If you’ve ever chummed near a reef, you’ve probably come across Yellowtail Snapper. These reef fish can’t resist the sweet smell of chum. Catching Yellowtail Snapper is an easy go-to fishing adventure. Let’s break down exactly how to catch them.
How To Catch Yellowtail Snapper
Yellowtail Snapper are caught fishing nearshore reefs in 50′ to 150′ of water using live or cut bait on medium to medium-light tackle. Yellowtail Snapper are most frequently caught free-lining or with a ⅛ ounce yellowtail jig within the boat’s chum slick.
Expert Tips To Catch Yellowtail Snapper
- Chum the water: If you do not remember anything else from this how-to fishing guide, please remember this. Chumming is essential when targeting Yellowtail Snapper. The moment you get out to your Yellowtail fishing spot, immediately drop a chum bag into the water. If you are fishing the right bottom within a couple of minutes, you will have dozens of Yellowtail Snapper cruising up and down your chum slick looking for bait. It is important to mention that a quality block of chum is critical. I recommend using a finely ground menhaden chum like the “double ground extra fine” by Tournament Master Chum.
- Freelining is key: There are many fishing rigs known to catch Yellowtail Snapper, but I have always seen the best results when freelining live bait within the chum slick. Yellowtail Snapper are known to rise to the surface almost instantly when chum has entered into the water, giving us the possibility of freelining. Freelining is the ideal method of targeting Yellowtail Snapper because no additional weights are added to the rig, allowing your bait to swim naturally within the chum line.
- Fishing the sweet spot: Though Yellowtail Snapper are caught between 50′ and 150′ of water, they are most active and abundant in 90′ of water. It seems that this depth is deep enough to house large schools of Yellowtail Snapper while also being shallow enough that they are not shy to rise to the top when waters are being chummed.
- Keep your bail open: When you drop your bait back into the chum line, keep your bail open, so your bait can float in the chum slick as naturally as possible. The moment you get a strike, quickly close your bail and reel to set the hook.
- Be ready to adjust your tackle: Yellowtail Snapper have excellent eyesight, so it is essential to present your bait on the lightest rig possible. I recommend using a 15lb leader in most conditions but frequently drop down 12lb test on extremely calm days when water clarity is at its peak. Yellowtail Snapper can be extremely skittish fish. They are even known to dart low in the water column if multiple fishing lines are in the water.
- Bring the dry chum: One fishing tip that is fun and unique to fishing Yellowtail Snapper is forming a chum ball around your bait and dropping it back in the chum slick. The chum ball quickly disintegrates, causing Yellowtail to dart towards your bait, often striking as it is still camouflaged in the dry chum slick.
- Long leader is imperative: When trying to catch Yellowtail, a long leader is absolutely essential. I recommend tying on at least 6′ of fluorocarbon leader when fishing monofilament and 9′ of fluorocarbon leader when fishing braid.
- Anchor up: You must anchor up-current before you start chumming the water when you are targeting Yellowtail Snapper. A common mistake I see beginner anglers making is floating over the reefs instead of anchoring up before the reef. This is an issue because your boat floats with the chum, never creating a full chum slick where the Yellowtail can congregate.
- Get out during Fall: Though Yellowtail Snapper are caught year-round, the fishiest time of year to target them is from the beginning of Fall to midway through winter.
Where Can You Find Yellowtail Snapper?
Yellowtail Snapper are found and caught in 50′ to 150’of depth in tropical and subtropical waters. Yellowtail Snapper prefer to congregate on healthy natural reefs with ledges, rocks, and the occasional pocket of sand.
Yellowtail Snapper are a structure-oriented Snapper always preferring natural reef structures over artificial reefs. Though Yellowtail Snapper are frequently caught between 50′ to 150′, anglers have had success finding Yellowtail in 10′ to 200′ of water. Yellowtail Snapper live in subtropical and tropical waters, with the latter being the area they are most densely populated.
The Florida Keys is world-famous for the abundance of Yellowtail Snapper found in their waters.
