# chumming for snapper



## Ragon210 (Jul 11, 2013)

day started off fishing for kings but no luck there so we changed the pace hit some bottom spot. since I had my chum grinder I figured I might as well put it to use. so I chummed up some bait fish and instantly the red snapper where a few feet below the boat. I tried live bait, cut bait, artificials, and EVERYTHING else. they would just look at it and turn away. so I went to smaller hooks and smaller line. still no takers. What am I doing wrong or could it be just one of those days will they will not eat?


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## Bravo87 (Jun 19, 2014)

One of those days. It can be tough to sneak a hook in there


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

U have to float down a piece of chum with it , sounds messy but fillet a piece of bait fish and squash it bury a small hook a voila fish on!! The key is make sure your bait falls at the same rate as your chum.


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

recess said:


> U have to float down a piece of chum with it , sounds messy but fillet a piece of bait fish and squash it bury a small hook a voila fish on!! The key is make sure your bait falls at the same rate as your chum.


This ^^^^

Float bait (free fall) with the chum like said above. I cut the head and tail off bait and bury the hook in the cavity with the hook barb facing towards the dorsal fin (hook holds better) while in decent.

If targeting large rs during the season, menhaden presented the same way works great for the bigguns.

Oh, and flouro is a must in my opinion.

Good luck!

Jimmy


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## Ragon210 (Jul 11, 2013)

thanks Jimmy and recess. towards the end of my many attempts I had a tiny hook ones use for sheepshead buried in a small chunk of menhaden and down to 14lb mono free lining it with the chum and still no luck!


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

Ragon210 said:


> thanks Jimmy and recess. towards the end of my many attempts I had a tiny hook ones use for sheepshead buried in a small chunk of menhaden and down to 14lb mono free lining it with the chum and still no luck!


If the snapper were feeding on the chum, then keep trying different things, below reply is also great info!

Jimmy


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

And don't over-chum - 3 or 4 pieces and wait til that's eaten or out of sight, then 3 or 4 more, etc. VERY important to let the bait fall unrestricted - leave slack line on the water. And try a red hook in a red meat chunk like bonito. Let your bait go out of sight, and flourocarbon leader.


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

yep.
those red snapper can see a fishing line 50 feet off, i think. no colored line.
larger the line, they'll see it and won't touch it. smallest mono you can get away with and the longest leader you can handle. fish on.

jack


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