How to catch Cubera snapper in Florida

Cubera snapper feed in 72–88°F water and bite best at 76–86°F. Fish Scouter's season calendar follows them in 2 waters.

90 pts · trophy at 40"Feeds 72–88°FBest 76–86°FOut of season nowWreckLedge / hard bottomArtificial reefBridge

About

The biggest snapper in the sea — a hundred pounds of teeth and attitude on the deep wrecks off the Keys and Palm Beach, spawning on the summer full moons. A whole lobster on a rope of a leader is the traditional bait.

How to fish it

Heavy tackle on a deep wreck at night on a summer full moon; a big live bait dropped to the structure and wound the instant it's eaten.

What it eats

live lobster (where legal)live blue crabsbig live baits

Live bait for it

Blue crabsWhole and small for permit and tarpon; halved or quartered on the bottom for black drum, redfish and cobia.

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.

Blue runners (hardtails)Nose-hooked and slow-trolled on a wire stinger rig for kings; bridled for sailfish and cobia.

What to fish it with

the sizes that fish it

Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon

Hook2/0–7/0

Braid30–65 lb

The rule

not confirmed here

Minimum size within the snapper aggregate; confirm at MyFWC.

The current rule at MyFWC →

Where it is, month by month

PPeakSSpawningAArriving·AroundLLeaving

Florida

The Florida Keys

Miami & Biscayne Bay

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