• Peak Season: June-September
• Best Charter:Full Day Offshore
• Best Technique: Heavy Chumming the reefs
• Best Bait: Silversides
• Table Fare: Excellent

Yellowtail Snapper Fishing Miami

Schools of yellowtail snapper roam reefs and wrecks from 15' out to 130' in large schools. After anchoring, yellowtail are brought up from the bottom with an obscene amount of chum. They can be targeted with light tackle by free lining small baits back into the chum slick. Chum is the key to yellowtail snapper fishing in Miami. Chum gets the snapper frenzied enough to sit right off the stern of the boat (even in 100+ ft depths). We like to use a mixture of oats and chum in a 30 gallon garbage can. We give the mixture ample time to melt, add water, and when we get to the spot we like to ladle it out every minute or so. The chum brings in the fish and the oats cloud the water which can the tails bite even when it's crystal clear. 

Best Current for Snapper Fishing

Current helps for this fishery so the chum successfully flows away from the boat and disperses across the reef. It definitely helps to have a handful of different spots in the 40-90 foot depth. This way you can move around depending on the current. If the current is ripping, we prefer going a little shallower. if it's light, the deeper range is usually your best bet. 

Best Rigs and Bait for Yellowtail Snapper

We use small hooks, jigheads, and light leader (20lb test) for the best action from finicky fish. The largest snapper shy away from poorly presented baits. Yellowtail can be caught during the day as well, though they are much more aggressive at night. Small pilchards, chunks of bonito, or silversides are the best baits but just about anything will work if they are chummed up. If there is a strong current, jig heads or split shots can be employed to get baits down to the strike zone. The best snapper fishing is usually  enjoyed during summer. Yellowtail Snapper range from 12" to 5lbs, with average fish ranging from 1-2lb range. Yellowtailing is not a catch and release fishery, as they have delicious white fillets that never go to waste. Snapper fishing is a lot of fun, especially for those looking for light tackle fishing charters in Miami.