Yellowtail Snapper are a smaller reef fish found in the Atlantic and Gulf waters of Florida. They are a favorite food fish throughout the Caribbean. They rarely exceed 5 pounds but are often abundant and are a good fish to use to introduce kids to fishing. They put up a strong fight for their size using their disproportionately large tail. They are a schooling fish and can be chummed to the boat in large numbers. The presence of larger fish such as barracuda and sharks may drive them away. They have good eyesight and can be difficult to fool with artificial lures.
Large Yellowtails are called “flags” throughout Florida. Generally a fish over 18 inches is considered a flag.
Yellowtail Snapper pound for pound fight rating between 6 out of 10 on the Saltwater Scale
Yellowtail Snapper are scrappy, but not the gorillas of the reef that some other snappers are. They put up a decent fight for their small size.
Also, they are absolutely delicious with firm white meat that can be cooked a number of ways like most Snapper.
Spinning tackle in the 10lb-20lb class is the way to go for these. Baitcasting tackle can be difficult to use due to the necessity of casting light baits and letting them free drift with the current. Look for structure in 150ft or less of water start chumming with a block of frozen chum. Once the fish are attracted to the chum, you can drift back baits or cast small artificials.
I bought some small bucktail jigs that sometimes work, especially if tipped with shrimp or squid. However, bait is generally much more effective.
Finally, cut bait such as ballyhoo, sardines, squid, or shrimp are effective. The best way to fish is to mostly bury the hook in the bait, then freeline it into the chum slick so that it drifts back with the rest of the chum. Leave the line in free spool and let the line slowly peel off as the bait drifts back. If the line starts peeling off faster, a fish has picked it up. Give it a slow three count and flip the bail and set the hook. Most big Yellowtail are caught this way.
