Mutton snapper are notoriously leader shy, particularly in the crystal clear water of the Florida Keys, so you want to use a 15 to 20 foot piece of 40 pound fluorocarbon leader to get your bait away from the weight. On the end of the leader, tie a 2/0 to 5/0 circle hook and pin your live bait to it.
What is the best size hook for snapper?
Suicide hook patterns ranging from size 1/0 for pinkies, through to size 5/0 for large snapper are recommended. Best times would be early morning and evening although snapper can also be caught throughout the night. Medium-sized soft plastic lures in minnow or shad patterns are also very effective on snapper.
What size circle hooks for snapper?
The best hook size for mangrove snapper and sheepshead is a #1 J hook or a 1/0 circle hook. Smaller hook sizes are a must for catching excellent bait stealers with small mouths like mangrove snappers and sheepshead.
What’s the best bait for mutton snapper?
Some of the best baits for mutton snapper are: speedo mackerel, goggle eye, thread herring, squid, ballyhoo, crabs and shrimp.
What is the pound leader for snapper?
Leader weights can vary from 20lb through to about 80lbs, however 40-60lb usually covers most situations. Light leaders are best, however snapper can have quite sharp teeth and can bite through leaders lighter than 40lb.
What is a 1/0 hook good for?
Octopus Hook for Live Minnows & Leeches
Lastly, the 1/0 is great with larger 4-6″ minnows used to target Pike and Bass. Red is a popular color for Octopus Hooks as it signals to your presentation at deeper depths.
Do you have to use circle hooks for snapper?
Do you use circle hooks when fishing offshore in the Gulf of Mexico? Non-stainless-steel circle hooks are required when fishing with natural baits for reef fish such as snapper, grouper, and amberjack. Natural bait is anything that was once alive.
What size hook is bigger 4 or 6?
The tricky part here is that unlike the ought sizes where the larger the number, the larger the hook- now it becomes reversed; the larger the number the smaller the hook. For example, hooks sizes from smallest to largest would be #10, #8, #6, #4, #2, #1, 1/0, 3/0, 5/0, 6/0 etc.
How do I choose the right size circle hook?
Circle Hook Sizes
For the “ought” sizes (1/0, 2/0, etc), the bigger the number, the bigger the hook. For example, a 4/0 hook is bigger than a 1/0 hook. The opposite is true for the numbered sizes. The bigger the number, the smaller the hook.
How long should a mutton snapper leader be?
When fishing from a boat for snapper or grouper, it’s best to use 30 feet or more for a leader. For weary mutton snapper and grouper try using 40 lb fluorocarbon leaders. When we are fishing in shallow, clear water, longer fluorocarbon leaders have produced the best results.
How long should a snapper leader be?
The leader should be 60 lb test 6ft long with a 7/0 Owner Mutu Light hook or similar. As for the size of lead I like the lightest possible to be able to fish straight up and down in the current. A good rule of thumb is 1oz for every 1 ft of water.
What does mutton snapper taste like?
Mutton Snapper has lean but firm meat. The flesh is white but tinted with some pink shade and features a mild, sweet taste.
What is the best time to catch mutton snapper?
Mutton Snapper
- Peak Season: May-August.
- Best Charter:Full Day Offshore.
- Best Technique: Live Bait on the bottom.
- Best Bait: 4 inch pilchards.
- Table Fare: Excellent.
What is a season for mutton snapper in Florida?
Season Trip Limits:
Apr. 1 – Jun. 30: trip limit is 5 mutton snapper per person per day or 5 mutton snapper per person per trip, whichever is more restrictive.
What is a big mutton snapper?
The mutton snapper has an average length of 20 inches (50 cm), with a maximum length of 34.8 inches (88.5 cm) total length.
How much drag do I need for snapper?
Registered. My rule of thumb is pretty standard – like amaracfina – set the drag to about 1/3 the breaking strength of the line with the lever at the strike position.
What is bigger a 1/0 or 2 0 hook?
The “aught” series is a number followed by a backslash and zero. For example, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0, here the larger the number the larger the hook therefore, the hook size breakdown from smaller to larger is 3, 2, 1, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0.
What are 4 0 hooks used for?
When fishing with light line, use a 1/0 hook, but switch to a 4/0 hook when pitching 4- to 5-inch tubes with heavy line. Tube Jig Heads: Soft plastic tubes generally range in sizes from 2.5-3.5 inches.
What is the difference between size 1 and 1 0 hooks?
Hooks are classified by sizes; for example, a size 1 hook is larger than a size 7, while a 1/0 is smaller than a 7/0 (pronounced 7 aught). Hooks also vary from thickness/gauge wire which should be based on your fishing application/presentation.
What is a suicide fishing hook?
Suicide hooks, which are also known in the old school as beak hooks are a unique design having a tilted back eyelet and offset point. The idea behind the tilted eyelet is too enable multiple hooks be snelled to one line.
Are stainless steel hooks illegal in Florida?
Special Rules for Fishing Boats
All vessels fishing in federal waters must have aboard venting and dehooking tools and non-stainless steel circle hooks when using natural baits for the purpose of reducing mortality in reef fishes, including snapper, grouper and Goliath grouper.
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