Red Snapper Cheat Sheet

Finding Red Snapper

● 80ft to 100ft water depth - Larger fish will hold in 100ft to 200ft of water
● Structure - Oil Rigs, Large Rock Piles, Wrecks, Large Drops/Ledges, Springs
○ Hard Bottom
● Red Snapper will feed anywhere from the top to the bottom of the water column

Red Snapper Show on Bottom Machine:

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Best Time of Year to Target
● May to September (spawning season for Red Snapper)

Recommended Gear, Baits, and Rigs

● Rod
○ 7’0 Extra Heavy / Fast Action (30# - 80#)
● Reel
○ 6/0 Conventional Reel w/ a Low Gear Ratio (more torque to reel in bigger
fish, but a slower retrieve)
● Tackle
○ 6/0 to 7/0 Hooks
○ 60lb monofilament main line (if using braided mainline, have at least 40ft
of 60lb mono topshot)
○ 6oz Egg Sinkers (Have heavier sinkers (8oz to 10oz) on hand for strong
current)
○ Swivels
○ 50lb to 60lb fluorocarbon leader
● Best Rig - Fish Finder Rig
1. Slide Egg Sinker onto mainline
2. Attach swivel to mainline
3. Attach 4ft of leader to swivel
4. Attach hook to leader
● Best Baits
○ Dead Threadfins, Sardines, Cigar Minnows
■ **Be sure to cut tails off dead baits to avoid spin on the drop
○ Bonita Strips (cut strips of bonita meat with skin attached)
○ Baby Octopus / Squid
○ Live Squirrelfish, Pinfish, Pigfish (Tail hook live baits near anal fin)

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Red Snapper Tactics
● Once your bait hits bottom, make sure your lead holds bottom so it is not
bouncing around, while keeping tension on your line. A lead sinker bouncing on
the bottom can turn fish away.
● If you get a strike but the fish comes off, drop your bait right back down. If you
don’t get another hit in a minute or so, reel up to check your bait.
● When you get a strike, crank don’t yank! Start reeling immediately and avoid
yanking the rod tip up.
● If using live bait, give the fish an extra second or so to take the bait and then
begin reeling. They need that extra bit of time to get the bait (and hook) into their
mouth.
● Have a variety of baits on board. Drop down dead baits first to check the bite. If
the fish are active, then try dropping a live bait down. Don’t waste your live baits
on the first drop.

For More Great Saltwater Fishing Tips, go to:

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