Outdoors

Captain's Corner

What's hot: Mangrove snapper fishing in depths of 120 to 140 feet of water has been spectacular. Concentrating on limestone ledges and hard-bottom edges has been the key, along with light tackle.

By STEVE PAPEN
Published July 17, 2007

What's hot: Mangrove snapper fishing in depths of 120 to 140 feet of water has been spectacular. Concentrating on limestone ledges and hard-bottom edges has been the key, along with light tackle.

What to look for: Areas of hard bottom generally known as swiss-cheese bottom are great places to start locating snapper spots. Since most of the hard-bottom areas in our waters run northwest to southeast, I usually try to locate the edges of the hard-bottom by looking from northeast to southwest. As you enter the hard-bottom areas, the tales (area on the bottom machine under the sea floor) should become thicker, showing a harder, more dense bottom. As you exit these productive areas the tales will become lighter and shorter. It is right here on the edges where I always like to look for a show of fish.

Tackle: When schools of snapper are located, they usually show up on the machine a little higher off the bottom than grouper. Anchor as close to the school as possible. We usually start with sardines cut in half so we can get a chum slick going on the bottom. Hooks are usually in the 5/0-6/0 ranges, sometimes connected together by a small length of 60-pound monofilament. Leaders should be fluorocarbon in the 40- to 60-pound range, attached to an 80-pound swivel, sitting under a 3- to 4-ounce lead. There are many ways to catch these snapper and many different baits can be used, but the golden rule for maximizing your snapper catch is lighter is always better.

[Last modified July 16, 2007, 23:11:37]