Snapper - Dog

Although most catches run only a couple of pounds, the Dog Snapper is not uncommon at 10 or 15 pounds and can reach 30 or more. World record 24 pounds.

Yellow Snapper, Jocu

Adults mostly prowl the coral reefs of South Florida, the Keys and Bahamas. Elsewhere, it is occasionally caught offshore. Juveniles live in shallow rocky areas of tropical shoals and shorelines. Adults are common around rocky or coral reefs. Young are found in estuaries and occasionally enters rivers. Feed mainly on fishes and benthic invertebrates, including shrimps, crabs, gastropods and cephalopods.

The name comes, of course, from the canine teeth, which seem even more prominent than in most other large Snappers. Overall coloration is light orange or yellowish, darker on the back and lighter on the sides. The tail and dorsal fin are deep yellow or orange, while the other fins are lighter yellow. There is a broken blue streak on gill cover below the eye and a white, V-shaped patch on the gill cover, under the blue markings. Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14-15; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Preopercular notch and knob weak. One of the pairs of canines in upper jaw notably enlarged, visible even when mouth is closed. Pectoral fins long, reaching level of anus. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Presence of a triangular bar between lower edge of eye and rear of mouth. Back and upper sides olive brown with bronze tinge, sometimes with narrow pale bars; lower sides and belly light reddish with a copper tinge. Young with a horizontal blue line below eye which breaks into a row of spots in adults.

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: Massachusetts, USA to São Paulo, Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. Eastern Atlantic: St. Paul's Rocks and Ascension Island, Tinhosa Grande, south of Príncipe Island.
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

	River Drift River Drift means to use the....
	Trawling Trawling is when....

Offshore, Dog Snappers are less common than Gray Snappers but are taken on the same tackle and baits usually light to medium ocean-fishing outfits with lines to 30-pound test. Best baits are live baitfish and cut Ballyhoo or squid.