Red Snapper Fishing in Jacksonville, FL
The Gulf headliner. Big genuine reds over structure in federal waters, with tightly managed seasons that book out fast.
Typical season in Florida
- January: off peak
- February: off peak
- March: off peak
- April: off peak
- May: also fished
- June: peak
- July: peak
- August: peak
- September: peak
- October: also fished
- November: also fished
- December: also fished
Peak months: June to September. Also fished: May and October to December.
Red snapper seasons are short and set yearly. Mangrove snapper fishes longer.
Peak months are general guidance for the region, not regulations. Always check your state's current rules and ask us before you book.
Species guide
Red Snapper (Lutjanus campechanus)
- How to identify
- Pinkish red all over, with a red eye and a pointed anal fin.
- Size
- Up to 40 inches and 50 pounds
- Lifespan
- Up to 57 years in the Gulf of America and 51 years in the South Atlantic
- Habitat
- Adults live on the seafloor near hard structure such as natural and artificial reefs on the continental shelf.
- Range
- Generally 30 to 620 feet deep in the Gulf of America and along the eastern coasts of North America, Central America and northern South America.
- Diet
- Fish, shrimp, crab, worms, cephalopods and plankton
Did you know? Females can reproduce as early as age 2, spawning from May to October depending on location.
Source: NOAA Fisheries