Red Snapper

Red snapper are deep-bodied, rosy-red fish with a sloping forehead, a bright red eye, and a sharply pointed anal fin. Juveniles often carry a dark spot high on the side that fades as they mature. The color is brilliant and the body robust.

They gather over reefs, wrecks, rocky ledges, and artificial structure in the Gulf of Mexico and the southeastern Atlantic, generally in moderate to deep water.

How to catch them

Red snapper school over and around structure, feeding on baitfish, crabs, shrimp, and squid. Bottom-fishing with cut or live bait on a fishfinder rig is the mainstay, while vertical jigs and large soft plastics also draw strikes. Heavier leader helps against sharp gill plates and structure. They pull hard for the bottom the instant they feel the hook, and their firm white fillets make them one of the most prized reef fish.