# What's your Goto snapper bait?



## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

I've used mostly cigar minnows and whatever the bait boat has on hand. Could I use cut ladyfish, bluefish and other plentiful surf fish as cut bait? I assume I should exclude hard heads.


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## daniel9829 (Jan 31, 2009)

sounds crazy I use a 3oz jig head with a 6-9" swim bait.


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## Splittine (Nov 24, 2007)

You could literally catch them on dog crap. They will eat anything.


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## RedLeg (Mar 15, 2014)

We've tied a fried chicken wing on and caught them...they're like wolves...once they get going they are vicious predators!


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## how2fish (Jan 21, 2008)

My favorite is a pinfish..it will catch A.J's or Grouper also or cut Bonito ! For larger snapper we use larger chunks of Bonito....


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## Deep South (Oct 8, 2007)

Ruby redlips.


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## jvalhenson (May 14, 2008)

big live croaker and medium sized ground mullet for the big ones 20lbs+. Anything from 15lbs down any smaller live baits and cut bonita.


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Deep South said:


> Ruby redlips.


Live?


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## Pinfish Killer (Jun 14, 2010)

Live pinfish or blue runners. For cut bait, Bonita always works for us.


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## badonskybuccaneers (Aug 19, 2013)

johnf said:


> Live?


I can answer for me- Yes, live ruby lips, pinfish, cigar minnows.... etc. Live baits would tend to get better reaction strikes in my opinion. 


I have used all the baits described above- and try to get and keep a variety on the boat because you never know what they might be in the mood for. One trip we ended up catching the biggest fish on dead scaled sardines. Who'd have guessed. 
Also big paddletails / swimbaits like the Big Hammer, or big grubs / curly tail soft plastic swimbaits.
I've even had them hit Shimano Flat-Fall jigs!


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## george hirst (Feb 28, 2014)

live menhaden!!


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## Mark Collins (Dec 27, 2012)

johnf said:


> I've used mostly cigar minnows and whatever the bait boat has on hand. Could I use cut ladyfish, bluefish and other plentiful surf fish as cut bait? I assume I should exclude hard heads.


Cut lady fish is awesome bait, you can catch several fish on 1 piece it is so tough.
Years ago the charter boats used salted down lady fish as bait


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Yam a dead cigar minnow inside a large squid. We call them "squid condoms".

Bonito chunks drifted back in a chum slick works awesome.

My favorite is live pinfish hooked through the lips.


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## Mark W (May 4, 2017)

I'm new to snapper fishing, but all the bigger ones that I caught last year was on Mendenhaden with the heads cut off hooked through the back. Probably a coinsidence.


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## wbdenamur (Jan 4, 2014)

I use large cut strips of king or Spanish mackerel. Big fish love it. The oily smell attracts them and the tough skin stays on better with multiple hits...less bait checking! Large northern mackerel will also work.


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## tbaxl (Mar 13, 2013)

Ham sandwich works as well as anything out there.


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

tbaxl said:


> Ham sandwich works as well as anything out there.


Bare hook. I can't believe there is a thread on what kind of bait for snappers. I can see one asking what they don't like.....


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

D. All the above


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## Jibber (Mar 29, 2014)

Cigar minnows. When we ran out of them we just use sandwich meat left over from lunch:thumbsup: No joke


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## FleaBag (Oct 19, 2016)

Squirrel fish if you want to catch the sow.


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## Deep South (Oct 8, 2007)

johnf said:


> Live?


Yes sir. Stop at any of the close in public spots and within 45 minutes you can usually load up.


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## JVT (Jun 5, 2009)

Live pinfish, and a butterflied ruby lips always gets a bite.


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