| Snappers are found in the tropical and subtropical | | | | Sandball for Yellowtails & Flat Lining - Filet your |
| regions of all the oceans. One of the most popular and | | | | ballyhoo & squid & then cut them into strips. Then mix |
| best eating of the snapper species, the yellowtail | | | | your chum & sand for sandballs - 60% sand & 40% |
| snapper ranges as far north as the Treasure Coast | | | | chum. Make sure your chum is oily. Always add the |
| but are in their greatest abundance in the Bahamas | | | | chum to the sand. Mix chum until there are no dry |
| and the Florida Keys. During days around the full moon, | | | | areas. Mixing some oats into the sand/chum will help |
| you will probably have excellent catches of the mutton | | | | you catch more yellowtail. Put the hooked ballyhoo bait |
| snappers. Yellowtail snapper is one of the best eating | | | | into the middle of a sandball. Wrap your line around the |
| fish in the entire tropical roster of fish only eclipsed by | | | | sandball & then throw your bait out into the chum slick. |
| the pricey yellowfin tuna steaks. The small size of the | | | | Let the line feed out as the current goes until you feel |
| fish adds only to its succulent taste. Typical catches of | | | | the fish strike the line & pull on your bait. Fishing Tackle |
| yellowtail range from the 10-12 lb size. This fish is so | | | | - Use the smallest hooks, 1/0 or smaller, you can find & |
| versatile that it can be cooked in any number of ways | | | | small conventional reels. Shimano 10 lb spinners for |
| with any number of sauces & still come out superbly | | | | fighting those yellowtail, so everyone gets to enjoy the |
| delicious. Yellowtails are characterized by its yellow | | | | challenge. We also recommend bright colored jigs to |
| mid body stripe that extends into its yellow tail, the | | | | attract the fish. 12- 15 lb test is the best for these fish. |
| sleek and abundant yellowtail snapper swims in loose | | | | Use a pink line so that the fish cannot see the line in |
| groups well off the bottom. There is a 12-inch minimum | | | | the water. A #4 hook up to a 1/0 and a 1/8 oz weight |
| size limit and 10 snapper aggregate bag limit. June will | | | | will be best on your rig for flat lining or sandballing. |
| be a good time, weather permitting, for night offshore | | | | Finding Yellowtail - Look for a sharp drop off on the |
| fishing for mangrove, lane and yellowtail snapper. Bait | | | | edge of the reef. This is where you will find small |
| for Yellowtail Snappers - Weighted live bait will | | | | stacks of fish & plenty of bottom life to support the |
| produce grouper & mutton snapper sometimes | | | | bait fish. Your Loran or GPS will tell you where the |
| following in the chum slick. Depending on the time of | | | | best drop offs are. Conclusion Swordfish, Marlin, |
| year you might also catch Kingfish and Cero Mackerel. | | | | Sailfish, Dolphin, Cobia, Wahoo, Tuna and Kingfish are |
| Use Live Ballyhoo whenever possible. When yellowtails | | | | just a few of the species we catch off the Southeast |
| pull drag on 20 pound spin tackle, you know you have | | | | Florida Coast. We catch Most of our dolphin while |
| a good yellowtail on. Cut pieces of squid, small | | | | fishing for Tuna. Whether gunning for tuna, marlin or |
| pilchards and even live shrimp are productive baits for | | | | dolphin, Fish 'em all with Live Bait!! Instructional DVDs on |
| yellowtail snapper. Sardines, silverside and glass | | | | How to Throw a Cast Net, Yellowtail & Mutton |
| minnows will also work well. You'll also need frozen | | | | Snapper fishing, Live Bait Trolling, and more!! |
| chum to put in bags to chum up the water behind the | | | | Marilyn Davis has been fishing the Florida Keys for |
| boat. Chum up the water heavy at first. When you | | | | over 20 years a nd is the Webmaster for the Florida |
| start to get a good bite of yellowtail, ease off on the | | | | Keys Info-Net. |
| chum so that they will feed on the bait of your hook. | | | | |