# Help with the allusive Mangrove snapper ??



## GROUPER GHETTO (May 27, 2014)

Any detailed help catching the all allusion mangrove snapper would be greatly appreciated. I can’t seem to ever catch any on the offshore spots after trying several times. Need help please ??


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## AdrenB (Jun 20, 2017)

Try chunking to get them up off the wreck, that tends to thin out the ARS a little


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

Following. I'm having the same problem. LOL



AdrenB said:


> Try chunking to get them up off the wreck, that tends to thin out the ARS a little


The only thing chunking ever brings off the reef for me is Remoras. :thumbdown: LOL


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## Cold Mil Tom (May 10, 2015)

Where are you fishing out of?


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

I love catching mangroves, they are one of my favorite fish. The big ones are Einsteins in comparison to big red snapper. My absolute favorite way to catch them is to chum. I catch, grind and freeze pogies (Gulf Menhaden) for chum. Make a chum bag from shrimp net webbing, the small mesh commercial ones are pretty useless for most chumming tasks. Anchor up current of your wreck or structure, tie your bag of frozen chum to a stern cleat and if the Mangs are there, they should show up within a few minutes. I like a 10' fluorocarbon leader, 30 lb. works for most situations but you'll sometimes have to go considerably smaller to get bit. Freelining a small chunk just big enough to cover a 1/0-2/0 live bait or circle hook will do the trick but you absolutely MUST NOT put any resistance on the bait as it drifts back in the chum. Many times they'll come right up to the transom and you'll be able to watch them take the bait. With the tremendous numbers of the more aggressive red snapper we have now, it makes catching mangroves a little tougher but no less fun. Also, with the shark and jewfish populations as they are, it can be hard to get a big one in the boat. You have to put all the pressure on them your tackle will bear and hope for the best. Another trick to get the fish up close to the surface in deep water is to tie a heavy lead on your chum bag, lower it to the bottom and bring it back up very slowly, jigging it as it comes. After dark, mangs lose a lot of their caution and the bite can get furious, but to me, there's nothing like sight fishing for them in the chum.


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## FleaBag (Oct 19, 2016)

they'll come up when there is no drift. calm conditions. don't over chum. just a few pieces at a time. change things up. squid. cig pieces, shrimp heads, greenies, etc. no or minimal lead 30/ 40 flouro. change your leader every time you get one.


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## GROUPER GHETTO (May 27, 2014)

Fishing out of Pensacola. Thanks for the info. Do you think a PVC chumm chopper will work to get them to the back of the boat ??? Are they on most wreck or reef spots in 100 to 160 foot deep spots or only closer in like all the stuff in state waters ??


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

GROUPER GHETTO said:


> Fishing out of Pensacola. Thanks for the info. Do you think a PVC chumm chopper will work to get them to the back of the boat ??? Are they on most wreck or reef spots in 100 to 160 foot deep spots or only closer in like all the stuff in state waters ??


The chopper takes a lot of work to get a continuous flow which is what you need to keep them up in the water column. Instead of chopping, you could be catching! Frozen chum in a bag takes all the work out of it. I'm east of you but we catch them on shallow water wrecks to well over a hundred feet.


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## Cold Mil Tom (May 10, 2015)

GROUPER GHETTO said:


> Fishing out of Pensacola. Thanks for the info. Do you think a PVC chumm chopper will work to get them to the back of the boat ??? Are they on most wreck or reef spots in 100 to 160 foot deep spots or only closer in like all the stuff in state waters ??



Disclaimer: I don't target them unless I happen to see them, but in my experience it is a hit and miss kind of thing. Some spots have a substantial population of them, some don't. They can be on inshore reefs in 8 feet of water and on rigs in 200+.


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## Bill Me (Oct 5, 2007)

What do you think are the characteristics of a good black snapper spot? Large relief? Low relief? Artificial, wreck, natural bottom, ledge?


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## GROUPER GHETTO (May 27, 2014)

Only time I caught one was over a chicken coop. I have seen other folks catching them over coops as well.


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## Catchemall (May 8, 2018)

Bill Me said:


> What do you think are the characteristics of a good black snapper spot? Large relief? Low relief? Artificial, wreck, natural bottom, ledge?


For the most part, wrecks, artificial reefs and large relief hold more and bigger fish. 
One spot we catch some really nice ones on is a heavily fished artificial reef. Most folks are bottom fishing or trolling, know nothing about chumming or free lining so the larger, smarter mangs don't get thinned out by the average fisherman.


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## Boat-Dude (Sep 24, 2011)

Catchemall, you do have it dialed in dude. It is just like that at the piers as well. Mangroves are smart as hell. If you have the slightest nick or abrasion on your fluorocarbon they will not go near it. Red snapper are dumb and will eat a ham sandwich.


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## Rickpcfl (Nov 12, 2013)

I'm really liking this thread with all the great advice. I love the fact that you can catch good sized, good tasting fish, that don't have a season (yet).

I'm going to work on learning how to catch these fish.


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## Cold Mil Tom (May 10, 2015)

Bill Me said:


> What do you think are the characteristics of a good black snapper spot? Large relief? Low relief? Artificial, wreck, natural bottom, ledge?


Big artificials come to mind. I'm usually fishing within 15 miles of OB but they are on rigs too. I see pictures of people catching over natural bottom to the east but I don't make it over there myself.

Ditto on catchemall's sentiment that there are some nice ones on heavily fished spots. They simply don't get caught by double squid chicken rigs -- chum, see, catch.


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## Bill Me (Oct 5, 2007)

Good info. I have been meaning to take a shot at them


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