Vermillion Snapper

	Scientific Name	Rhomboplites aurorubens
	Other Names	beeliner, mingo, cajon
	World Record	7 lbs. 3

Description

The dorsal fin is rosy with a yellow margin. The caudal fin is red, but has a faint black margin Vermilions are beautifully coloured and have streamlined bodies. The name, aurorubens, means golden red, and for good reason. The body is vermilion above and pale/silver white below. Narrow, yellow gold streaks some horizontal and others oblique occur below the lateral line.

Habitat

The species is found in tropical and warm/temperate waters. The preferred habitat is an irregular, reef like bottom in waters ranging from 80 to 350 feet deep. In some tropical areas of the Atlantic, the species is replaced by its close relative, the yellowtail snapper which occupies the same type of habitat and feeds on similar foods.

Feeding Habits

Vermilion Snappers forage on small creatures high in the water column. Favorite foods are small crustaceans, crabs, shrimps, squids, small fish, and fish eggs. This mid water feeding behavior enables fishermen to chum Vermilion Snapper to the surface by filling bags with bait, lowering them to the bottom, and then slowly raising the bags to the boat.

Age and Growth

Females grow larger and live longer than males, they may reach an age of 10 years. Most of the fish caught, however, are 4 to 5 years old. A 1 year old fish is about 5 inches long; a 5-year old is about 16 and a Vermilion Snapper 10 year of age is about 24 inches long.

Tackle and Methods

Fishing is best inshore over irregular bottom in water 80 to 180 feet deep and along the shelf break where the depth ranges from 240 to 350 feet. Like other reef fishes, Vermilions bite best at sunrise and just before dark. Sturdy boat rods and conventional reels with 30-pound monofilament line are used by sport fishermen. Terminal tackle usually consists of a heavy sinker and a hook baited with squid or cut fish rigged on a heavier monofilament leader.

Related Species

Listed below are similar related species that customers have searched.

	Cod Estuarine		Snapper Red
	Coral Trout		Trevally Giant
	Jack Crevalle		Trevally Spot Tail
	Jacks Mangrove		Trevally Big Eye
	Snapper Golden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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