Southern Snook Fishing Secrets

While there are several fish that will resist abottom of the water. You can also opt to troll a
catch, there are few species as stubborn andneedlefish or ballyhoo that is rigged to a large
unpredictable as snook. Fishing for snook can befeather. If you are targeting deeper holes, fishing
exciting and somewhat frustrating at timeswill be most rewarding during the lower tide
because, although there are many baits and lotsphases, usually during the last hour of a falling tide
of lures that will provide ample attraction for thisthrough the first hour of the next incoming tide.
species, snook fishing is a different adventureThis allows better access for snook in the river
every day. What worked for you yesterday andmouths and outside channels through the flats.
allowed you to catch your daily limit will provide anRegulations have come into effect regarding
empty hook all day the next day.fishing season, as well, due to findings in the
Found in the Everglades National Park waters,1970's that lack of regulations, while allowing for
snook is probably the most appealing of all speciessome great catch, were inviting overfishing. This
sought after in the area. However, an angler whomeant that the snook were unable to spawn and
wishes to be successful catching snook will havereproduce fast enough to keep from depleting
to be quite patient in order to produce results.the natural supply because too many of them
Prime season for the largest catch in snook fishingwere killed during spawning season. Therefore,
(a range of over ten pounds with a rare catch ofregulations were put into effect to close snook
up to thirty pounds is considered big) begins in latefishing during spawning season.
spring or early summer, with the full moon in MayNow, you can find some of the best snook
usually considered the kick-off for fishing. This iscatching can be found on the East Coast from
because the spawning activities begin at this time,the inlets at Sebastian southward, with pods
drawing the fish into and around the passes.thriving in the spring and summer. On the West
However, it's quite possible that fishing prior toCoast, check out Stump, Gasparilla, Captive,
this time can produce large specimens, and it isRedish, and Big Maco Passes, as these are the
just as likely that the season will not be in fullmost productive areas for snook fishing close to
swing until the middle of June.spawning season. During these months, snook will
Catching snook can be accomplished by targetingstack into the major passes, as well as schooling
deeper holes with live pinfish or artificial such asin smaller flowage, where their eggs can be swept
bucktail or plastic-tail jig that is bumped along theinto larger bodies of water.