The recreational season for Gulf grouper in federal waters reopens today, Thursday, April 1.

Recreational shallow-water grouper fishery (gag, black, red, yellowfin, scamp, yellowmouth, rock hind and red hind) closes annually from Feb.1 through March 31, to help reduce overfishing.

Kingfish was king this week in Port Aransas. Most of the offshore boats reported their catch as being primarily kingfish, with a few vermilion snapper, shark and amberjack thrown in.

Bay guides are bagging limits of black drum and redfish, with trout and sheepshead in the mix.

John McNatt at Fisherman’s Wharf reported catches of kingfish, vermilion snapper and big mako shark offshore, while bay anglers reported catching black drum and redfish. Jetty anglers reported catches of sheepshead, black drum and redfish.

Angel Tomecek at Horace Caldwell Pier said anglers there caught bonnethead shark, Spanish mackerel, whiting and some speckled trout at night.

Scott Garrison at Deep Sea Headquarters reported catches of blackfin tuna, amberjack and grouper on the longer offshore trips, while the shorter trips brought in vermilion snapper and shark.

Mary Ann Heimann at Offshore Ad- ventures reported that offshore anglers

brought in kingfish and vermilion snapper.

Bay anglers are catching limits of

black drum, redfish, speckled trout and

sheepshead. “With the low spring tides,

the fish are all in the channel and the fishing

has been great,” she said.

Duane Foster at Woody’s Sports

Center said anglers in the flats caught

sheepshead, black drum and an occasional

redfish. Jetty anglers reported catches

of sheepshead, while a bay boat brought

in sand trout and small shark.

John Dunn at Dolphin Dock said anglers

on the offshore trips brought back

limits of kingfish, vermilion snapper and

spinner shark.