What is the best snapper rig for shallow and deep water?

Short answer

My preferred snapper rig for both shallow and deep water is a floatline rig. I adjust the sinker weight to suit the depth and conditions rather than automatically changing rigs when I move into deeper water.

Do you need a sinker when floatlining? Sometimes you do, and sometimes you don’t. Both pieces of advice can be right. Floatlining means letting your bait sink naturally through the water, and you can do that with an unweighted bait or with a sinker to help it reach the fish.

In shallow water with very little current, the bait’s own weight may be enough. In deeper water, you’ll generally need some lead to get it down effectively. My approach is to use the lightest sinker that still gets the bait where I want it. Strong current is a different situation altogether, because keeping the bait near the fish becomes much harder.

Why this happens

If you’re floatlining without getting bites, one possibility is that your bait isn’t reaching the fish. An unweighted bait might look good as it sinks, but if the current carries it away from the ground you’re fishing before it reaches the right depth, you can spend a lot of time with your bait outside the feeding area.

That’s why “never use a sinker” isn’t a rule I’d apply to every floatlining session. A running sinker can help the bait descend while still allowing a natural presentation. Floatlining is used in deeper water as well as on shallow reefs, with the approach adjusted to suit depth and current.

Too much weight can also work against the presentation you’re trying to achieve. The aim is to let the bait sink naturally while still reaching the fish, so the right sinker is the one that achieves both in the conditions you’re fishing.

Strong current complicates things because it pushes against both your bait and the line in the water. Depth alone doesn’t determine how much lead you need. If your bait is continually being swept away, you may need a more direct bottom-fishing approach, such as a paternoster rig, rather than continuing to floatline. Both are established options for reef fishing.

A lack of bites doesn’t prove the rig is wrong, either. Fish location, feeding activity, bait quality and presentation all matter. But checking whether your bait is actually reaching the fish is a sensible place to start.

What to change next trip

• Match the sinker to the conditions. In shallow water with little current, try an unweighted bait or a light sinker. In deeper water, increase the weight as needed. Carry several sinker sizes so you can adjust during the session rather than committing to one weight.
• Check where your bait is going. If it’s being carried a long way away without reaching the depth you want, try a heavier sinker. If you’re fishing from a boat with a sounder, use the depth of the fish as your guide rather than assuming every bait needs to sit on the bottom.
• Change your approach when the current is too strong. If you can’t keep a floatlined bait near the fish, consider a paternoster rig with enough lead to reach and fish the bottom, or try again when the current eases. I like floatlining in both shallow and deep water, but the conditions still have to suit it.