Fishing for Queen Snapper is a thrilling endeavor if you can find them! Let’s take a look at tips, tricks, and tactics we have developed over the years that get us on the Queen Snapper every time.
How To Catch Queen Snapper
Queen Snapper are caught deep dropping rocky ledges in depths ranging from 300’ to 1500’ of water. Queen Snapper eats strips of bonito or squid that are dropped down on a fishing rig outfitted with 4 to 5 circle hooks and a light, assisting the queens in finding the bait.
Expert Tips On How To Catch Queen Snapper
- Fish the deep ledges! If you do not have a Queen Snapper “hot spot,” try locating a rocky ledge in 800’ to 1000’ to increase your chances.
- Use Electric! Use Electric and don’t feed the sharks! It is near impossible to catch Queen Snappers without using an electrical reel. Even if you can physically crank these large fish up from a 1000’, chances are the moment you slow down for a few seconds on the retrieval; sharks will quickly take advantage of a free meal.
- Use a light! When fishing at these depths, a high-quality deep drop light will dramatically increase the amount of fish you land in the boat.
- Use bonito & squid! Squid and other baitfish work great for queen snapper, but it seems nothing outfishes a fresh cut of bonito. We recommend alternating squid and bonito down your chicken rig hooks.
- Keep the boat in the same spot! When you hook into your first Queen Snapper, the captain must record the coordinates on the GPS and keep the boat in the same position. Staying stationary will ensure that your baits remain near to the school. Keeping the boat in one spot can be tricky since you will be fighting the current and wind.
- Braid is a necessity! Always use braid when deep dropping for Queen Snapper. When fishing at extreme depths, your line must have minimal stretch, which can only be achieved using a braided line. Also, braid increases your line capacity by up to 4X.
- Bring a local fishing! One expert tip that always works is bringing a local fishing. We have often used this technique down in the Bahamas, and it is almost always effective. Many locals have been fishing the waters for years but often don’t get the chance to get out for a fun day on the water. Besides learning about all the local fishing spots, you’ll be making a locals day with a great day fishing.
- Stay Aware! If the tip of your rod stops “jumping” on the retrieval, there is a good chance the fish got off. The best practice is to stop the retrieval and feel for any action on the end of the line. In the case of a lost fish, you can often open the spool and drop your rig back down. If a couple of minutes pass without a bite, you may have lost your bait.
- Bring extra tackle! When it comes to deep dropping the smallest changes in marine conditions can dramatically change how you fish for Queen Snapper. Always bring extra sinkers in varying weights to accommodate for changes in marine conditions.
Let’s take a deeper look at how to catch Queen Snapper by learning more about the species as a whole.
What Are Queen Snapper?
The Queen Snapper are a type of snapper in the Lutjanidae family and are frequently called Night Snapper, Ballbat, Brim Snapper, and of course, my favorite, Deep Water Goldfish. These stunning fish are often recognized by their beautiful reddish-orange skin and large eyes. It is believed that the Queen Snapper’s large eyes allow them to see and prey on other fish and squid at extreme depths. The Queens have a long slender body that ends with a deeply forked tail. Unlink many other snappers; the Queen Snapper has a deep notch in the middle of their dorsal fin. Queen Snapper are frequently caught measuring around 2 feet in length but can reach lengths exceeding 3 feet.
When Can You Catch Queen Snapper?
Queen Snapper can be caught year-round but is frequently caught in early spring and late summer. Anglers often swear by the morning bite for Queens with a slight decrease in productivity as the day comes to an end. Queen Snappers are rarely caught at night though there is not much research into why this is the case.
Where Can You Catch Queen Snapper?
Queen Snappers are typically found in tropical and subtropical waters. Queens live on the bottom of the ocean at depths ranging from 300’-1,500’. Many captains swear the sweet spot ranges from 800-1000 feet of water. Queen Snappers prefer rocky, jagged bottoms where they typically congregate in schools. Many deepwater ledges are known for high levels of biodiversity, including corals and sponges, making them ideal habitats for Queens. If you land one Queen, there is a good chance you will be hooking up to a couple more in that spot. Many offshore anglers have GPS numbers for Queen Snapper, known as “hotspots” that consistently produce fish. These “hotspots” can produce fish for a couple of days or even years before they decide to migrate to a new location. Juvenile Queen Snapper can be caught in shallower water around 300 feet but are frequently caught in depths exceeding 800 feet.
What Do Queen Snappers Eat?
Natural Queen Snapper diet
- Squid
- Smaller Fish
- Crustaceans
Best baits for Queen Snapper
- Whole squid
- Bonito strips
- Barracuda strips
Is Queen Snapper Good Eating?
