Snook

Snook Facts

• Snook are habitat dependent.
  
• Snook tend to hide along the shorelines of inlets and estuaries. Mangroves are a favorite cover.
  
• Snook like moving water, either tidal flows or the mouth of creeks.
  
• Snook spawn near mouths of inlets and just offshore. These areas provide the correct salinity.
  
• Snook quickly spit out lures that they have mistaken as food.
  
• Snook have a very high survival rate when hooked and released.
  
• Snook grow to 2 feet long in 4 years and 3 feet in 8 years.
  
• Snook fishing is best at night.
  
• Snook grow to over 50 pounds though 3-5 lbs are most common.
• Snook habitat includes shallow coastal waters, estuaries, brackish water (especially in winter) and beaches.
• Snook range is limited by water temperature. The northern limit is Tampa Bay on the west coast and Port Canaveral on the east coast.
• Snook typically lie in ambush under cover at the edge of moving water.
• Snook thrive in uban areas given clean water and an abundance of natural foods.

Snook Fishing Regulations (Florida)

Size limit

Not less than 24" or more than 34"

Daily bay limit

Two (2) per person per day

Closed season

Dec 15 - Jan 31 and during their vulnerable spawning season of June, July and August

Special Regulations

Illegal to buy or sell. Snook stamp required. May posses no more than one (1) over 34"

Finding Snook

Seasonal

Summer

Passes and inlets

Winter

Up river , deep warm water. sheltered areas.

Fall & Spring

Move in response to weather and food.

Natural Habitat

In the Keys, backcountry flats, mangrove shorelines and bridges are good snook habitat. Tides and moon phases influence snook fishing. Fish edges of flats at the beginning of the incoming tide. If you find the redfish on the flats, snook may be found a bit farther off the flat as they do not move up as fast as redfish. As the tide gets higher the snook will move back into the mangroves which provides cover from sharks and a place from which to ambush food. Potholes also hold snook.

Urban Areas

During the winter months snook seek warm water sheltered from the wind. If temperatures are 72 degrees or above, snook will hold around lighted docks and shallow bridges. If the temperature is below 70 degrees, find them in deeper areas such as deepbidge channels or residential canals. After cold front, snook fishing may be slow for 2-3 days. After a warm up fishing improves.
In winter cast flies close to structure and retrieve slowly. Shrimp seem to be a better food source in winter. Free line live shrimp.

As the water temperatures warm in April and May, snook begin to move closer to their spawning areas. They mass near the inlets, surf and river mouths. Snook feed heavily at this time and fishing can be very good. Chumming with live mullet or pinfish can produce vicious strikes.

In summer, the run-off from heavy rain attracts bait fish to the abundant food washed out from the interior. Snook pick off these bait fish in the fast flowing water. Fish at the break between the murky outflow and the clean standing water casting into the murky area. Flies imitating bait fish with lots of flash work best in this situation.

September is a good month for snook. After their spawning season they are hungry. The water temperature has dropped to 80 degrees. The air temperature has cooled down and the wind is light. Fewer fisherman are on the water this time of year.

Bridges at the mouth of canals and coastal rivers are best at outgoing tide. Snook wait in ambush for food washing out with the current. Most of the baitfish tend to move out on the last half of the falling tide. Shrimp runs are also productive. Fish at the strongest outgoing tidal flow.

Small bridges adjacent to baitfish habitat or inlets are the best bet for snook. Large bridges can be tricky because of the currents. Places where the strong current is broken by structure such as the bridge pilings are good holding area for snook.

Snook Food
The snooks main food is fish. Finger mullet and pinfish make up much of their diet. Shrimp and crabs are also major foods. Shrimp are the main food in winter months. Mullet is the snooks favorite food. Pinfish and shrimp also make up a large part of the snooks diet. Medium sized mullet are the best bait.

Snook Flies
Poppers and minnow imitations work well for snook. Hair bugs, deerhair sliders. For night time fishing, white flies with plenty of flash are good producers. Good fly colors: White , chartruese, flashy.

Snook Tackle

Fly rod

Snook seldom make long runs when hooked. Rather, they run to cover such as mangrove roots, bridge pilings or any available structure. Once there the game is usually over. A sturdy flyrod is needed to win the first few feet of the fight and a 9 foot 9 weight works nicely. If there was no cover for a snook to run to, a 7 weight 9 foot fly rod would suffice for snook.

Reel

Fly Line

(FWF) Floating Weight Forward

Leader

Tapered leader with 16 lb class tippet

Shock Tippet

The snooks abrasive mouth can wear through the class tippet quickly. Therefore, a 30 - 50 lb shock tippet must be used.

An old favorite for snook is a red and white bucktail tipped with shrimp. Rebel jumping minnow, mirro lures and the new crystal minnow are also noteable lures for the snook.

Night time fishing at lighted docks can provide great snook fishing. The light attracts baitfish and shrimp and the docks provide an ideal dark ambush point for the snook. White flies with big eyes and plenty of flash work well here. Shrimp patterns also effective. Try to determine the most prevalent food.

Cold weather slow retrieve.

Fish sunny side of shorelines.

Look for structure breaking the current.