Here Are My Top Three Yellowtail Snapper Fishing Spots
- Natural Reefs
- Shallow water wrecks
- Artificial structures
Best Fishing Tackle To Catch Yellowtail Snapper
When targeting Yellowtail Snapper, using the correct fishing tackle can dramatically increase your overall success.
Best Fishing Reel For Catching Yellowtail Snapper
The best fishing reel for Yellowtail Snapper is a 3000 to 4000 sizes spinning reel with a moderate drag. Though Yellowtail Snapper do not get as large as many other breeds of snapper, their forked tail gives them added strength in the fight.
Best Fishing Rod For Catching Yellowtail Snapper
The best fishing rod for catching Yellowtail Snapper is a medium-weight spinning rod with fast action. I recommend the Stellar Lite by Star Rods, which is a medium-weight fast action rod. This rod is extremely lightweight, which minimizes fatigue while fishing which is essential when fishing for Yellowtail Snapper since the fish requires you to remain attentive to your rod at all times.
Choosing The Correct Leader Size For Yellowtail Snapper
Choosing the correct leader size for Yellowtail Snapper is essential. Yellowtails have exceptional eyesight allowing them to see small leader diameters. I start with a 12lb test and move up slowly if the fish are breaking me off. Once you step up to 20lb or above, many Yellowtail become leader shy.
As mentioned earlier, leader length is also an important factor to keep in mind when targeting Yellowtail Snapper. If you are using braid, you will want around 9′ of leader, whereas if you are using monofilament, you will only need 6′ or so of leader.
What Size Hook to Use For Yellowtail Snapper?
The best size hook for Yellowtail Snapper is a 1/0 circle hook or a ⅛ ounce Yellowtail Jig. If ocean current conditions are mild, freelining a 1/0 circle hook is ideal, whereas if currents are ripping, stepping up to a ⅛ ounce jig will be optimal.
Top Baits For Yellowtail Snapper
- Silver Sides
- Shrimp
- Squid
- Cut ballyhoo
- Glass minnows
When Can You Catch Yellowtail Snapper?
Yellowtail Snapper can be caught year-round, with the beginning of Fall being the most productive time of year to target them.
Let’s take a deeper look at how to catch Yellowtail Snapper by learning more about the species as a whole.
What Are Yellowtail Snapper?
Lutjanidae Chrysurus, commonly referred to as Yellowtail Snapper, are reef-dwelling fish found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters. Yellowtail have a yellow lateral line that begins just past their eye and ends at the base of their tail, which is also yellow.
Natural Yellowtail Snapper Diet
- Crabs
- Cephalopods
- Shrimp
- Worms
- Seagrass (Juveniles)
Does Yellowtail Snapper Taste Good?
Yellowtail Snapper is excellent to eat. The flesh of the fish is comparable to Red Snapper in that it has flaky white meat that is mildly sweet.
Is Yellowtail Snapper High In Mercury?
According to the FDA, Yellowtail Snapper is extremely low in mercury content, coming in at .078 PPM. To put that into perspective, that is roughly a 5th of the mercury content of the commonly consumed mahi-mahi.
Is Yellowtail Snapper Safe To Eat?
With the consumption of any reef fish, there is always the chance of getting ciguatera poisoning, but reports are extremely rare for Yellowtail Snapper.
Is Yellowtail Snapper The Same As Yellowtail?
Yellowtail is a common name that many anglers shorten when referring to Yellowtail Snapper. Unfortunately, there are many other species of fish including Yellowtail Amberjack, Yellowtail Flounder, & Yellowtail Horse Makerel where it is common to refer to these fish as simply Yellowtail.
Do Yellowtail Snapper Have Scales?
Yellowtail Snapper has small to medium-sized scales that start from the base of their tail and stop just past their gill plate.
Do Yellowtail Snapper Have Teeth?
Yellowtail Snapper has small villiform teeth that line the bottom jaw of the fish and 5 to 6 canine-like teeth just past their lips on the upper jaw.
| State | Minimum Length | Bag Limit |
| Florida | 12″ | 10 |
| Georgia | 12″ | 10 |
| Texas | 12″ | 10 |
| North Carolina | 12″ | 10 |
| South Carolina | 12″ | 10 |