UTERRed snapper fishing in The First Coast
In The First Coast, red snapper peak May–August and are around year-round, spawning in June–August, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. July: Big Atlantic red snapper on the live bottom off Jacksonville — the Atlantic season is very short; check MyFWC.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Red snapper in The First Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayPeak
- JuneSpawning
- JulySpawningBig Atlantic red snapper on the live bottom off Jacksonville — the Atlantic season is very short; check MyFWC.
- AugustSpawning
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish red snapper near Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Jacksonville
Spartina marsh, oyster-lined creeks and the Intracoastal from Ponce Inlet to the Georgia line, the St. Johns River and the Mayport jetties, St. Augustine and Matanzas inlets, and the beaches. More like Georgia's lowcountry than the rest of Florida.
Fish Scouter charts 191 wreck, 130 artificial reef, 43 ledge / hard bottom spots in the The First Coast map area — the kinds red snapper hold on.
What to use for red snapper
- Cigar minnowsNose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper.
- PinfishHooked through the back ahead of the dorsal on a 2/0 to 4/0 circle hook; the small ones free-lined, the big ones on a fish-finder rig.
- Threadfin herring (greenbacks)Nose-hooked on a circle hook and free-lined, or slow-trolled. Fragile — handle them wet and fast.
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 64–84°F water, best at 70–80°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch red snapper in The First Coast?
Peak season is May–August, with fish spawning in June–August (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Red snapper are here year-round. July: Big Atlantic red snapper on the live bottom off Jacksonville — the Atlantic season is very short; check MyFWC.
Where do red snapper hold in The First Coast?
Look on artificial reef, wreck — around Daytona Beach, St. Augustine, Jacksonville, Mayport, Fernandina Beach.
What is the best bait for red snapper in The First Coast?
Live bait: cigar minnows, pinfish, threadfin herring (greenbacks), squid. Cigar minnows: Nose-hooked on a stinger rig for kings, or a 4/0 circle hook dropped to the bottom for grouper. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for red snapper in The First Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and change — read the current rule at https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/ before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://myfwc.com/license/recreational/.
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