How To Catch Any Fish
  How To Catch Any Fish
  • Home
  • Species Guides
    • Saltwater Fish >
      • Barracuda >
        • Great Barracuda
        • Pacific Barracuda
      • Barramundi
      • Bass >
        • Calico Bass
        • Sand Bass
        • Spotted Bay Bass
        • White Sea Bass
      • Billfish >
        • Black Marlin
        • Blue Marlin
        • Pacific Sailfish
        • Striped Marlin
      • Black Drum
      • Bonefish
      • Groupers >
        • Broomtail Grouper
        • Goliath Grouper
        • Leopard Grouper
        • Tropical Cods
      • California Halibut
      • California Sheepshead
      • Dorado
      • Emperor Fishes
      • Giant Needlefish
      • Lingcod
      • Mackerels >
        • Cero Mackerel
        • King Mackerel
        • Pacific Sierra
      • Napoleon Wrasse
      • Redfish
      • Rockfish
      • Snappers >
        • Barred Pargo
        • Golden Snapper (Fingermark)
        • Green Jobfish
        • Mullet Snapper
        • Mutton Snapper
        • Pacific Cubera Snapper
        • Red Bass
        • Yellow Snapper
        • Yellowtail Snapper
      • Sheepshead
      • Silver Salmon
      • Snook
      • Speckled Trout
      • Tarpon
      • Trevallies and Jacks >
        • African Pompano
        • Amberjack
        • Bluefin Trevally
        • Brassy Trevally
        • California Yellowtail
        • Giant Trevally
        • Jack Crevalle
        • Queenfish
        • Rainbow Runner
        • Roosterfish
      • Tuna >
        • Albacore
        • Bonito
        • Dogtooth Tuna
        • Skipjack Tuna
        • Yellowfin Tuna
      • Wahoo
    • Freshwater Fish >
      • Arctic Grayling
      • Arowana (South American)
      • Bass >
        • Largemouth Bass
        • Peacock Bass
        • Rainbow Bass
        • Smallmouth Bass
        • Striped Bass
      • Catfish >
        • Blue Catfish
        • Channel Catfish
        • Redtail Catfish
        • Suribim Catfish
      • Clown Knifefish (Featherback)
      • Dolly Varden
      • Jacunda
      • Jaguar Cichlid
      • Machaca
      • Muskellunge
      • Panfish >
        • Bluegill
        • Crappie
        • Central American Cichlids
      • Payara
      • Pike
      • Piranha
      • Sardinata
      • Sheefish
      • Trout >
        • Brown Trout
        • Lake Trout
        • Rainbow Trout
      • Walleye
      • White Bass
      • White Sturgeon
      • Wolf Fish
  • Tackle Guide
    • Lure Reviews >
      • Bomber Fat Free Shad
      • Heddon Super Spook
      • Heru Bobara Lure Review
      • Heru Cubera Popper
      • Sebile Stick Shadd
      • Yo Zuri Crystal Minnow Review
    • Recommended Baitcasting Reels
    • Recommended Spinning Reels
    • Recommended Saltwater Conventional Reels
    • Recommended Freshwater Rods
    • Recommended Saltwater Rods
    • Recommended Line and Leaders
    • Recommended Terminal Tackle
    • Recommended Lodges and Guides
    • Fishing Apparel
  • Fishing Advice
    • Gear Selection
    • Fishing Knots
    • How to Release Fish
    • Lure Fishing
    • Bait Fishing
    • Tackle Tips
    • Pound for Pound Fight Ratings
    • Miscellaneous Tips
    • Seasickness
    • Getting Kids Into Fishing
    • California Party Boat Fishing
    • Float Tube Fishing
    • Fishing Travel Tips
    • Preventing Insect Bites
    • Spear Fishing Link
  • Trip Reports
    • US and Canada >
      • Shallow Water Bull Redfish - Louisiana
      • Lake O the Pines Texas Crappie
      • Cocodrie Louisiana Marshes
      • Alaska Sportsman's Lodge - Rainbows, Salmon, and Bears
      • South Florida Freshwater Exotics
      • Aniak River, Alaska - Trout, Salmon, Sheefish
      • Calcasieu and Venice Louisiana - Redfish and Trout
      • Southern California - A Summer of Party Boat Fishing
      • White River Arkansas - Brown Trout
      • Dry Tortugas, Florida - Massive Reef Variety
      • Boca Grande - Goliaths and Much More
      • Hawk Lake Ontario - Bass, Pike Walleye
    • Central America >
      • Drake Bay, Costa Rica - Inshore Quick Trip
      • Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica and Punta Burica, Panama - Offshore and Inshore
      • Osa Peninsula Costa Rica - Inshore Pargo and Roosters
      • San Quintin, Mexico - Yellowtail and Calico Bass
      • Cebaco Bay, Panama - Inshore Popping and Jigging
      • Rio Indio Nicaragua - Tarpon, Rainbow Bass, and More
      • Lake Agua Milpa Mexico - Family Bass Trip
      • Puerto Vallarta - Marlin, Mahi, Tuna, Pargo
      • Puerto Vallarta - Big Offshore Giants and Pargo
      • San Quintin, Mexico - White Seabass and Barracuda
      • Puerto Vallarta - Roosterfish Mania and Freshwater Bass
      • Puerto Vallarta - Inshore/Offshore Slam
      • Puerto Vallarta - Summer Inshore Monsters
      • San Evaristo Mexico - Baja Inshore Variety
      • Rio Parismina, Costa Rica - Tarpon
      • Mariato Panama Fall Giants
      • Mariato, Panama Inshore Bonanza
      • Mariato, Panama - Wind and Tuna
    • South America >
      • Amazon Bolivia - Big Payara and Variety
      • Amazon, Brazil - Peacock Bass, Wolffish, and Catfish
      • Amazon Brazil - Peacock Bass and Exotics
    • Australia and the Pacific >
      • Burdekin, Australia - Big Barramundi and Reef Variety
      • Great Barrier Reef Australia - Insane Reef Variety
      • Aitutaki, Cook Islands - Giant Trevally Popping and Napoleon Wrasse
      • New Caledonia - Popping Giant Trevally
      • Marshall Islands- Remote Reef Exotics
  • About/Contact
  • Videos
    • How To Videos
  • Best Places to Fish
    • Aitutaki
    • Amazon
    • Belize
    • Bolivia
    • California
    • Costa Rica
    • Florida
    • Great Barrier Reef
    • Mexico Fishing - Baja
    • Panama
    • Puerto Rico
    • Puerto Vallarta
Picture
Yellowtail Snapper caught in the Dry Tortugas, Florida
Yellowtail Snapper
Ocyurus chrysurus
HOME
Other Species

