UTERMutton snapper fishing in The Florida Keys
In The Florida Keys, mutton snapper peak March–June and are around year-round, spawning in May–June, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Spawning aggregations around the full moon — Riley's Hump off the Dry Tortugas is the famous one (protected area). Check MyFWC.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Mutton snapper in The Florida Keys, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchPeak
- AprilPeak
- MaySpawningSpawning aggregations around the full moon — Riley's Hump off the Dry Tortugas is the famous one (protected area). Check MyFWC.
- JuneSpawningStill spawning on the reef edge.
- JulyAround
- AugustAround
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish mutton snapper near Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon
Oceanside flats and patch reefs inside the reef line, the reef itself, then the Gulf-side banks and basins of Florida Bay and the backcountry. Bridges and channels connect the two. The clearest, warmest water in the state.
Fish Scouter charts 1,715 ledge / hard bottom, 695 artificial reef, 340 wreck spots in the The Florida Keys map area — the kinds mutton snapper hold on.
What to use for mutton 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.
- 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.
- BallyhooRigged on a wire or mono trolling rig, skipping or swimming, behind a skirt or naked.
- Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 70–88°F water, best at 74–84°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch mutton snapper in The Florida Keys?
Peak season is March–June, with fish spawning in May–June (often a closed or catch-and-release window — check the rule). Mutton snapper are here year-round. May: Spawning aggregations around the full moon — Riley's Hump off the Dry Tortugas is the famous one (protected area). Check MyFWC.
Where do mutton snapper hold in The Florida Keys?
Look on artificial reef, wreck, ledge / hard bottom, channel edge — around Key Largo, Islamorada, Marathon, Big Pine, Key West.
What is the best bait for mutton snapper in The Florida Keys?
Live bait: pilchards (whitebait), pinfish, ballyhoo, blue crabs. 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 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for mutton snapper in The Florida Keys?
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/.
Fish it with the tide in your pocket
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