Search for:. Join The Insider Club. Menu Close. By: Joseph Simonds on June 8, Comments While we were talking about the best baits for red snapper, Capt. Dylan dropped a bomb on us. Watch the behind the scenes video below. Sign me up! I hate fishing. Related categories:. Notify of. Notify of all new follow-up comments Notify of new replies to all my comments. Inline Feedbacks. David Carrizales. Larry Brown. Try a snapper slapper lure with bait attached. They always seem to catch the bigger snapper.
Put considerable effort into storing and taking care of your baits so you're serving up the best possible meal to what can be a snob of a fish when they stack on some size! A common mistake when after snapper is to use baits that are too large and awkward, meaning missed strikes. Proud hooks with decent tip exposure, and an easy to swallow bait profile are vital elements to successfully bait fishing for snapper.
Targeting snapper on bait can take several forms and require different rigging. In the super shallows you can be fishing unweighted or very lightly weighted offerings.
In medium depths running sinker rigs work when on anchor, or on the drift if not moving too fast, otherwise you can start to introduce paternoster rigs to keep in touch with the bottom. Out deep it's mostly paternoster rigs in the southern half of the country. In certain states the use of float lining techniques is popular, which is essentially lightly weighted baits 'floated' down to the fish.
It's particularly effective in hard fished locations or when the bite is challenging. The best live bait for Red Snapper is cigar minnows. A school of red snapper will quickly be in hot pursuit of these little fish. Pilchards are another option. These shiny, eye-catching fish are like large versions of sardines. Other favorites include pinfish and ruby red lips. If fresh live bait is not available, consider using large cut up pieces of other fish including jack, bonito, tuna and other fish commonly caught in the area.
While these do not work as well as live bait, Red Snapper and Grouper are commonly caught using this type of bait. Grouper also prefer large live bait fish, but they tend to be less picky than Red Snapper. Some of the best grouper fishing can be done with big chunk baits cut from larger baits as mentioned above. The best live bait for Grouper is hands-down sardines. You can opt for either frozen or fresh fish purchased from your local bait shop.
These fish flit through the water quickly, easily attracting a predator's attention, plus they're shiny and oily, making them even more visible. Look for sardines that are four to ten inches in length for the best results.
Other options include squid, blue runner, mullet, pinfish, and grunts. When fishing live bait, you will usually get you best results deep drop fishing. Drop your baits ideally cigar minnows or pilchards for red snappers or sardines for groupers down deep into the water column.
You can use a conventional or spinning rod and reel that is rated for 20 - 40 lbs. Many of the trophy sized fish are in holes and covered areas where they tend to rest and stay safe from other predators. Beware of currents as you're fishing. The more robust currents demand larger tackle in order to get down to the bottom. Two to four ounce weights should be plenty, but if you are fishing on a crowded charter boat, consider using up to 6 ounce weights to get to the bottom faster to minimize tangling your line.
The red snapper is one of the most popular fish in the gulf and the most popular snapper of all. Because of this, their populations have been under close watch and fishing for them has been difficult. Federal restrictions on red snapper season have been loosened recently, renewing excitement for fishermen everywhere. Newer anglers who have yet to catch their own red snapper fish may need a few pointers before heading out to the Gulf.
Red snappers are both deep water and shallow dwellers. You can find them at any depth between 30 and feet, usually huddled by nearby protective structures. Favorite hot spots include piers, seawalls, and old wreckage. One way to reduce your time spent scouting is to hone in on artificial structures. Start at the coast and work your way out, looking for artificial reefs.
You can return to that exact same spot and find them back for more the next day. Red snappers are creatures of habit, and they are less likely to seek out new homes than other species. When is the best time to fish for red snapper? Well, the summer is when spawning season begins.
The exact dates will change each year based on various spawning conditions. It hits its peak in June and July. Take notice of federal and state waters, as they will have designated fishing seasons for red snapper.
0コメント