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Started By
Message
How to best target big red snapper
Posted on 7/8/19 at 9:58 pm
Posted on 7/8/19 at 9:58 pm
I'm new to doing it on my own. Catch decent fish but I see the leaders of star tourney every year catching 25+ pound fish. I am happy to catch a 12-15 pound fish. I fish rigs in 100-150 foot of water mainly south of Fourchon and Grand Isle. And I usually use 5/0-7/0 hooks with 4-8 oz egg sinkers with 80 pound leader and 80 pound braid. Leader is generally 18 inches to maybe 2 feet. Bait is either dead pogies or squid.
So like I said I am very green to this and looking for advice to target bigger snapper. If any of my rigging is off I'd love to hear how to do it better. Also do I need to fish deeper that 150 Feet, or maybe find wrecks and reefs instead of rigs? I've google searched this and found lots of info but not much specific to south Louisiana coast. And I feel like they do it differently in other places than we do it here so would love any input from y'all. TIA
So like I said I am very green to this and looking for advice to target bigger snapper. If any of my rigging is off I'd love to hear how to do it better. Also do I need to fish deeper that 150 Feet, or maybe find wrecks and reefs instead of rigs? I've google searched this and found lots of info but not much specific to south Louisiana coast. And I feel like they do it differently in other places than we do it here so would love any input from y'all. TIA
9
Posted on 7/8/19 at 10:09 pm to BullredsRus
Deeper. Bigger weights. Live bait
Posted on 7/8/19 at 10:13 pm to BullredsRus
Naturally the closest easiest platforms will be fished the hardest.
One thing that will catch bigger snapper is bigger bait and I mean hardtails or white trout that are 2-3 pound range,, the smaller snappers will not hit them as fast and it will give the big boys time to move in and hit your bait. You can catch them 25# fish on cut bait and squid but a live big bait is what I have done best with. Also fish up current drop down to bottom then reel up about 12-15secs
One thing that will catch bigger snapper is bigger bait and I mean hardtails or white trout that are 2-3 pound range,, the smaller snappers will not hit them as fast and it will give the big boys time to move in and hit your bait. You can catch them 25# fish on cut bait and squid but a live big bait is what I have done best with. Also fish up current drop down to bottom then reel up about 12-15secs
Posted on 7/8/19 at 10:24 pm to Ol boy
Don’t fish rigs/platforms, target shell piles. Watch for changes in depth like if you are in 200’ of water and it jumps up to 150’. Locate edges and fish on up current side with live bait
Posted on 7/8/19 at 10:33 pm to BullredsRus
Learn to dive and spearfish.
Posted on 7/8/19 at 10:38 pm to BullredsRus
Big fish are like big bucks, got to get deeper in the bush and away from the crowds. Head west young man, and deep. Deep ship shoal or Eugene island. Big baits like someone said, up current, at night too. Best big snapper bite I’ve ever been in was at night. Butterflied hard tails, big chunks of Bonita, big hooks and leaders
Posted on 7/8/19 at 11:31 pm to Wolfmanjack
Was cleaning trout a few weekends ago and had a guy stop by the dock and ask for a few heads Bc he heard they were good for big snapper.
Posted on 7/9/19 at 4:53 am to BullredsRus
The best way I’ve found to catch big snapper is go grouper fishing when snapper season is closed.
Posted on 7/9/19 at 4:58 am to TheDrunkenTigah
quote:
The best way I’ve found to catch big snapper is go grouper fishing when snapper season is closed.
Lol. This ain’t no shite.
Seriously though move to waters 300-400’ deep and have good live bait.
Posted on 7/9/19 at 7:28 am to TJG210
quote:
TJG210
Ssssh
Posted on 7/9/19 at 8:43 am to Icansee4miles
The only reason deeper water is ‘better’ is because the inshore stuff is over fished. The year after The BP spill we were catching 20+ lb fish in 70 ft of water from spots that guys working the oil spill found. There were kayakers off the Navarre beach that could have fished our spot. I’ll never forget looking down and seeing 20+ snapper that were over 10 lbs.
