Red Snapper or Redfish- Which One Should You Target?

You’ve always wanted to go to the water to fish in saltwater. The two most sought-after options are red snapper as well as redfish. But which should you target? Before getting your equipment and baiting your hooks, you must understand the distinction between these fierce combatants and the most effective method to capture them.

Red snappers dwell over reefs and wrecks offshore, while Redfish prowl the shallow flats and mangroves. To catch snapper, you’ll want stout rods and reels spooled with braided line to haul them up from deep water. A medium-spinning combo and live shrimp or baitfish will do the trick for redfish. 

Do you want an offshore adventure, or would you instead stalk the shallows? Either way, tight lines! With the right strategy, you’ll soon have a cooler full of delicious filets. The choice is yours – Red snapper or Redfish.

These two popular sports fish are found in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean but are quite different.

Red Snapper or Redfish- What’s the Difference?

Red snapper has a distinctive red color and lives in deeper offshore waters, especially around reefs and shipwrecks. They have a longer, tapered body and can grow up to 40 inches and 50 lbs. 

Red snappers are prized for their flaky white meat and are often served in high-end restaurants. To catch red snapper, you’ll need heavy tackle, bait like squid or mackerel, and patience – they live in depths of 60-600 feet.

On the other hand, Redfish live in estuaries, coastal waters, and rivers. They have a copper-colored skeleton with a distinct black mark on their tails. They can grow to as large as 50 inches and 60 pounds. 

Redfish are bottom feeders, dining on crabs, shrimp, and small fish. Their meat is also delicious, with a mildly sweet flavor. You can catch redfish from shore or a small boat using light tackle and live or cut bait like shrimp, mullet, or menhaden.

While red snapper and redfish share a color and culinary popularity, there are critical differences in their habitat, size, diet, and fishing methods. But whichever one you target, you’re sure to have an exciting battle on your hands and delicious filets on your plate. The choice is whether you prefer dropping a line in deep sea or shallow surf.

Identifying Characteristics of Red Snapper

So you’re ready to catch either red snapper or redfish, but how do you know which one you’ve hooked? There are a few key ways to identify these popular sports fish.

Distinguishing Characteristics of Red Snapper

Red snappers have a distinctive sloping profile, with a pointed snout and a downward-slanting mouth. Their scales are rough to the touch, and they sport a red hue that deepens when they’re excited or removed from the water. You’ll find red snapper in coastal areas and around reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and southern Atlantic, typically in waters 30 to 200 feet deep.

You’ll want to use bait like squid, shrimp, crab, and fish chunks to catch red snapper. A basic rod and reel setup with a fish finder or bottom rig and size 4/0 to 6/0 hook will work great. Red snappers can put up an intense fight, so prepare for them to make several runs once hooked.

On the other hand, Redfish can be found in the shallower estuaries, coastal waters, and even rivers. A mark distinguishes them at the bottom of their tails and a darker-colored area across their back that turns silvery-grey on their sides. Redfish prefer crab, shrimp, and small baitfish. You’ll catch more redfish with a lightweight inshore setup, using a basic bottom rig or jig head and casting towards structures like docks, oyster beds, and grass flats.

Whether you’re after red snapper for the table or redfish for the thrill of the catch, knowing how to identify your target and the proper techniques will help ensure you reel in your prize. Tight lines!

Identifying Characteristics of Redfish

Redfish, also known as red drum, are popular game fish along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Unlike red snapper, which are found in deeper waters, redfish inhabit shallow coastal areas, estuaries, and rivers. You’ll need to head into the shallows to catch these prized fish.

Distinctive Markings

Redfish are identified by their copper-colored body and the distinctive black spot near the tail. They have a sloping forehead and elongated body, with the upper jaw extending beyond the lower jaw. Redfish also have rough scales, especially on the head and gill covers.

As redfish mature, they develop a hump behind the head, but their most recognizable feature remains the black spot at the base of the tail. This spot helps distinguish redfish from similar species like black drum or croaker. The spot tends to disappear or fade in larger, older fish.

Gearing Up

You’ll want gear that can handle their size and strength to hook into a redfish. A 7-9 foot medium-heavy rod with a baitcasting or spinning reel spooled with a 20-30 pound test line works well. 

For bait, live or fresh shrimp, mullet, menhaden, crab, and clam are famous. You can also use a variety of artificial lures like spoons, jigs, soft plastic shrimp, or paddle tail grubs.

When fishing in shallow waters, be very cautious of your surroundings. Redfish spook easily, so move slowly and avoid loud noises. Anchor or stake out along drop-offs, creek mouths, docks, and grass lines. Cast your bait or lure near the structure and reel slowly with slight twitches or pauses. 

