Snapper is one of the best fish to catch and eat in Florida, along with bluefish, tuna, mahi-moi and even tuna. Red snappers like to hang out in schools on reefs, shipwrecks and oil rigs and are typically found in deep waters. While the adult animals are to be found at depths of 100 – 500 feet, the younger ones swim in shallow waters up to 1,000 feet.
One of the first things you need to learn about fishing red snappers is that the older the snappers are, the deeper they will go. While the best baits are used for the red snapper, it is a common practice to use a metal device as it always attracts anglers. This is a device with a metal lur that looks like a shiny fish that has been injured, but not really.
Live bait is the best choice, but dead bait also works amazingly well. Fishermen have also reported that the vertical jig can do pretty well for red snapper, but you might want to try it out because surprisingly, baits can work so well to catch them. You can use a variety of different types of devices, such as the red – and – white, black, red, blue and even red and white.
If you are in a heavily fished area most days, it is necessary to use a live or small baitfish to elicit a bite from snappers of a decent size. You can also catch a good red snapper with a dead cigar, minnow or live bait, but if it is rare and you catch the occasional red snapper, you will do better with mince or sliced fish. However, if you can catch a few black and grey snappers or even a few grey and black red wines, then you can do it.
Some demersal fishing experts say the red snapper is hanging around in shallow waters off the Florida and Gulf of Mexico coasts, but you also have to look for spots. Start by finding the red snapper near the bottom of the water, not too far from the shore or in a shallow area. Getting a red snapper is not so easy, but you can find a good red snapper bait at the local fish market or even at your local bait shop.
Because of the value of Red Snapper, there are state and federal laws and restrictions on the species. It is very difficult to pull such species of large fish out of the boat into deep waters with this technique, so read this article which will help you catch the Red Snapper.
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