[Lumberjack93]

What is your favorite Red Snapper Rig?

First time poster here on the Bluewater board and I really like what I have read so far. Lots of good info here. Anyway, here goes my first post.

I know that there are many ways to rig for Snapper and the last few times that I have been out I have done more freeline fishing. The only problem with this method is that when the kings show up they will break you off more times than not.

The other method that I use is to set up a sow rig as some call them. I use an SPRO 330 lb swivel with a 2 to 4 oz egg sinker on top of it. (I put a clear glass bead on top of the knot to protect it)

I then run about 48 inches of 60 lb Seaguar florocarbon leader below it and tie on a single hook (Gamakatsu). I have really downsized my weights lately and have had good success. The bigger snapper that I'm catching are suspended about 25 to 45 feet down below the surface.

Finally, I created what I call the Lumberjack rig ;-) I tie a dropper loop (http://www.marinews.com/fishing/Knots%20&%20Rigging/fk_droploop.htm) and cut the top leg of the loop only leaving about six inches of line on the top leg. I take the bottom leg of the loop and tie on a single hook about 10 inches from the main line. Then I take the line that remained on the top leg and tie a 4 turn lock knot against the main line. Now that covers the loop but you still have 48 inches of line below the single leg dropper loop. I don't waste this line with a mere weight. I tie on either a Snapper Slapper or a Jig head/Berkley Power bait and use this as my weight.

Here is why I do this.

Instead of sending a useless piece of lead down to the bottom, I tie on a Snapper Slapper (3 to 6 oz) and use that as my weight and I tip it with a cigar minnow. My thought in doing this is that why should I be sending down (and reeling up) a useless piece of lead. You can also interchange the Snapper Slapper with a 3 to 6 oz jig head and put a Berkley Power grub on the jig head which is also deadly.

Anyway, these are just some of the techniques that I use. I would love to hear what some of you pros on this board do as well.

Lumberjack93

 

[Earl]

I go the Snapper Slapper route with a cigar minnow or Sardine. I tend to use biggeer slappers - 7oz-10oz. Since going to this means last summer, I haven't caught another undersized snapper in several trips. Have caught some nice sows though. I just straight tie them.

Earl

 

[Lumberjack93]

I have used the larger Snapper Slappers as well especially when the current is to much for the 3 to 6 oz size.I also like to chum up Snapper. You tend to only catch legal snapper which helps the fishery. Also, if you do catch an undersized snapper that has been chummed up and caught on the surface there is no need to deflate them. I bet that the survival ratio of snapper caught and released on or near the surface is close to 100%. No need to deflate them (poke a pin behind the pectoral fin) so they can swim back down to the bottom.

Thanks for the reply!

Lumberjack93

 

[Ernest]

Another alternative on the dropper loop deal is to use a diamond jig as the weight, and then tie a hook/soft plastic - no weight on the loop. Fish as an all artificial rig if the triggers are a problem, or bait up both. Diamond jig looks like a fish chasing the grub. If you are having twist problems, tie the dropper relatively short and don't cut the loop.

This is a traditional cod rig from back east. Watch out for double headers.

 

[Lumberjack93]

You know, double hookups can be a problem, but it's a problem that I don't mind having ;-)

On another note, I wish I could find a good website that showed precise venting proceedures for snapper, AJ's and other deepwater fish. I guess that I have become more conservation minded in my old age.

LJ93

 

[CHARLIE]

I think you are using twice as much leader material as you need under your slip weight. I think 18 in. to 2 feet is enough. You may be missing some feel with too much leader.

Charlie

 

[CHARLIE]

As far as snapper slapper or any other jig, etc. I still wonder why people hang bait on them. You might as well just bait a hook. You can catch snapper on a jig or what have you without sweeting up the lure. If you must hang something on the lure try a white pork rine about 7 in. long. It works great and will stay on all day long.

Charlie

 

[Lumberjack93]

I think you are using twice as much leader material as you need under your slip weight. I think 18 in. to 2 feet is enough. You may be missing some feel with too much leader.

Charlie

I have been using a top shot of Power Pro lately and it is very low stretch. Also, the flourocarbon leader is low stretch so feel has not been an issue.

My concern is that I would need more clear flourocarbon leader below the Power Pro. I guess that I'm still not convinced that Power Pro doesn't spook snapper and other line shy fish. I also paint my slip sinkers with a flat blue paint to help hide them. I figure that every little thing like that I do will give me an edge over a big line shy sow.

