Mutton Snapper

The mutton snapper is a very common snapper species from Florida to South America.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A MUTTON SNAPPER

It varies from orange to reddish-yellow with small blue streaks on the head, back, and flanks, with orange tinted fins. The colors may vary, as with most species of fish. A combination of factors distinguishes it from other snappers. There is a black, oval shaped spot on the upper flank on each side, the anal fin and rear edge of the dorsal fin is angulate (pointed rather than rounded), the tail is lunate, and the dorsal fin has ten spines and fourteen rays.Although at first glance the mutton snapper and the lane snapper may look exactly alike, both having similar colorations, a lunate tail and even the same oval spot on the upper flanks, a closer look will reveal that the lane snapper has yellow streaks or horizontal stripes on the body, whereas the mutton snapper has small, oblique, blue streaks on a yellowish background, though these tend to disappear with age. Also, the anal fin and rear edge of the dorsal fin of the lane snapper are not sharply pointed but appear to be squarish or even rounded. Of all the species of Lutjanidae having a dark spot on the flanks below the dorsal fin, the mutton snapper is the only one in which the tooth patch in the roof of the mouth has no median extension and resembles a crescent rather than an anchor shape. Large mutton snappers take on a reddish coloration and are often mistaken for red snappers.

 

WHERE TO CATCH MUTTON SNAPPER

The mutton snapper is a very common snapper species from Florida to South America. Occasionally, it reaches as far north as Massachusetts and as far south as southeastern Brazil but these are rare occurrences. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish:

 

BAITFISH PATCHES                               CHANNEL ENTRANCES

DEEP SHORE WATER                             MAN-MADE STRUCTURES

REEFS, WRECKS, AND SHOALS               SALTWATER AND TIDES

BAYS AND ESTUARIES                                    COASTAL WATERS

JETTIES AND BREAKWATERS                           NIGHT FISHING

ROCKY SEA FLOOR                               TIDAL FLATS

 

HOW TO CATCH MUTTON SNAPPER

These fish may attain weights in excess of 25-30 pounds and are very strong fighters. They can be taken on light tackle and can be caught using natural baits or small lures fished or slowly trolled near the bottom. Normally associated with reefs, wrecks, holes, and channels, mutton snappers are nevertheless occasionally found on the flats and can be caught there by fly fishing. Mutton snappers may also be lured to the surface while bottom fishing over wrecks by using heavy chum and chunk techniques and then caught on fly tackle. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:

 

DRIFT FISHING                                     STILL FISHING

BOTTOM BOUNCING                            SALTWATER JIGGING

 

MUTTON SNAPPER LURES, TACKLE & BAIT

The following are lures, tackle or bait that can be used to catch this fish:

 

CUT BAIT                                                      JIGS

SHRIMP                                                        TROLLING LURES

FLIES                                                  SALTWATER LIVE BAIT

SQUID