Yellowtail Snapper

Yellowtail snapper are slender, streamlined fish with a vivid yellow stripe that runs from the snout to a deeply forked yellow tail, over a bluish back dappled with yellow spots. They are graceful and fast compared with the bulkier bottom snappers.

They inhabit coral reefs and hard bottom of the tropical western Atlantic and Caribbean, abundant around south Florida and the Keys, and typically hold up in the water column rather than pinned to the bottom.

Yellowtail hover and feed well above the reef on small baitfish, shrimp, and crustaceans. The classic method is a steady chum slick that lifts fish up and drifts them back behind the boat, where a light leader and a small hook with a bit of bait are allowed to sweep naturally into the slick. They spook easily in clear water, so fine tackle matters. Hard-fighting and excellent eating, they are a reef favorite.