Thanks for the advice.

Lumberjack93

 

[Cat O' Lies]

here you go, deflating your fish!
http://georgiamagazine.com/outdoors/fishing/deflate.htm
more info
http://www.lookd.com/fish/gasbladder.html

 

[Lumberjack93]

here you go, deflating your fish!
http://georgiamagazine.com/outdoors/fishing/deflate.htm
more info
http://www.lookd.com/fish/gasbladder.html

Thanks for the info. I try to limit the number of juvy snapper that I catch by trying to chum them to the surface and catch them at less than one atmosphere. However, when I do catch them deep and they become distended, I have always heard that you should lay the pectoral fin flat against the body and insert the sharpened hypo needle at the very end of the pectoral fin just under a scale. Anyway, thanks for the links.

Lumberjack93

 

[Leo]

i haven't used one

but I would think that the injector needle from a Turkey marinade would work perfectly as a deflation tool. Anybody ever try it?

 

[Argo]

I use powerpro with 50 yd mono on top. With the snapper you want, you wont miss the bite. I like to use a 6-8 oz egg weight above the swivel with 2' 100lb mono leader and 7-8/0 hook and either live bait or cut mullet or skipjack. When the snapps are there you will know it. If you miss the little nibbles, dont worry, they are smaller than you want or triggerfish that cant fit their mouth around the hook anyhow.

 

[Buda Blue Water Boy]

How do you chum snapper of the surface? I have chummed up several fish to the surface but never a snapper, I am curious how you do it!!!

 

[Argo]

as your fishing, toss small amounts of bait in the water every few minutes. They will come up right under the boat and you will be sitting in a frenzy of snappers. I have only been really successful at it one time. We almost did it in mansfield two weeks ago but they held about 12 feet under us. Then we left cause we had been limited out for about an hour already and just messing around trying to catch bigger fish and cull the smaller ones.

 

[Lumberjack93]

Snapper on the Surface

How do you chum snapper of the surface? I have chummed up several fish to the surface but never a snapper, I am curious how you do it!!!

Check out these photos. These were caught on the Freedom and I copied them from their website. But, I have seen and caught snapper on the surface like this. A lot of the time they will hang 5 to 10 feet below the surface. This is the best way to catch snapper because if you do catch undersized fish then there is no need to vent them and the survival rate is near 100%. I wish they made commercial snapper fisherman use the same technique. If they did I bet the snapper fishery would explode on the Gulf Coast. JMO

Lumberjack93

 

[Lumberjack93]

That's a good idea

but I would think that the injector needle from a Turkey marinade would work perfectly as a deflation tool. Anybody ever try it?

I haven't tried it but an injector needle sounds like a great idea. I will try it in a couple of weeks the next time I go out. I'll let you know how it works.

LJ93

 

[Lumberjack93]

How do you chum snapper of the surface? I have chummed up several fish to the surface but never a snapper, I am curious how you do it!!!

I forgot. There is a product called the chum churn that is suposed to be really effective for chuming snapper up to the surface. You fill it with whole fish and then pump it up and down in the water. Then you hang in off of your boat in a rod holder. The sound is also suposed to attract snapper. They seem a little pricy although.

LJ93

 

[Lumberjack93]

as your fishing, toss small amounts of bait in the water every few minutes. They will come up right under the boat and you will be sitting in a frenzy of snappers. I have only been really successful at it one time. We almost did it in mansfield two weeks ago but they held about 12 feet under us. Then we left cause we had been limited out for about an hour already and just messing around trying to catch bigger fish and cull the smaller ones.

Chumming them up is fun. It's almost like bassfishing, only you do it in the Gulf of Mexico ;-)

Later

Lumberjack93

 

[JOKERSWILD]

Venting Tool

The piont of the tool needs to be solid so the skin and meat will not stay lodged inside a hallow tool like a injector needle. It will be full of germs and gunk the next week you use it that will infect the fish or make sure to clean it with bleach.....I know us fishermen have some bleach somewhere... just my .02 worth
joker

 

[Lumberjack93]

The piont of the tool needs to be solid so the skin and meat will not stay lodged inside a hallow tool like a injector needle. It will be full of germs and gunk the next week you use it that will infect the fish or make sure to clean it with bleach.....I know us fishermen have some bleach somewhere... just my .02 worth
joker

Thats a good point. I guess that an ice pick would be the best tool for the job because it would be easy to clean.

Lumberjack93