By Admiral Butcher Jones
There was a day many years ago when my friend Joey Z and I decided to not go on the boat fluke fishing with my father and uncle, but rather stay at the dock and catch snappers, the voracious baby bluefish that fill our back bays every year at this time. And catch we did. We filled our buckets with more than 100 of them. When we went home, they got fried and eaten by anyone with fingers.
You can’t take 100 home with you anymore. In fact, you can only keep 10, as per New York State regulations. It makes sense, as we need to protect the young if we want a future. More Long Island anglers cut their teeth reeling in these nasty little critters, myself included, and set in motion a lifetime of fishing in salt water. Their tenacity as kids carries through in a big way, and it is not tough to understand their appeal. The best thing about snapper fishing is the relative ease with which they can be caught. Using a variety of baits, from artificial to natural, you can get the same results when the fish are around.
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The easiest method is the old bobber and bait trick. It harkens back to the old Huck Fin days. Hit your local bait shop and get a package of snapper hooks. Snapper hooks generally have a longer shank than other hooks. Pick up a plastic clip on float or bobber, too. In these parts the king bait is spearing. Fresh is always best when it comes to buying bait, but frozen is what you will usually find, and that’s OK.
When you get to your fishing spot, gauge the depth of the water. This is important when determining how high to place your bobber about the hook. Adjust the depth of the bobber until you find the fish. Hooking the spearing is not difficult at all, but good technique is important. Thread the hook so the bait looks natural, not bunched up or folded on half. Keep the hook low, too, since the snappers will often bite the bait in half.
Be vigilant, too. Don’t let them swallow the hook. When you get a hit, set the hook and reel. Remember, they may be tough but they are just kids. Keep them safe.
Another very productive method is a snapper popper. A popper rig is made of a conical-shaped, Styrofoam piece, about three and a half inches long or so. A leader is attached to it, and at the end is a hook with a small piece of tube on it. No bait is necessary. Cans and retrieve with a popping motion. The splash made by the lead piece attracts snappers, while the tube and hook emulate a spearing or other baitfish gyrating in the water. It is a deadly piece of tackle for snappers of all sizes.
Of course, small tins like cast masters will work well, too. The small treble hooks can present a problem when trying to pry them from a smaller snapper, so crush the barbs. It is worth it. You’ll save a lot of lives, and a lot of fishing time. When they are biting, you don’t want to waste a second fumbling with unhooking a fish.
And lastly, if you have a kid or know a kid—take them snapper fishing!
