Tips for Mangrove Snapper Fishing!
No doubt mangrove snapper are in abundance, it is not a piece of cake for an angler to catch one though. It takes quite a long time for you to sit with your rod and line and wait for the fish to fall into your trap. Call these fish smart headed or call them lucky, it really doesn’t matter; the truth is that you need to be at the expert level of fishing, if you want to catch these beauties.
If you don’t have a lot of experience in the field of fishing, here are the top 7 tips that can help you catch mangrove snapper for your next fish fry:
- Find the exact location where mangrove fish are in abundance: Mangrove fish are not found everywhere; they travel in structures and thus, you need to find the exact spot where they can be caught. Only then your bait would work to catch the fish that you’ve been waiting for.
- Instead of any other reel, try using a medium spinning reel: Using a reel that can take from 8 pounds to 20 pounds is best because that’s the kind of weight a single mangrove snapper can be and you surely want to be prepared for the best.
- Keep a note of the changing tides and then put the bait for the fish: Mangrove snapper change their direction with the changing tides. If you want to spend less time in catching one, put the bait in when the tides are changing.
- Make sure you choose the right season to get these beauties out of their comfort zone: Summer is the time when most of the mangrove snapper are out of their tiny resting places.
- Choose the right bait for bigger fish: Instead of choosing shrimp, choose crabs to lure these babies. No mangrove snapper can resist a fresh crab!
- Use fresh bait: If you are seriously and genuinely interested in mangrove snapper fishing, you have got to be sure about the quality of bait you use.
- Wait for night; this is the time when bigger fish are on the hunt.
Places to Catch Mangrove Snapper
The location changes depending on the seasons. In the summer months (spawning season) you will find them close to shore, in lagoons and deep channels. In the fall, winter and spring you will find them along piers, bridges docs and other similar structures.
Tackle for Mangrove Snapper Fishing
You will want to start with a medium poll and reel. This is important so you can feel the bites and set the hook fast. Remember that these fish have incredible vision, so make sure you have a life like lure (if using a lure) and low profile leader. Fluorocarbon line is the best choice as it is hard for the fish to detect.
Mangrove Snapper Fishing Bait
Ok, so the first bait that comes to mind is shrimp; however crab makes up a large portion of the mangrove snapper diet. Using small crab is a great choice. The best bait of all may be sardines. The shiny scales attract these fish immediately.
Conclusion
Mangrove snapper fishing is open year round and it is one of the best tasting fish out there. The minimum size limit is 10 inches and max per day is 5. Now go out there and give it a shot. Good luck!