Trey Windes on the Outta Line had a limit of red snapper and 15 king mackerel, one short of the limit.

"I think we forgot to catch one," Capt. Windes jokingly said as he counted the kings on the board. "I thought we had 16, so I broke off that last one." He and his anglers from Texas, Ohio and Alabama were trolling live bait for the mackerel.

And Windes also headed back out for an afternoon trip.

Dallas anglers on the Silver King with Capt. Mike Parker had a limit of red snapper, three king mackerel and one cobia on a five-hour trip.

Capt. Jason Mikel and his group from Indiana and Tennessee backed in on the Backlash with red snapper and king mackerel.

The boats have been busy and the fish are cooperating, so come on down and get in on the daily double.

See you at the docks.