Stay Informed! - Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter
| 28 July 2009
Find big snook in shallow moving water in the summer. If you want to take a photo of your catch, make sure you hold the fish horizontally placing one hand under the belly for support and return the fish back to the water as soon as you possibly can.
Lunker Linesiders That Is....
In Southwest Florida the snook sits at the top of the inshore target list. Snook are one of the most sought after species in Florida. Their tenacious reputation has earned followers from all over the world. Snook are one of my favorite fish to catch. Snook are no pushover. They frequent heavy structure and they are masters of their environment. In other words hooking them is one thing, landing them is another. Whether it is the thrill of the hunt or the heart-stopping thump, snook fishing is contagious.
Snook can be found in a variety of inshore and coastal waters. They can tolerate a huge range of salinity including areas that are almost entirely fresh water. Cold water is something they cannot tolerate. They cannot survive water temperature below 60 degrees for a long period of time. They can easily tolerate water well into the 80’s.
The keys to locating snook are simple. Look for structure and current. They usually prefer shallow water areas with good structure. Mangroves, seawalls, bridges, shallow reefs, pilings, to submerged rubble. The other major key when it comes to locating snook is moving water. If there is no moving water then you’re not snook fishing.
Angler Larry Dean from Ohio, fishing with Capt.Van Hubbard of Let's Go Fishin Charters, hooked into a 29 pound linesider. Live white bait on a Daiichi Circle hook was the winning lure that day.
For shallow water snook live pilchards are pure candy. There are many other fish out there that strike just as hard or harder than a snook but I assure you catching snook is one fish that you will always remember catching. Talk about pure excitement and adrenalin rush, snook are bound to give you that and then some.
Just ask angler Larry Dean from Ohio. On a recent fishing trip with Capt. Van Hubbard this summer in an area known for spectactular snook fishing, Larry hooked into a 29-pound linesider.To call that fish a fish of a lifetime would be an understatement. His snook was a fish that most anglers can only dream about. The best part of his trophy catch was the fact it was Larry’s first snook he had ever caught. I would say he is off to a great start and he has definetely caught “snook fever”.
After a few quick photos the huge snook was released carefully boatside as we all watched the fish swim away we knew Larry had just caught a fish he would remember a lifetime and so would we. Make sure you get snook back in the water quickly. Never hold a snook in a vertical position for pictures. Hold the snook horizontally with one hand under the belly to help cradle the fish with wet hands.
Snook do a lot of their feeding at night but that does not mean you cannot catch them during the day. Snook are ambush predators and will use structure as cover. They are known to break straight towards that structure once hooked. They also use their razor sharp gill plates to cut the line to escape being caught.
Watching a snook crash a bait is as intense as it gets. Your adrenalin level will be at its peak to say the least. As with all our fish we catch it is necessary to properly handle the fish and revive all our release fish with tender loving care.
Live bait as well as artificial baits work well when targeting snook. Snook feed usually on small minnows as well as crustaceans. They are not like snapper and sheepshead who will peck at your bait taking little nibbles. Snook strike with force and are great fun to catch. If you have never seen a big snook swallow your live bait or artificial bait it is something to add to your “ bucket list” of things to do in this lifetime.
More Tips from a Top Angler More of the Latest
Many anglers feel the Florida snook are better off being released to swim away than they are on their dinner plate.
More and more anglers are using catch and release techniques especially when targeting snook. A great deal of respect is given to the snook in our state. Organizations such as the Snook Foundation, Mote Marine Lab, as well as Florida Fish and Wildlife take extreme measures to ensure the snook population continues to grow.
Something to avoid at all times is feeding our released fish to the dolphin that will be lurking near by on any given day. Yes dolphin are so very cute to look at and so very cute to take photographs of -- just please do not feed your fish to them. If you spot dolphin around your fishing spot it is probably best you move to another spot. I would say that the dolphin have quite a size advantage as well as a speed advantage over the smaller fish being released and they will not leave that area when they know they can get a free meal from the fish you are releasing.
all photos credit: Merry Beth Ryan
Keep only what you and your family at home can eat. Fish is best when it is fresh not frozen in your freezers for weeks and months at a time. September is very well known for being one of the biggest baitfish months of the year. Where there is bait there are fish, so keep that in mind when seeking your bait for the day.
Those anglers who have a flexible schedule can do well with big snook by keeping an eye on the weather. This time of the year summer downpours usually move in daily we just never really know when. There have been some wicked storms brewing lately so always be on the lookout and be safe on the water. Mother Nature is not someone or something to second guess. Just before a rainstorm and just after a rainstorm are some great fishing times. The fish definitely sense the barometric pressure changing so they change their feeding habits to adjust.
As with any type of fishing patience is a must. Patience is that long lost art of waiting quietly and without complaint for something to happen. (Something I struggle with in my fishing daily.) It is true that anglers often appear to be doing just that, but I am not so sure any person has endless patience. Just being out on the water in such a serene spot usually is enough and if a fish suddenly happens to intrude upon a fisher person’s recreational routine, so be it. That would just be an added fringe benefit to an already perfect day.
About the Author
Merry Beth Ryan was born & raised in upstate NY and has always loved the outdoors. She is currently a columnist for many fishing and boating publications as well as a member of the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. She has a passion for photography as well. Growing up, when she was not on the basketball court playing Point Guard for Syracuse, she was spending her time fishing. Merry Beth can be seen fishing the beautiful waters of Charlotte Harbor almost every opportunity she gets. Living with a full time fishing guide definitely helps feed her passion. She can be reached at: www.MerryBethRyanPhotography.com
