| Tips for Yellowtail & Mutton Snapper Fishing | | | | spin tackle, you know you have a good |
| | | | yellowtail on. Cut pieces of squid, small |
| Yellowtail Snappers are found in the tropical | | | | pilchards, and even live shrimp are |
| and subtropical regions of all the oceans. | | | | productive baits for yellowtail snapper. |
| One of the most popular and best eating of | | | | Sardines, silverside and glass minnows will |
| the snapper species, the yellowtail snapper, | | | | also work well. Yellowtail fishing can be a |
| ranges as far north as the Treasure Coast but | | | | lot of fun for anglers of all ages |
| are in greatest abundance in the Bahamas and | | | | |
| the Florida Keys. During days around the full | | | | You'll also need frozen chum to put in bags |
| moon, you will probably have excellent | | | | to chum up the water behind the boat. Chum up |
| catches of the mutton snappers. | | | | the water heavily at first. When you start to |
| | | | get a good bite of yellowtail, ease off on |
| Yellowtail snapper is one of the best eating | | | | the chum so that they will feed on the bait |
| fish in the entire tropical roster of fish | | | | of your hook. |
| only eclipsed by the pricey yellowfin tuna | | | | |
| steaks. The small size of the fish adds only | | | | How to Sandball for Yellowtails & Flat Lining |
| to its succulent taste. Typical catches of | | | | - Filet your ballyhoo & squid & then cut them |
| yellowtail range from 10-12 lb size. This | | | | into strips. Then mix your chum & sand for |
| fish is so versatile that it can be cooked in | | | | sandballs - 60% sand & 40% chum. Make sure |
| any number of ways with any number of sauces | | | | your chum is oily. Always add the chum to the |
| & still come out superbly delicious. | | | | sand. Mix chum until there are no dry areas. |
| | | | Mixing some oats into the sand/chum will help |
| Yellowtails are characterized by a yellow mid | | | | you catch more yellowtail. |
| body stripe that extends into its yellow | | | | |
| tail. The sleek and abundant yellowtail | | | | Put the hooked ballyhoo bait into the middle |
| snapper swims in loose groups well off the | | | | of a sandball. Wrap your line around the |
| bottom. There is a 12-inch minimum size limit | | | | sandball & then throw your bait out into the |
| and 10 snapper aggregate bag limit. for | | | | chum slick. Let the line feed out as the |
| catching yellowtails. June is usually a good | | | | current goes until you feel the fish strike |
| time, weather permitting, for night offshore | | | | the line & pull on your bait. |
| fishing for mangrove, lane and yellowtail | | | | |
| snapper. | | | | Fishing Tackle - Use the smallest hooks, 1/0 |
| | | | or smaller, you can find & small conventional |
| Bait for Yellowtail fishing and mutton | | | | reels. Shimano 10 lb spinners for fighting |
| Snappers - Weighted live bait will produce | | | | those yellowtail, so everyone gets to enjoy |
| grouper & mutton snapper sometimes following | | | | the challenge. We also recommend bright |
| in the chum slick. Depending on the time of | | | | colored jigs to attract the fish. |
| year you might also catch kingfish and cero | | | | |
| mackerel. Use live ballyhoo whenever | | | | 12- 15 lb test line is the best for these |
| possible. Mutton snapper fishing will be | | | | fish. Use a pink line so that the fish cannot |
| better with live bait. | | | | see the line in the water. A #4 hook up to a |
| | | | 1/0 and a 1/8 oz weight will be best on your |
| When yellowtails pull and drag on 20 pound | | | | rig for flat lining or sandballing. |