Trigger fish in the offshore and nearshore waters of the Texas
coastline have long drove fisherman crazy trying to bottom fish for red
snapper or grouper. Now with gulf of mexico red snapper limits hanging
in the balance, Texas Fishermen are starting to target those bait
stealing fish and wondering why didn't we start this sooner.
With color and appearance as that of a angelfish or a spade fish, the
trigger fish is all by itself also known as the other white meat or a
reef snapper with it's nice beautiful white fillets like that of a red
snapper. Fisherman are learning very quick that even with tough skin
this fish will soon replace the red snapper since the meat is just like
the snapper.
Trigger fish are apart of a very large community congregating by the
hundreds at offshore rigs and bottom structure. At times the feeding
frenzy is so quick that bait is at times not even needed for this fish.
Bottom fishing or chumming these fish are always found and one of the
very few that actually bite year around. Comming in with full limits of
this wonderful fast biting pulling fish is never a problem for the
galveston fisherman.
The Trigger Fish are strickly a saltwater fish never found in
freshwater but, maybe at times in brackish water (fresh and salt
mixture) their teeth are flat and mouths very small not like the
snapper with a jaw line.Trigger fish have powerful, chisellike teeth
adapted for cracking the coral and mollusks on which they feed on
around rigs,wrecks and bottom structure.
I have personally been out fishing and had my boat so covered in the
water you couldn't see past them in cases like this I set the kids up
and let'em go this is a fish that always has a pull and remind me of
tiny sharks the hunger is that strong. Describe the bite well I would
have to say the minute your line goes in fish on.
Just a note I have found trigger fish are not night feeders, But feed heavy during the day.
Thus being said the next time you get a triggerfish think twice about throwing it back.
Tight Lines
Master Captain Bill Curry
Workingman Charters