The bigger Snapper are up higher in the water column OP. I’ve caught 20 lb fish by site before. Chum and use big live baits, Long leaders, and smaller weights. Drop the bait down about half way, then slowly drop it 10 ft or more at a time every couple of minutes.
The bigger Snapper are up higher in the water column OP. I’ve caught 20 lb fish by site before. Chum and use big live baits, Long leaders, and smaller weights. Drop the bait down about half way, then slowly drop it 10 ft or more at a time every couple of minutes.
Posted on 7/9/19 at 8:57 am to BullredsRus
quote:
I'm new to doing it on my own. Catch decent fish
quote:i doubt you are even catching 12-15# fish. I have caught many 20+# fish and they are goddamn massive. Everytime i see someone with a pic saying a 20# fish when it looks like a 12-15# fish, i laugh. Fish stories everywhere.
I am happy to catch a 12-15 pound fish.
Also what i have found is if you are pulling up 8-12# fish that is what you are gonna be catching. their MIGHT be a monster there but it would just be pure luck to catch him. If you have a spot that hasnt been hit hard, you can pull up 15+# one after another.
This post was edited on 7/9/19 at 9:04 am
Posted on 7/9/19 at 8:58 am to baldona
quote:i kind of agree.
The only reason deeper water is ‘better’ is because the inshore stuff is over fished.
quote:i dont believe you one bit.
we were catching 20+ lb fish in 70 ft of water fr
Posted on 7/9/19 at 9:42 am to baldona
This. The bigger fish will be higher in the water column. Use a 1 ounce or 1/2 ounce egg weight and let your live bait drift in the current. I typically use 60 pound leader and go down to 45-40 pound depending on water clarity. Makes for an interesting fight too...
Posted on 7/9/19 at 1:49 pm to BullredsRus
as mentioned, the bigger fish stay in deeper waters
and stay 10-15% water depth off of the bottom
and stay 10-15% water depth off of the bottom
Posted on 7/9/19 at 1:54 pm to EasternShoreTider
quote:
1 ounce or 1/2 ounce egg weight
He said 25#+ fish not 2.5#...
Posted on 7/9/19 at 2:18 pm to Icansee4miles
quote:
Ssssh
Is that actually a thing? I really don’t fish offshore much and that’s the first I’m hearing of it.
Posted on 7/9/19 at 2:52 pm to TJG210
Thanks all. Lots of good info here. I will def try some trout heads. And for live bait does it matter which kind, or is one specifically better? I cast netted some mullet and used them without much luck but I was on bottom with a short leader so maybe that was problem (unless mullet were the problem?). Maybe I was only around snapper not big enough to eat them being that I didn’t get it a little higher in the water column.
And I also found a spot that I cruised over that went from 175 feet and slowly Increased to about 220 and then crept back down to 160. Went over the very edge of Mississippi Canyon. Didn’t stop to fish it but maybe I should have. I have it marked on my gps. If I do go back I should fish the ledges not the deepest part right? And off the bottom here too? I guess I can do it all by trial and error but I only get a handful of trips a year and want to try to make almost out of them. Thanks again for all the above info. Looking forward to trying these things my next trip.
And I also found a spot that I cruised over that went from 175 feet and slowly Increased to about 220 and then crept back down to 160. Went over the very edge of Mississippi Canyon. Didn’t stop to fish it but maybe I should have. I have it marked on my gps. If I do go back I should fish the ledges not the deepest part right? And off the bottom here too? I guess I can do it all by trial and error but I only get a handful of trips a year and want to try to make almost out of them. Thanks again for all the above info. Looking forward to trying these things my next trip.
Posted on 7/9/19 at 3:00 pm to CarRamrod
quote:
i doubt you are even catching 12-15# fish. I have caught many 20+# fish and they are goddamn massive. Everytime i see someone with a pic saying a 20# fish when it looks like a 12-15# fish, i laugh. Fish stories everywhere.
Also what i have found is if you are pulling up 8-12# fish that is what you are gonna be catching. their MIGHT be a monster there but it would just be pure luck to catch him. If you have a spot that hasnt been hit hard, you can pull up 15+# one after another.
Posted on 7/9/19 at 3:02 pm to BullredsRus
hardtails through the lip.
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