Snapper Rigs

[feeder]

Do you guys have a favorite rig for catching red snapper? The 2 hook dropper loops that most party boats use seem to work at times but I was wondering if there are any better rigs you guys have had luck with. I sometimes use a modified carolina rig. Any pics or instructions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[bighead]

Hey feeder, I like the double/triple drops pretty well. Try using whole sardines hooked through the eye instead of cut bait to catch a little larger fish. The carolina rigs tend to tangle on me while dropping so I avoid them. The 3oz. snapper slapper tipped with a sardine works well, 5oz if your in large fish. Something I've come to really enjoy though is light spinning tackle for snapper. Rig a 7/0 straight shank hook with a mustad trailer hook, the kind that you squeeze the eyelet closed on the front hook, on light wire leader. Pinch on a 1/2 oz or so of split shot to the wire if the current is moving and attach a whole sardine. Cast off the back of the boat and hang on while it slowly drops. Larger snapper will come up for this, dog snapper, mangrove snapper, dolphin, and kings all love it too. I like this style of snapper fishing so much I just bought another rig just for it. bert

[feeder]

Thanks Bert. Are you attaching a trailing hook directly to the leading hook?

With the snapper slappers do you allow them to drop all the way to the bottom and then work them to the surface or do you just jig them up and down at a certain depth?

[bighead]

Yes, the trailer hook comes with an open eyelet that you crimp down on the bend of the leading hook. The larger fish seem to be more willing to come up farther from the bottom so drop the bait or slapper real slow. If while it's falling the line stops rolling off the reel briefly it's probably a bite. This all assumes the triggers are not a problem. Sometimes the bait will get stripped off the slapper and we have had some luck jigging the lure hard to get a bite but usually just pull it up and put on a new sardine.