Red Snapper | Fishopedia

Appearance

Red-orange in color, fading towards the underside. Can be distinguished from similar-looking snappers by their pointy anal fin and red eyes.

Habitat

Can be found in depths anywhere from 30 to over 600 feet, but most commonly in between 50 and 300 feet. Small to medium-sized snappers stick to heavily-covered bottoms, like reefs, wrecks, ledges, and oil platforms. As they grow larger, they tend to prefer more open water.

State Record

50.25 pounds (also an IGFA all-tackle world record), Capt. Doc Kennedy, 1996.

Fishing Tips

Red snappers like to feed off the bottom, so be sure to get your bait down deep enough. Minnows, sardines, and squid work best for live bait, and chunks of bonito or amberjack help as well. Chumming is a common practice to get snappers off the bottom and closer to the surface.