Snapper Fishing Guide 101

There is no single way to fish for snapper. But there are some simple ways that a lot of people use, some of those ways I use. The most common method is bait fishing by far. Though there are a lot of succesful people using lures, too.

These are some of the things I consider when going snapper fishing:

• Landbased I prefer Dusk or Dawn, on a boat most of the day, but an early morning or late afternoon start can be effective.
• Try to provide a bait choice suitable for a fish that preys and opportunistically feeds on small fish, crustaceans, shellfish and squid.
• Use a rig that’s proven to work with snapper. I prefer paternoster, but many people use a running sinker or other rig variation.
• Use berley. Berley is the key component most people seem to almost avoid using when land based fishing in particular.
• Be prepared to change hook sizes and bait if you are not getting results.
• Pay attention to the prevailing weather conditions. An Easterly wind on Port Phillip Bay, for exanple, is often not ideal. A westerly or north westerly and south westerly are better options. This varies geographicaly to some extent and shared knowledge from local anglers is worth its weight in gold.
• Bigger speciemns, when land based, are less likely to come in close to shore when conditions are calm, strong sunlight and clear water.
• Check out our mini guides below for a detailed overview of these key snapper fishing elements.