Yellowtail snapper fishing in Biscayne Bay

In Biscayne Bay, yellowtail snapper peak March–September and are around year-round, spawning in May–July, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. June: Spawning fish on the reef.

Now · October

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No note for October — see the months around it.

Yellowtail snapper in Biscayne Bay, month by month

JanuaryAround
FebruaryAround
MarchPeak
AprilPeak
MaySpawning
JuneSpawningSpawning fish on the reef.
JulySpawning
AugustPeak
SeptemberPeak
OctoberAround
NovemberAround
DecemberAround

Where to fish yellowtail snapper near Homestead, Key Biscayne, Miami

Biscayne Bay's grass flats and the finger channels between them, the bayside mangrove shorelines of the national park, the inlets (Government Cut, Haulover, Port Everglades), and the reef line within a couple of miles of the beach.

Structure it holds on

Artificial reefWreck

Towns and waters

HomesteadKey BiscayneMiamiHauloverFort Lauderdale

Fish Scouter charts 515 artificial reef, 391 wreck, 332 ledge / hard bottom spots in the Miami & Biscayne Bay map area — the kinds yellowtail snapper hold on.

What to use for yellowtail snapper

Pilchards (whitebait)Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore.
Live shrimpUnder a popping cork or free-lined, hooked under the horn on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook; on a jig head for the bottom. The universal inshore bait.
SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
Glass minnows (bay anchovies)Thrown by the handful as chum for Spanish, trout and ladyfish, or several on a tiny hook.

Leader10–20 lb fluorocarbon
Hook#4–#1
Braid10–15 lb

Feeds in 70–88°F water, best at 74–84°F.

Questions anglers ask

When is the best time to catch yellowtail snapper in Biscayne Bay?

Peak season is March–September, with fish spawning in May–July (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Yellowtail snapper are here year-round. June: Spawning fish on the reef.

Where do yellowtail snapper hold in Biscayne Bay?

Look on artificial reef, wreck — around Homestead, Key Biscayne, Miami, Haulover, Fort Lauderdale.

What is the best bait for yellowtail snapper in Biscayne Bay?

Live bait: pilchards (whitebait), live shrimp, squid, glass minnows (bay anchovies). Pilchards (whitebait): Free-lined or under a cork, hooked through the nose on a #1 to 2/0 circle hook. The one bait that catches everything inshore. Tackle: leader 10–20 lb fluorocarbon, hook #4–#1, braid 10–15 lb.

What are the rules for yellowtail snapper in Biscayne Bay?

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/.

The current FWC rule →Open the app for today's yellowtail snapper read

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