You can pick out a mutton by the small black spot high on its side, the thin blue lines across its cheek and the pointed fin under its tail. It lives over reefs, wrecks and rubble, feeding near the bottom on crabs, shrimp and small fish. Muttons are fussy biters that will inspect a bait for a long time and back off from heavy line, so the anglers who catch them fish light leaders and fresh bait. Once hooked they pull hard and steadily for the bottom. The fillets are white and sweet.
Off Palm Beach County, Sport Fishing South Florida has snapper among its named targets and fishes the reefs and wrecks as well as the Gulf Stream. A day can start with kite baits for sailfish or a troll for mahi mahi and finish with baits down on the reef if you ask the crew to plan it so. Private trips for up to 6 leave at 7:00 and run from 3 to 8 hours. Put mutton snapper on your list when you book. Florida's snapper rules are in our guide to fishing regulations in Florida.
Questions and answers
Short answers to what people ask before they book. Anything else, ask the captain in chat.
Where can I fish for mutton snapper with Reelzy?
Off Palm Beach County in Florida, with Sport Fishing South Florida, which fishes the reefs and wrecks and names snapper among its targets. Mutton snapper live only in the western Atlantic, and this is the one Reelzy boat that lists them.
How do I add snapper fishing to a Palm Beach offshore trip?
Tell the captain when you book. Sport Fishing South Florida asks each group what they want to catch, and a trip of 6 to 8 hours leaves room for kite fishing or trolling offshore and then a spell with baits on the reef for muttons.