beach snook

This week has been some great fishing, especially for the linesiders. There are many ways to catch snook along the entire coast, from backwater ponds and tributaries, residential canals and fishing the jetties and beaches. Snook are definitely a favorite for anglers all around.

This week, glass minnows schools along the beach and troughs have been producing good numbers of snook and lots of larger fish. Often times I see anglers from the shore casting out as far as they possibly can and this is usually a big mistake. The majority of your snook, and even larger predatory fish like tarpon, will hang almost right on the sand. The best way to approach these fish is to walk the beach and throw parallel along the shoreline in shallow depths. These fish use the surf and troughs as ambush points when baitfish are flushed back and fourth with the waves.

Some of my go to baits are dark hogy swimbaits from 1.5 to 2oz, large lipped plugs, and even buck tail jigs. The lighter the better, but its best to choose your weight to the current. The more natural free floating, the better.

The entire region holds great numbers of snook, and this is one fishery that has only seemed to have gotten better throughout the last few years. Snook are definitely warm climate fish, and as long as we can avoid any crazy cold winters, I believe we will see this to continue. It is full blown breeding season right now, and it’s very very crucial to take care of these fish. Fish from 35-40+ inches are not uncommon this time of year and I highly encourage everyone to please handle them with care.