Before the 2026 American Red Snapper season even opens, we’re already offshore putting in the work! In this offshore fishing adventure, Steve and I leave the dock before sunrise and head deep into the Gulf of America searching for new red snapper structure and hidden honey holes.
We start scouting in the northern snapper zone around 120 feet and continue working farther offshore all the way into 170 feet of water looking for productive bottom structure holding big red snapper and grouper. Along the way we share some GPS areas, mark promising new spots, catch quality fish, and break down what we look for on the fish finder when searching for offshore structure, from Sarasota, Venice to Tampa Bay.
This Gulf of Mexico trip had everything — big red snapper, grouper action, live bait fishing, offshore scouting, heartbreaks, and new spots that could produce during the 2026 Gulf red snapper season.
If you enjoy offshore fishing in the Gulf of America / Gulf of Mexico targeting red snapper, red grouper, mangrove snapper, and reef species, make sure to subscribe and come along for future offshore adventures.
🎣 Species Targeted: • American Red Snapper • Red Grouper • Reef Fish
📍 Fishing Depths: • 120–170 Feet Offshore
⚓ In This Video: • Offshore scouting before sunrise • Searching for new bottom structure • Reading sonar for snapper spots • Red snapper action • Grouper catches • GPS area breakdowns • Offshore fishing tactics
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Gear, bait, and partner links are in the description.
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Recording Equipment:
GoPro 7
GoPro 12
GoPro 13
iPhone 16 pro

Video edited on CapCut Pro by Me! (John Phillips)

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00:00 Intro – Scouting for 2026 Red Snapper Spots
00:48 Leaving Before Sunrise
01:03 The Offshore Game Plan
02:03 First GPS Area & Structure Breakdown
02:50 What a “Christmas Tree” Looks Like on Sonar
04:20 First Snapper Action
06:30 Red Snapper Bite Heats Up
09:00 Fishing Regulations & Size Talk
11:10 Big Fish Before It Hits Bottom
13:00 Live Bait Setup Offshore 1
15:00 Heavy Fish & Big Structure
17:20 New Bottom Area Found
19:45 More Snapper Action
22:00 Finding Better Offshore Structure
24:20 162 Foot Honey Hole
26:25 Snapper Stacked Under the Boat
28:55 Big Bite Lost
31:20 Offshore Frustrations & Missed Fish
33:20 Keeper Fish & More Action
35:30 Big Offshore Hookups
38:45 Reviewing the Footage & Fish Marks
41:20 Southwest Spot Breakdown
45:30 Another Strong Bite
53:05 Wrapping Up the Day Offshore
56:20 Final Thoughts & Outro