Tested Snapper Bait

Snapper Bait Options

Bait for snapper needs to be fresh. Even when using frozen fresh means it hasn’t been in the freezer for over a year and defrosted multiple times. Some bait shops offer premium frozen bait. But there’s some around that treat it as some kind of everlasting lump that doesn’t need much care. You can usually tell. The frozen bait is soft, or has hardened but is crumbly, looks a bit “wrong” or isn’t a nice blue and white of a quality pilchard or “pillie”, a healthy looking squid etc.

This is why my personal tip to people, always, is to try and buy bait before you get to your fishing spot*. Find a good store in your local area that offers good quality bait and buy there. That’s not to say you shouldn’t buy local bait at a fishing destination. By all means support the locals, just don’t be caught short on quality, or availability.

Pilchards

Probably the number one recommended bait to use for snapper fishing. But not necessarily by me. When I target snapper I always used pilchards on a boat, but only sometimes on land. As you’ll see later on this page I use chicken breast a lot for land-based snapper fishing.

You can fish a pilchard whole, filleted or as chunks. Some people put a whole pilchard onto a ganged hook. I often use snapper rigs with colour skirting and so tend to use chunks. Allowing the skirt to do the visual work and the pilchard to appeal to the fish’s sense of taste/smell.

Squid

Squid tentacles in particular make awesome snapper bait. A nice dangling squid tentacle off of a hook is perfect. Squid also makes a tough bait that is good for holding other bait like pilchards, pippies etc on the hook. Kind of a “cocktail” bait and it is very effective used this way.

Mussels & Pippis

They work, no question, but probably not my first choice for snapper. Not because snapper don’t like them, because they do, but because other baits are more robust and easier to hold on your hook.

Fish Fillets

A fillter of silver withing or mullet makes an excellent snapper bait. Clearly for adult specimens, not the smaller pinkie snapper. A ganged hook can be very effective hear in presenting the bait naturally and increasing the hookup rate.

Chicken Breast

This is my land-based favourite. It catches a lot of fish beyond snapper. I salt it to toughen it (non iodized salt please, not table salt) and often add garlic, aniseed or other “attractants.” I have caught more pinkies using chicken breast than any other bait when fishing land-based.

Note on chicken breast vs thigh etc. Chicken breast is good, firm meat. Thigh tends to be stringy. It’s not so much that the fish prefer it, its that its easier to work with the chicken breast.

I cut the breast up into chunks, squares, strips (like a worm or tentacle) etc.