UTERRed snapper fishing in Louisiana Coast
In Louisiana Coast, red snapper peak May–September and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Snapper on every platform; Louisiana sets its own season — check LDWF.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Red snapper in Louisiana Coast, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilAround
- MayPeakSnapper on every platform; Louisiana sets its own season — check LDWF.
- JunePeakIsland trout and platform snapper. Live shrimp at the islands and nearshore rigs; tripletail on the crab-trap floats.
- JulyPeak
- AugustPeakRigs and reefs while the season runs.
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish red snapper near Lake Charles, Cameron, Cocodrie
Millions of acres of marsh, ponds and bayous — Calcasieu, Barataria, Terrebonne, Lake Pontchartrain, Breton and Chandeleur sounds — fringed by barrier islands at Grand Isle, Elmer's and the Chandeleurs, the Mississippi River passes at Venice, and thousands of oil and gas platforms from the beach to blue water.
Fish Scouter charts 1,239 wreck, 438 artificial reef spots in the The Louisiana Marsh 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 Louisiana Coast?
Peak season is May–September. Red snapper are here year-round. May: Snapper on every platform; Louisiana sets its own season — check LDWF.
Where do red snapper hold in Louisiana Coast?
Look on artificial reef, wreck — around Lake Charles, Cameron, Cocodrie, Port Fourchon, Grand Isle, Lafitte.
What is the best bait for red snapper in Louisiana 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 Louisiana Coast?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) and change — read the current rule at https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/seasons-and-regulations before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/recreational-fishing-licenses-and-permits.
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All about red snapper · The Louisiana Marsh, the whole year