Red Snapper (lutjanus Malabaricus)

A subspecies of the snapper the red snapper is a regular inhabitant of western Atlantic Ocean including the Gulf of Mexico. You find red snapper in areas where reefs are common. Its body shape is quite similar to the other snapper fishes. It has a sloped profile, medium scales, spiny dorsal fin and a compressed body.

By the time the red snapper matures it reaches a length of around 39 cm or 15 inches. Adulthood you would find them at a length of 60 cm going up to 100 cm in some cases. So far its maximum weight that has been recorded is around 38 kg. The colour as the name indicates is red and intense pigmentation can be seen on the back of the fish.

The red snapper is a prized catch and people catch it for both commercial and recreational purposes. In Continental USA the red snapper is around 50% of the fish that is caught. Red snappers can themselves eat anything however the preference is mostly for crustaceans and small fishes. These fish are soft eaters and if you are trying to catch them they would nibble on the bait and escape from your clutches hence multiple hooked baits are used.