Be ready for a hard strike and fight when you get a bite – redfish are potent fighters!

With the right gear and technique, you’ll reel in a prized redfish in no time. Just remember to look for that distinctive black spot to confirm you’ve got the right fish on the line!

Red Snapper Habitat and Behavior

Habitat

Red snapper inhabits reefs, rocky bottoms, and drop-offs in the Atlantic Ocean, preferring hard bottom areas with ledges and caves. They tend to gather in large schools around structures. As juveniles, red snapper are often found in shallow, coastal waters, especially around oil rigs and other artificial reefs. They move into deeper offshore waters as they get older and more significant.

Feeding Behavior

Red snappers are extremely adaptable eaters, consuming an array of invertebrates and fish, such as shrimp, crabs, worms, and squid. To get their meals, they rely on their razor-sharp teeth and strong jaws to open the shells that often belong to molluscs and crustaceans. At night, red snappers move up in the water column to feed. During the day, they stay close to the bottom, hiding in caves and crevices.

Seasonal Movements

You’ll want to focus on rocky reefs, drop-offs, and wrecks in waters from 60 to 200 feet deep to catch red snapper. Live or fresh-cut bait like shrimp, squid, or small fish will work well for red snapper. You can also jig with spoons and vertical jigs or troll diving plugs and spoons. Spinning or conventional reels with 20 to 30-pound test lines are good all-purpose setups for red snapper.

Since red snapper tends to school over structure, anchoring or drifting over spots is an effective technique. 

Once you’ve located a good area, drop your baited lines to the bottom and wait for a bite. Red snapper will inhale the bait aggressively, so be ready to set the hook immediately. Their sharp teeth can easily cut through monofilament lines, so use a short length of steel leader to prevent cut-offs.

The red snapper fought intensely, stripping the line and making powerful runs. Getting one to the surface can be challenging, especially in deep water where the air bladder can expand. Be patient, and don’t rush to get them up from the depths. Once you’ve landed a red snapper, carefully handle them, as their spines and gill plates can cause injuries.

Redfish Habitat and Behavior

Habitat

Redfish gather around structures like jetties, piers, oyster reefs, and mangroves – anywhere that provides shelter and ambush spots for prey. Redfish are bottom dwellers, so look for areas with submerged vegetation, drop-offs, holes, or depressions in shallow waters.

Feeding Behavior

Redfish are opportunistic fish that consume anything they can fit into their mouths. This includes shrimp and crabs, mullet, menhaden, and smaller fish. They rely on scent to search for food on the bottom of the ocean. Once they detect prey, they inhale water and expel it rapidly to uncover the prey from the sea floor sediment. Then, they swoop in and gulp their meal with their protruding lower jaw.

Seasonal Movements

Redfish gather in large schools, especially in the warmer summer months. As water temperatures drop in the fall, the schools break into smaller groups and scatter to find warmer, more stable water conditions. Some redfish migrate to deeper offshore waters; others head into estuaries, bays, and rivers. In the spring, redfish start grouping again as the water warms and their spawning season approaches.

To catch these wary fish, use a medium-heavy rod and reel combo spooled with at least a 15 lb monofilament line. Live, or fresh-cut bait like shrimp, mullet, crabs, or finger mullet works great for redfish. Circle hooks in sizes 4/0 to 6/0 are ideal for hooking redfish in the mouth and increasing your catch and release survival rates. A popping cork or weighted Carolina rig allows you to cast far and keep your bait in the strike zone. Anchoring or drifting in likely areas can help you stay on the school. Once you get a bite, be ready for a hard fight! Redfish are potent fighters that can strip line in a hurry.

With the right gear and knowledge of their seasonal movements and habitat, you’ll be well on your way to catching your first redfish. Tight lines!

Best Baits, Lures, and Techniques for Catching Red Snapper

When fishing for red snapper or redfish, using the right bait and gear can make a big difference in your success. Here are some of the best techniques for catching these popular sport fish.

Live or Fresh Cut Bait

Both red snapper and redfish love live or freshly cut bait like shrimp, squid, mullet, or pinfish. For red snapper, thread a whole shrimp onto your hook or cut a squid strip into diamond shapes. For redfish, mullet and pinfish filets work great. Live or fresh bait will give off lots of scent in the water to attract the fish. Secure the bait well to your hook to avoid being stolen by smaller fish before the snapper or redfish find it.

Jigs

Jigs are weighted lures designed to mimic baitfish. They come in many colors, but red, white, and chartreuse work well for red snapper and redfish. Bounce the jig along the seafloor or over structures like reefs or shipwrecks, then jerk it up quickly to trigger a strike. The erratic movement of the jig convinces the fish that the lure is an easy meal trying to escape. Jigs allow you to cover more area and can be very effective, especially when live bait is hard to obtain.

