# What rigs do you use for Snapper?



## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

What rigs do you use for snapper? I mostly see people use something that looks like a giant Carolina rig. Hook, about 3ft of flouro leader, swivel, and a sliding weight on the main line. I have tried this wsetup, but mostly get my bait stolen from all the smaller fish that I never even feel because of the "loose" line at the end.

I usually use what I call a dropper rig. It's about 3ft of flouro leader with a snap swivel at the bottom (for the weight) and a barrel swivel at the top. Somewhere in the middle is a dropper loop /hook. I have ALOT fewer instances of stolen bait, alot more small fish caught, but no big ones... And I am fishing same reefs where others are catching nice snapper.

Anyone have any input?


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

The larger ones will be higher in the water column. We catch on top using chum.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

Interesting. Did not know that. Thanks for the tips.
How high in colum? I'm usually in 55-65ft of water.
Higher in column, we usually catch Spades... Sometimes BIG ones! haha


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Either Carolina rig of various lengths and leader strengths, knocker rigs and freelined baits


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## BlackJeep (Jun 13, 2010)

I kayak fish and sometimes see the snapper come up to within 5 or 10 feet of the surface without chum. I often catch good snapper in the 30-40 ft depths when the water is 65 ft, but they'll change depths and spook to the bottom from time to time.

Shorten your 'carolina' rig if you're not feeling them, but snapper are usually not the shy ones... its the triggers and other miscellaneous bandits that often steal your bait unnoticed. Try live bait and your strikes should be more noticeable..... consider that your bait will constantly be trying to escape which means you'll always have a tight line to the sinker and a hungry snapper chasing bait will have to make a more aggressive strike to hit a moving target.


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## ryanbr (Oct 10, 2007)

Use both. Look at the bait your using. If you're on a heavily fished public wreck you may have to lighten your line, or spend the time to catch live bait. Cigs, threadfin, squirrelfish, etc. And if nobody's catching fish try other stuff. If you're not catching anything it may not be your luck, there probably isnt much there.


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## NoMoSurf (Oct 2, 2007)

We almost always have live bait in the middle of the coumn. All we have ever caught on it were Kings though.
I'm afraid to go any smaller on the leader. We already use as small as 20lb flouro...
I know the fish are there. Other people are catching them and I can see them on the finder. We are just doing something wrong...


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Dropper rig or chicken rigs are good but for the bigger fish use an egg sinker and a long leader ( 4' or better ), 40 to 60 #with about a 6/0 circle hook.


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## floorman1 (Jan 10, 2012)

What is a chicken rig lobsterman and whae you say 40 to 60 do you mean mono or fluor went to a public spot today didnt catch anything while boat beside me loaded up on 10 to 20 lb snapper my wife and kids are starting to hate fishing i think they arent liking me much either


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## flukedaddy (Apr 11, 2009)

floorman1 said:


> What is a chicken rig lobsterman and whae you say 40 to 60 do you mean mono or fluor went to a public spot today didnt catch anything while boat beside me loaded up on 10 to 20 lb snapper my wife and kids are starting to hate fishing i think they arent liking me much either


 Man thats hiarious sorry bout your luck and family issues lol.... I have been on the same boat with someone fishing flouro and I didnt have any he whooped me( he had about a 10 ft leader I begged him for half he just laughed)Flouro the only way togo Chumming also very good for gettin them around your boat....


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

floorman1 said:


> What is a chicken rig lobsterman and whae you say 40 to 60 do you mean mono or fluor went to a public spot today didnt catch anything while boat beside me loaded up on 10 to 20 lb snapper my wife and kids are starting to hate fishing i think they arent liking me much either


I personally don't use fluoro, just mono. What bait were you using and what pass are you fishing out of?


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## floorman1 (Jan 10, 2012)

Fished out of destin about 7 miles out was looking for a spot that is on the gps on my boat but saw no releif anybody want to go on a free fishing trip this week weather looks good i have a 36 ft boat and just need alittle help learning how to set up on a spot and some pointers on using the electronics and rigging traing wheels too if you got em


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## floorman1 (Jan 10, 2012)

After i could not find what i was looking for cruised over by the other boats that were few miles away and watched them catch while i drowned cigs,pinfish,couple of small blues and caught one amora(well my wife caught it) yeah that hurt


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

What boat are you fishing on Floorman and what day do you want to go out?


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## floorman1 (Jan 10, 2012)

36` center console Dakota same boat as Palmetto 36 could go Tues. Thurs. Or Fri I dont have a extravagant set of tackle a couple of penn senator 4/0 a couple of 6/0 and a 9/0 but it has wire on it picked it up cheap in case I get a chance to troll for a wahoo also have couple of spinning set ups for free lining dont know the line size on any of them but guessing 30 on 4/0 and 60 on the 6/0


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## lobsterman (Sep 30, 2007)

Sweet boat but unfortunately my days to fish are Wednesdays and Saturdays. I will be more than happy to take you out and show you the ropes and rigging and bait and hooks and leader and whatever else you need to learn.


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