# Snapper Help



## Walk (Nov 18, 2015)

Wanting to try some snapper fishing but don't know where to start. Fishing out of dauphin island/Fort Morgan area. Any help is appreciated I have some public numbers and will start there, but you can't anchor on reef correct? So do I just troll or drift? What are best baits? In a sea pro 186cc.


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## Chapman5011 (Mar 7, 2013)

You can anchor..

Go to strikelinescharts.com 
He has all the public numbers for free. Or you can go to blue water ship store in foley and scott can download all the public numbers on your machine for $50 if you can't figure out how to do it yourself. 

Drifting over structure is also a good option with live or cut bait


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## Walk (Nov 18, 2015)

Thanks a ton.. Need me some buddies I can go with and learn. But the fisherman I know are all inshore lol


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

Get a reef anchor


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## submariner (Oct 2, 2007)

What the Op is thinking about is that you are not supposed to anchor on a live reef. Our "Reefs" up in the NorthWest FL are really sunken junk , not live reefs- bridge rubble, boats, ect. The reason Tom said get a reef anchor was sometimes the anchor will hang up. Good idea to go with someone. Post in the ride wanted section


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

Yes, I agree with everything Submariner said. 

It is best to find a ride along that knows what he is doing. I've been trying to figure it out Snapper on my own for about 5 years now and cant seem to catch shiz.... Have gotten very good at Kings, Spades, and undersized triggers though! haha


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## backwoodstractor (Jun 2, 2016)

went with a buddy last yr an put in there at ft morgan area an went out down the coast like 3 miles an hooked up an tied to one of them natural gas rigs an fished away, the snappers are like bream fishing here in the back yard, there every were down there, I caught a really nice one round 24 lbs an boy did he pull. I was glowing for days,,, my buddy get up a daylite an fishs till like 9 then comes back in, by then ya have ur 2 a person, I was like um really theres allways something else down there that we mite can keep, I wanting to go back this yr with my boat an buds an fish it longer an look for other fish too. we just tied off to rig an used whole frozen cigar minows


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## cape horn 24 (Sep 29, 2007)

Nothing wrong tying up to the rigs, just be careful them steel legs will win every time with a fiberglass boat.


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## CCC (Sep 3, 2008)

NoMoSurf said:


> Yes, I agree with everything Submariner said.
> 
> It is best to find a ride along that knows what he is doing. I've been trying to figure it out Snapper on my own for about 5 years now and cant seem to catch shiz.... Have gotten very good at Kings, Spades, and undersized triggers though! haha


I did the same thing, buy some numbers from strike line charts and limit out and go home, no more guess work. :notworthy:


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## Magic236 (Oct 1, 2007)

I drift, I think I had rather go shopping with my wife for shoes than anchor for bottom fish. Before you get to the area. Stop watch your chartplotter and note your drift. If the drift is SW to NE for example as you approach your spot, start you drift on SW side of reefs so that you will drift over or very near the reef. It takes a little practice and you have to adjust during the day as conditions change but it works much better than dropping anchor several times before you hit the sweet spot of the reef.

I you have an area you want to fish and plan to chum, anchor up and bring the fish to you.

Bait? Cigar minnows (live or dead) and Northern Mackerel


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## markbxr400 (Jul 23, 2013)

I get over the structure, deploy my iPilot over the spot, and fish. 80% of the time, the iPilot holds me. If wind and current are too great, I drift like Magic described above.


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## Sirhc (Sep 23, 2014)

markbxr400 said:


> I get over the structure, deploy my iPilot over the spot, and fish. 80% of the time, the iPilot holds me. If wind and current are too great, I drift like Magic described above.


I have a 72 inch i pilot on a 24ft bay boat and its priceless. The snapper are not spooked what so ever, as I have seen them all around the boat while fishing in rollers and occasionally hearing the prop cavitate at different times.


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