Get Expert Advice on Chasing the Gray Snapper Action

Some of the most enjoyable fish to target aren’t particularly Instagram-worthy, yet they consistently afford us action-packed outings that make grownups giggle like children and later provide delectable meals. The gray snapper (aka mangrove snapper) is one of those fish, and the species can be caught in a wide range of locations without the need for any specialized tackle or even a boat.

Native to the inshore and nearshore waters of the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, gray snappers live in a variety of habitats, including brackish waterways with considerably low salinity. They feed on an equally diverse array of forage and congregate in small groups or sizeable schools comprising members of similar size. While specimens inshore rarely exceed 2 pounds in weight, much larger fish—a few reaching double digits—are frequently caught in deeper water. But even the little guys are known to put up quite the fight.

INSHORE HOTSPOTS

Flats- and bay-boat anglers looking for gray snappers do well along mangrove edges, particularly the deeper tidal troughs that allow these fish to tuck under the safety of overhanging limbs or inside the tangle of emergent roots. Ease along such spots on a calm, sunny day and you’ll often spot a cloud of them bursting out to inspect any bait or lure tossed into their front yard.

Capt. Brandon Storin of Islamorada, Fla., regularly finds solid snapper action by roaming the deeper grass flats of Florida Bay. Focusing on sand holes and random rock outcroppings, Storin often encounters the snappers keeping company with speckled trout and redfish.

Pretty much any hard edges, including seawalls, rip rap, rubble piles and bridge abutments are likely to host gray snappers and offer legitimate shots. You’ll also find them hanging along jetties, beneath residential docks and around pier pilings, thus allowing land-based anglers to get their share. Add a kayak or canoe to the equation, and your range and chances to locate fish increase exponentially.

DEEPER OPTIONS

Capt. Kevin Farner, based in Clearwater, Fla., fishes Gulf reefs, wrecks, rock piles and ledges in depths of 60-plus feet for gray snappers of more impressive size. Often found mingling with highly-regulated red snappers, the grays, available year-round, often fill in for the willing but out-of-season reds.

One of the most dependable options for Gulf anglers, deep-water oil rigs offer vertical reefs with entire ecosystems supporting a variety of snapper forage. Sardines—bought frozen—will definitely get bit, but Capt. Ross Montet of Cajun Fishing Adventures in Buras, La., prefers cast-netting menhaden (pogies) and fishing freshly-cut chunks. Fellow southeast Louisiana guide Capt. Mike Frenette also likes the scent appeal of pogies, but he often does well baiting with jumbo shrimp. And for the superlative-sized snappers hiding amid drilling rig structures, he says live croakers are the ticket.

With any offering, Frenette stresses the need to quickly separate a hooked snapper from their gnarly dwellings. Boat positioning plays a key role, as you’ll need to provide anglers with enough space to quickly move along the gunwales and forcibly lead hooked fish away from the structure.

“It’s game-on when they hit, and you’d better be ready to muscle them out,” Frenette says. “If you let them get 10 feet on you, you’re done; they’re going to break you off.”

Tackle that allows you to manhandle these powerful fish is a must, as big, wise gray snappers know exactly how to retreat to the safety of their submerged fortress, taking the most line-damaging routes. Break-offs are common, so don’t get dejected if you lose a few tugs of war. Rather, lock down your drag, angle your rod away from the structure and pour the coals to the next fish you hook.

PREFERRED MENU

For inshore and coastal spots, a live pilchard, threadfin herring, pogy or pinfish in the 2- to 3-inch size won’t last long around hungry gray snappers. Hook your baits through the nose or the soft, fleshy pocket behind the pectoral fins, adding one or more split shots as needed to sink the bait to the desired depth.

For deeper nearshore areas, carry a couple of flats of frozen sardines, northern mackerel or squid for bait, but keep a gold-hook or Sabiki rig handy in case you run across pilchard or threadfin schools on the way out. Putting a couple dozen or more frisky live baits in your well is great insurance.

Strips of freshly-caught grunts, blue runners or other small bottom dwellers will also interest the voracious snappers. Try presenting them on a few different rigs until you are able to determine what the fish want.