Queen snappers are phenomenal to eat. The flesh has been compared to other snapper breeds, mainly yellowtail snapper. The meat is pale pink and flaky with a mild sweet taste. Queen snapper are incredibly high in protein and omega 3’s.
Are Queen Snappers High In Mercury?
According to the FDA, Queen snappers are low in mercury, coming in at .04 ppm, making them a great meal option that may be enjoyed multiple times a week.
Are Queen Snapper A Type Of Snapper
Queen Snapper are a type of snapper since they are in the Lutjanidae family.
Are Queen Snapper Poisonous?
Queen Snappers are not poisonous. Unlike other snappers that are frequently harvested, the queen snapper has no risk of ciguatera toxicity which is rare for reef fish of that size.
Do Queen Snapper Have Teeth?
Queen Snapper has rows of conical teeth on the top and bottom of their jaw and a pair of canine teeth.
Do Queen Snappers Have Natural Predators?
Beardfish and sharks have been known to prey upon queen snapper.
Do Queen Snappers Have A Size Limit?
Queen snapper does not have a size limit.
What Is The Queen Snapper Bag Limit
Queen Snapper fall under the 10 fish snapper aggregate (always check local authorities for regulations because they are open to change at any time without warning).
Queen Snapper Fun Facts
- The average Queen Snapper caught ranges from 2-5 pounds.
- Queen Snapper experiences barotrauma, a pressure-related injury, as they are retrieved quickly from the ocean floor. It is recommended that they are harvested within bag limits, as released fish are unlikely to survive.
- Many anglers call the Queen Snapper a deep water goldfish due to its color resemblance to many aquarium goldfish.
- The Queen Snapper is among the deepest dwelling snapper species.
- The Queen Snapper is 1 of 100’s of species of snapper that are found around the world.
- Queen snapper are known to live up to 10 years of age
- Queen Snapper are caught at roughly the same depth as the Empire State Building is high
- Queen snapper prefer water temperatures in the low 60’s
- The Female Queen Snapper are almost always larger than the males. The males rarely exceed 27” in length, where is the females can grow to the mid 30”s
Best Fishing Tackle For Queen Snapper
Fishing Rod
There are plenty of great rod setups when targeting Queen Snapper. Deep dropping rods should have a curved butt for optimal fishing comfort. Having a curved butt allows you to swing your baits into the cockpit for maintenance and rerigging. Below are a couple of rods we recommend when targeting Queen Snapper.
- Melton Tackle Deep Drop Rod
- Daiwa Saltiga G Dendoh Deep Drop Rods
- Fiblink Bent Butt Fishing Rod 2-Piece Saltwater Offshore Trolling Rod Big Game Roller Rod Conventional Boat Fishing Pole
Electric Fishing Reels
When fishing for Queen Snapper, an electric reel is essential. Here are three electric reels we recommend when targeting Queen Snapper.
Pro: Shimano Tiagra 80 Hooker Electric Reel with Autostop
Intermediate: Lindgren Pitman SV-1200 Electric Fishing Reel
Novice: Banax Kaigen 1000 Electric Fishing Reel
Best Fishing Line For Queen Snapper
It is essential when deep dropping that you use braid rather than monofilament. Braid has little to no stretch giving the angler a better chance of setting the hook at deep depths. Braid dramatically increases your line’s sensitivity, giving you the increased ability to sense bites and hookups. Also, the braid diameter is significantly less than monofilament, giving you almost 4X the line capacity. We recommend an 80lb braid when specifically targeting Queen Snapper.
Leader
When fishing for Queen Snapper, we recommend using a chicken rig with both 300lb and 150lb monofilament/fluorocarbon.
What Is A Chicken Rig?
A “chicken rig” is a rig with a 10’-12’ leader, typically 300lbs, with 3 to 4 inline swivels. The Inline swivels have 150lb +/- leaders that head out to individual circle hooks. At the end of the rig is a large sinker weighing around 4 to 6 pounds.
Best Hooks For Queens
We have had the best luck fishing with a 10/0 to 12/0 circle hook when targeting queen snapper.
Best Deep Drop Lights For Queen Snapper
Deep drop lights are absolutely essential when deep dropping. Not all deep drop lights are created equal. Finding a light that is rated for extreme depths (1500’) is a must. Also, having the ability to replace batteries is always a bonus. We recommend the “Catch-All Tackle UV Deep Drop Light.”
What Size Sinker Do You Need Fishing For Queen Snapper?
We recommend 4 to 10 ounces per 100’ when deep dropping for Queen Snapper. So, if you are fishing in 800’ of water with a moderate current, we recommend a 4lb to 5lb sinker.