Yellowtail Snapper Description

Yellowtail Snapper are a smaller reef fish found in the western Atlantic from Florida down to Brazil.  They are a favorite food fish throughout the Caribbean.  They rarely exceed 5lbs but are often abundant and are a good fish to use to introduce kids to fishing.  They put up a strong fight for their size using their disproportionately large tail.  They are a schooling fish and can be chummed to the boat in large numbers.  The presence of larger fish such as barracuda and sharks may drive them away.  They have good eyesight and can be difficult to fool with artificial lures.

Large Yellowtails are called "flags" throughout Florida.  Generally a fish over 18 inches is considered a flag.

Yellowtail Snapper Pound for Pound Fight Rating - 6 out of 10 on the Saltwater Scale

Yellowtail Snapper are scrappy, but not the gorillas of the reef that some other snappers are.  They put up a decent fight for their small size.

Yellowtail Snapper Culinary Rating - High

Yellowtail Snapper are absolutely delicious with firm white meat that can be cooked a number of ways like most Snapper.

Yelllowtail Snapper Tackle
 

Spinning tackle in the 10lb-20lb class is the way to go for these.  Baitcasting tackle can be difficult to use due to the necessity of casting light baits and letting them free drift with the current.

Yellowtail Snapper Techniques

Find rocky structure in 150ft or less of water start chumming with a block of frozen chum.  Once the fish are attracted to the chum, you can drift back baits or cast small artificials.

Yellowtail Snapper Lures

I must disclose up front that I have never caught one of these on an artificial lure.  However, I have heard that small bucktail jigs sometimes work, especially if tipped with shrimp or squid.  However, bait is generally much more effective.

Yellowtail Snapper Baits

Cut bait such as ballyhoo, sardines, squid, or shrimp are effective.  The best way to fish is to mostly bury the hook in the bait, then freeline it into the chum slick so that it drifts back with the rest of the chum.  Leave the line in free spool and let the line slowly peel off as the bait drifts back.  If the line starts peeling off faster, a fish has picked it up.  Give it a slow three count and flip the bail and set the hook.  Most big Yellowtail are caught this way.

Where to get the big Yellowtail Snapper

The Dry Tortugas islands off of Key West have lots of big ones.

Other Yellowtail Snapper Resources

These guys will put you on fish: 
www.majesticseascharters.com
Picture
Yellowtail Snapper caught in the Florida Keys
Picture
Yellowtail Snapper caught in the Dry Tortugas, Florida