Chumming

Try chumming the water to attract red snapper and redfish to your location for the best results. Make a chum slick by grinding up fish parts, shrimp shells, and fish oils and slowly releasing them into the current. The fish will follow the scent right to your bait or lures. Chumming is a great way to catch more and bigger fish, especially in areas with a lot of currents.

Using the proper bait and gear and techniques like chumming the water will increase your odds of catching your limit of red snapper or redfish. Be prepared for a hard fight, though, as both sport fish are powerful and won’t give up easily! You’ll be reeling in big catches in no time with some practice.

Best Baits, Lures, and Techniques for Catching Redfish

When targeting redfish, the key is using natural baits and lures that imitate their preferred prey. Redfish are opportunistic feeders, dining on crabs, shrimp, mullet, and pinfish. The top baits and lures to use include:

• Live or fresh shrimp and crabs. Nothing beats the real thing. Redfish love the smell and taste of live or fresh dead shrimp and blue crabs. Hook the shrimp under the tail and drift or slowly retrieve it along the bottom. For crabs, break off the claws and hook the body.
• Paddle tail grubs and swimbaits. Soft plastic lures that mimic baitfish like mullet or pinfish work great for redfish. Paddle tail grubs or swimbaits in natural colors like white, grey, or green, rigged weedless on a jig head. Slowly hop or steadily reel them along the bottom, pausing occasionally.
• Spoons and jigs. Flashy metal spoons or jigs will attract redfish using reflection and vibration. Cast and retrieve while bouncing the lure off the bottom or jig in short hops. Gold, silver, and pink are popular colors.
• Topwater plugs. For exciting topwater action, use surface plugs like poppers, walking baits, or chuggers. Redfish will explode on these lures, especially in low light conditions like sunrise or sunset. Work the lure with lots of splash and commotion.

The best techniques for catching redfish include

• Drift fishing or slow trolling with live or fresh bait. This allows you to cover a lot of water to locate fish. Once you get a bite, drop anchor and fish that spot.
• Fan casting. Make repeated casts in a fan pattern around structures like oyster reefs, jetties, docks, or mangroves where redfish like to feed. Work different depths and retrieve speeds to see what they prefer.
• Chumming. Throw out crushed crabs, shrimp, or baitfish to create a scent trail in the water that will attract redfish to your location. Then, fish with the same or similar bait.
• Stalking shallow flats. Pole your boat or wade along shallow grass flats and cast ahead of the boat to locate fish. Be stealthy and move slowly to avoid spooking fish in the skinny water.

With the right bait and technique, you’ll be hooking into hard-fighting redfish in no time! Let the battle begin.

Best Times and Locations to Target Red Snapper

The best times to target redfish and red snapper are typically in the summer, from June through September. During this season, both species feed most actively in preparation for spawning. Look for them around structures like oil rigs, jetties, piers, and reefs.

Summer Hotspots

In the Gulf of Mexico, head to offshore oil rigs and artificial reefs to find schools of red snapper. Popular spots include rigs off Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. Nearshore, target jetties, piers, and natural reefs for redfish. Some top locations are:

• The jetties in Galveston, Texas. Redfish gather at the mouth of passes and channel entrances.
• Pensacola Beach Pier and Navarre Beach Pier are the piers along the Florida panhandle.
• The natural reefs and wrecks off Cedar Key and Tampa Bay in Florida.

Best Setups

Use a baitcasting or spinning reel with a 30-50 lb test line and a baitfish like squid, shrimp, or live bait for red snapper. A weighted bottom or fish finder rig will get your bait near the seabed where red snapper feeds. A medium action rod with a 15-30 lb line for redfish is ideal. Live shrimp, crabs, mullet, or cut bait all work well. A simple Carolina or weighted bottom rig will keep your bait near the bottom.

You can still target either species if you’re limited to fishing from shore. For red snapper, cast out weighted bottom rigs with bait as far as possible from piers and jetties. For redfish, work the edges of mangroves, docks, and grass flats close to shore with live or cut bait. With some chum and patience, you can hook into a bull red right from the bank.

The summer season offers some of the most exciting saltwater fishing. Head offshore or explore the shallows for your best chance at a big red snapper or redfish. At the peak of summer, the action heats up just as much as the weather. Get out on the water and take advantage of these prized catches!

Best Times and Locations to Target Redfish

When it comes to catching redfish, timing and location are everything. The best time to target redfish is typically in the early morning or late evening when the water temperatures are more relaxed, and the fish are most active in feeding.

