Snapper - Yellowtail

Adult yellowtail snappers may reach a maximum length of 30 inches (75cm). This fish rarely exceeds weights of 5 pounds. Sexual maturity is attained at lengths of 10-12 inches (25-30cm) and life expectancy is 6-14 years.

Flag, Tail, Rabirubia

The yellowtail snapper is found in the western Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Bermuda and southward to southeastern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. It is most common in the Bahamas, off south Florida and in the Caribbean Sea. Adult yellowtail snappers live over sandy areas near deep reefs at depths of 32-230 feet (10-70m), while small adults tend to congregate over hard bottom habitats. Once established, adult yellowtail snapper tend to remain in the same area for long periods of time. This snapper is usually seen well above the substrate, swimming about in small groups. Juveniles reside inshore in seagrass bed nursery areas that offer protection from predation while they mature. Adults inhabit coastal waters, mostly around coral reefs. Usually seen well above the bottom, frequently in aggregations. They feed on a combination of plankton and benthic animals including fishes, crustaceans, worms, gastropods and cephalopods, mainly at night (Ref. 9987). Young individuals are usually found over weed beds. They feed primarily on plankton. Spawning occurs throughout the year, with peaks at different times in different areas

In comparison with most other snapper species the head and mouth of the yellowtail snapper are small. The pectoral fins are long, reaching the anus. An unusual characteristic among snappers in our area, the caudal fin of this species is deeply forked with the upper lobe longer than the lower one. The yellowtail snapper has an olive to bluish back and upper sides with yellow spots. The lower sides and belly have alternating narrow, longitudinal pink and yellow stripes. Perhaps most conspicuously, a prominent midlateral yellow stripe begins at the mouth and continues to the caudal fin base, becoming broader as it passes the dorsal fins. The caudal fin is yellow while the anal and pelvic fins are whitish in color. Unlike a number of other snapper species, the yellowtail snapper never possesses a dark lateral spot. Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. Head relatively small, lower jaw projecting slightly beyond the upper. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Back and upper sides blue to violet with scattered yellow spots. A prominent mid-lateral yellow band running from the snout to the caudal fin base. The lower sides and belly whitish with narrow reddish and yellow stripes; the dorsal and caudal fins yellow; the anal and pelvic fins whitish.

Summary of Distribution: Western Atlantic: extending northward to Massachusetts, USA and Bermuda and southward to southeastern Brazil, in Gulf of Mexico and Antilles. Most common in the Bahamas, off south Florida and throughout the Caribbean. Lutjanus ambiguus, an intergeneric hybrid with Lutjanus synagris
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)

	Gill nets Gill-nets are the dominant gear in the Indian Ocean. Gill-nets are used in artisanal and semi-industrial fisheries, contributing to 30-40% of the total catch. The net design is comprised of continuous panels of uniform mesh size, aimed to trap fish behind the gills. The International Sustainable Seafood Foundation (ISSF) notes that rates of sharks and turtle by-catch in Indian Ocean gill-net fisheries are high..
	Kite Fishing (Trolling) Kite Fishing Trolling is when you are....
	River Drift River Drift means to use the....
	Trawling Trawling is when....

Undersize fish in the shallows will greedily hit nearly any bait or lure. Yellowtails of decent size, however, are almost always caught in outside reef areas. They are among the wariest of biters, generally requiring lighter lines, leaders, hooks and sinkers than the angler would really like to use. Regulars mostly try to get by with spinning tackle and 15-pound line, but on many days must go to 12-pound lines or smaller, to produce or sustain any action. Small dead baits cut fish, cut squid and pieces of shrimp catch the most Yellowtails because those baits are similar in size and buoyancy to the ground chum that is used to lure them close and turn on their appetites. In many areas of the Bahamas and Caribbean, Yellowtail are caught by trolling a variety of lures, or by casting with small jigs, and even flies. Best luck anywhere is likely to come at night.

Available Sizes: 10 - 29 in. Details: Fired-Enamel Glass Eye Product Options: Wood Plaque, Custom Base, 360°