RECOMMENDED RIGS

While free-lined baits often do the trick, there are many instances when other rigs are required to connect with gray snappers:

• Slip-Sinker Rig: Add an egg-shaped weight to your main line before tying on a swivel that links to about 10 feet of 40- to 60-pound fluorocarbon with a circle hook sized to the bait on the end.
• High-Low Rig: Often called a “chicken rig,” this setup allows you to fish two or more baits off the bottom at staggered depths. Cut a 3- to 4-foot length of fluorocarbon leader and form dropper loops—about 12 to 18 inches apart—with double overhand knots to attach a hook to each. You do that by pinching the loop to squeeze it through the hook eye (back to front), then passing the loop over the hook before snugging it tight against the eye. Lastly, make another loop at the bottom end of the leader and attach a weight using the same process. This system allows you to quickly change to different size hooks and weights for different depths and baits.
• Knocker Rig: Use the same basic components as the slip-sinker rig, but place the weight on your leader below the swivel so it can slide down to the hook for a tight profile that will cast and sink easily. Once on the bottom, the leader can still slide through the weight so snappers won’t immediately feel the resistance when they grab the bait.
• Jig and Bait: A bucktail jig tipped with a fresh, whole baitfish or a chunk of squid or sardine presents a large profile with a convincing scent for enticing jumbo snappers. Elsewhere, a lighter jig head makes a good tool for escorting a live shrimp or bait strip through the water column to reach suspended fish. Pinch off the shrimp’s tail fins and thread the jig hook through the tail, bringing the point out at a spot that lets the jig head rest flush against the tip of the tail.
• Note: When targeting suspended fish, always let out one rod length of line at a time to “walk” the bait down to the depth at which you’re marking fish.

ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS

While natural baits dominate gray snapper fishing, don’t overlook the fun of catching them on lures.

The most consistent options are shallow-diving jerkbaits and pilchard-mimicking twitch baits like the MirrOlure MirrOdine. Size your artificials according to the prevailing local forage and work them erratically to imitate the behavior of a real baitfish aware of a the snapper’s reputation.

At inshore spots, soft-plastic crustaceans like the original D.O.A. Shrimp, Z-Man EZ ShrimpZ or LiveTarget Rigged Shrimp will fool plenty of snappers. Drift the lure past their likely hideouts, and if you see a pack of would-be attackers closing in, give the faux shrimp a nervous pop to trigger that now-or-never strike.

HANDLE WITH CARE

Live or dead, gray snappers should always be handled with caution. Sharp gill plates will slice fingers and their powerful jaws and prominent canines, designed for gripping and gobbling prey, will quickly snap shut around a wayward finger, inflicting considerable damage. When possible, use pliers to remove the hook from a snapper’s mouth.

However and wherever you target gray snappers, be sure to quickly ice your catch for optimal meal quality. Chilled fish are easiest to clean, and their mild, delicate filets turn out great whether fried, baked or pan-seared.

KNOW YOUR REGS

Check state regulations for gear requirements, and keep in mind that the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council requires all recreational vessels targeting gray (mangrove) snapper and any reef fish to use non-stainless steel circle hooks when fishing with natural bait, and to carry onboard a dehooking and a descending device (or venting tool) that’s ready to use.

GET ’EM GOING

• There’s nothing like chum to keep gray snappers fired up.

Constant competition for forage with their schoolmates usually makes gray snappers respond quickly to fresh baits presented in a natural, non-threatening fashion. But fishing pressure, a slow current and weather changes can put these fish in a finicky mood.

When that happens, chumming can jump-start the action by offering the fish a combination of appetizing scents and small freebies. Loading a block of frozen chum (available at most bait shops) into a mesh bag and hanging it from a stern cleat is usually all it takes to ignite the snapper bite. For land-based fishing, secure a rope to the mesh bag with the chum and hang it from a pier or bridge railing, or anchor it with a PVC pipe secured to shoreline structure.

Be aware that not all frozen chum blocks are of equal quality. Some consist of little more than leftover baitfish and shrimp roughly chopped and frozen with ground fish carcasses. Look for national brands that include high fish oil content, along with entire baitfish ground into a fine pulp.

For an easy, homemade option, mix fish-based canned cat food with oats and some menhaden oil, then pack the concoction in gallon-size storage bags and freeze them.

When chumming, consider tossing freshly-chopped baitfish nuggets in the water periodically to keep the snappers chewing. As your chum chunks start to disappear, free-line a hooked bait into the melee and hang on.

If upcoming snapper trips are in your plans, save your leftover baits and use them to create a concentrated chum paste for your next go-around. After every charter, Tampa Bay’s Capt. Billy Miller saves his excess sardines and threadfins and uses a cordless drill with a paddle bit to grind them into a freezable mush that comes in handy for sparking future snapper feeding frenzies.

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• This article was featured in the June/July 2025 issue of Game & Fish magazine. Click to subscribe.

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