Dawn and Dusk

Redfish are opportunistic feeders, so they tend to feed more actively during low-light conditions at dawn and dusk. During the warmer summer months, the cooler water temperatures at dawn and dusk also make the fish more active and willing to chase bait or lures. Focus your efforts around oyster bars, points, drop-offs, and channel edges where redfish like to ambush prey.

Seasonal Considerations

Redfish can be caught year-round in many areas, but the fall and spring seasons are often the most productive. In the fall, redfish feed heavily to build up fat stores for the winter. In the spring, their spawning instincts have them actively prowling shallow flats and estuaries. The pre-spawn and post-spawn periods in March through May and September through November are prime times to catch trophy redfish.

Productive Habitats

Target areas where redfish like to feed and take shelter, such as:

• Shallow grass flats and sandbars, especially those near deeper drop-offs or channels. Redfish patrol these areas for crabs, shrimp, and small baitfish.
• Oyster reefs or rock jetties. The uneven, textured bottom provides shelter and ambush spots for redfish, attracting baitfish and crustaceans.
• Mangrove shorelines or docks. Redfish cruise these structures, looking for food and shade. The root systems and pilings also give smaller fish places to hide, attracting the redfish.
• Tidal creeks or rivers. Redfish swim up tidal creeks and rivers on a rising tide to feed, then ride the current back out. Creek mouths and bends in the river channel are great spots to target.

Keeping these tips in mind and focusing your efforts around dawn, dusk, and productive habitats will significantly increase your chances of hooking into a redfish. Be patient and watch for water surface disturbances that might indicate redfish feeding activity. With the right location and timing, you’ll reel in redfish quickly!

key differences

Redfish and red snapper are popular sport fish throughout the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic coast. Although they share some resemblances, there are some significant differences to be aware of.

Habitat and Behavior

Red snapper typically inhabits reefs, wrecks, and rocky bottoms in deeper waters of the continental shelf. Redfish are found in shallower coastal waters like bays, estuaries, and mangroves. Red snappers are often solitary, while redfish tend to school together in large numbers.

Gear and Techniques

You’ll want to use heavier tackle to fish in deeper water to catch red snapper. A baitcasting reel with a 20-50 lb test line paired with a stout rod is ideal. Live or cut bait like squid, mackerel, and shrimp work well. A spinning reel with a 10-20 lb test line and a medium action rod suited for casting lures and live bait will do the trick for redfish. Popular baits include live shrimp, crabs, mullet, and artificial lures.

Regulations

Red snapper fishing is highly regulated, with short seasons and strict bag limits. Redfish regulations vary by state, with some allowing just 1-3 fish per day. Always check your local regulations before heading out.

Table Fare

Both red snapper and redfish produce delicious filets, though red snapper is generally considered superior. Red snapper has a sweet, nutty flavor with firm, flaky meat. Redfish has a milder flavor, and meat is slightly softer. Either species can be prepared in various ways – blackened, grilled, baked, or fried.

Whether you want to catch dinner or experience the thrill of the fight, targeting red snapper or redfish is a rewarding challenge for any angler. Research the regulations and habits of your target species, gear up properly, and get ready for a hard-fighting fish on the line!

Conclusion

So there you have it – the key differences between red snapper and redfish and how to target these popular sportfish. While they share some similarities in habitat and diet, red snapper and redfish have distinct characteristics that set them apart. 

As an angler, the species you choose to target comes down to personal preference for fighting ability, taste, and availability in your local waters. With the correct tackle and technique, you’ll be reeling in your limit of red snapper or a trophy redfish in no time. Tight lines!

FAQs

Q. What are the key differences between red snapper and redfish?

A. Red snapper and redfish differ in species, habitat, size, and taste. Red snapper belongs to the Lutjanus family and is found in deep waters, while redfish, known as red drum, is a member of the Sciaenops family and is typically found in shallow, brackish waters.

Q. Which species, red snapper or redfish, is more sought after in recreational fishing?

A. Red snapper is a highly prized catch for recreational anglers due to its size, taste, and the challenge it offers, but redfish also holds its appeal for anglers seeking a unique experience.

Q. What gear and bait is typically used when targeting red snapper?

A. For red snapper, anglers use heavy tackle, bait with live or cut baitfish, and often employ deep-sea fishing techniques to reach their preferred habitat in deeper waters.

Q. How do redfish differ regarding preferred fishing methods and gear?

A. Anglers targeting redfish often use lighter tackle, lures, and artificial baits and typically fish in shallow waters, making them more accessible from the shore or inshore boats.

Q. Which is more common and is easier to locate, such as Red snapper or Redfish?

A. Redfish are generally more abundant and simpler to find since they are found in a greater variety of estuaries and coastal areas, which makes them a preferred fishing target for anglers who fish inshore.