Red Snapper is one of the most popular species of fish caught off of Florida’s Emerald Coast. They average over five pounds these days, but it’s not uncommon to snag one in the 20 to 30-pound range, either. The IGFA World Record Red Snapper, caught near Pensacola, tipped the scales at 50 pounds 4 oz. Red Snappers are so plentiful in the Gulf, you may even snag two at a time on the right day. They give a good fight and taste great (especially when cooked by one of the local restaurants). But beyond the excitement of catching your own dinner, deep-sea fishing in the Gulf (or fishing anywhere for that matter) is a great way to bond with friends or family and make memories that last a lifetime.
Types of Bait
Red Snapper bait includes a wide variety of offerings. As gape-limited predators, they can only eat what fits in their mouth (this basically proves the old saying – “big bait catches big fish”). Dead bait works well for pretty much all sized Red Snappers. Larger Red Snapper, Grouper, Tuna, and Snook find Sardines, Mullet, Eels, and Pilchards hard to resist. Pogies, squid, and cigar minnows are readily available and frequently used Red Snapper bait.
For larger fish in general, live Pinfish and Tomtate ( a.k.a. Ruby Red Lips) also work well. Many experienced Gulf Coast anglers swear that Bonita strips make the best bait for Red Snappers. When cut large enough, smaller fish cannot get the chunks of meat into their mouths. The bigger strips help eliminate the annoying peck, peck, peck of the little reef fish. Generally, if you are taking an area charter for the day, the boat will provide the best bait for snapper.
How To Rig Bait For Red Snapper
How you bait the hook makes a big difference in whether you spend the day feeding, or catching fish. With a live bait rig, pass the hook through its lips, nose and eye sockets for trolling, or through the tail’s base for drifting. For most frozen baits like Cigar Minnows or Sardines, pass the hook through the eyes and then the back. You might be surprised how quickly the bait thaws and becomes soft. Again, if you are on a charter, the crew will gladly show you how to rig your bait.
Types of Rigs
In shallow water, up to about 60-feet, you can get away with light ocean tackle, but heavy spinning and bait cast reels will also do the trick. In deeper drops with stronger currents where many Panhandle area charter boats fish, you will need heavier weight rods and strong – up to 80-pound test – fishing lines. Area fishermen also recommend using the lightest weight sinker that will still hold the bottom. In general, larger fish tend to stay a little off the bottom and above structures. A lighter weight will travel through the feeding zone much slower and give the big fish a chance to bite. As for the rigs themselves, most experienced anglers agree on three different setups for catching Red Snapper.
- The Three-Way Swivel – The most commonly used bottom rig, the three-way swivel combination, works best when you fish wrecks or rocky bottoms. In this setup, the mainline and a sinker tied to three or four inches of a lightweight line (20-test, give or take), each gets connected to their own eye of the swivel. A longer (say 12 to 18 inch), and stronger (at least 50-pound test) leader with the hook goes on the swivel’s third eye. With this rig, if you catch the bottom, most likely, only your sinker will be lost.
- The Knocker Rig – Popular for hooking smaller snappers, the knocker rig is a good choice for fishing near wrecks or directly over reefs. This rig uses a barrel swivel and egg sinker. Tie the main line to one eye of the barrel swivel and a five to 10-foot leader with the hook to the other eye. Add the egg sinker to the leader. When you cast out, the egg sinker will slide toward the hook and take up most of the slack in your line and prevent the fish from diving down into a structure after being hooked.
- The In-Line Snapper Rig – The In-Line Snapper Rig comes in handy when the action is slow. Most commonly used with about 15-feet of leader, this configuration puts an egg sinker on the mainline above a two-way swivel. The long leader allows dead bait to float naturally along the bottom, or live bait to swim unrestricted. The long leader usually prevents your prey from detecting any abnormal resistance when it grabs the bait.
The hook you use also plays a big part in the day’s catch. Circle hooks work best for Red Snappers, as well as many other types of fish. Thanks to its shape with the hook’s point angled back toward the shank, Circle hooks set themselves naturally as you slowly reel up. Plus, if you put your rod down, or in a rod holder for a moment, and a fish makes a run at your bait, the stationary rod and movement of the fish will set the hook for you.
Red Snappers seem to get bigger and more plentiful every year in the Gulf waters along the Florida Panhandle. They taste great and are lots of fun to catch. Many record-sized fish have been caught by boats based in Destin. If you want to try something new on your next vacation, give Red Snapper fishing a try along Florida’s Emerald Coast.
Image source: Sam Carlson