Guide to fishing for snook

Have you had a chance to go Snook fishing before?  If not try to get down to Florida and give it a shot.  You will not be disappointed and in my opinion the best Inshore fish Florida has to offer.

Where to Start Looking for Snook

Snook can be found in both fresh and saltwater.    You are going to want to start your hunt for Snook around bridges, spillways, inlets, under docks and piers. Snook can also be found in the troughs along the beach in the Summer months in particular.  In the cooler months they move into the inter-coastal and coastal rivers in search of warmer waters. Snooks prefer structure and a good place to hide so they can ambush their prey. There has to be good water flow or current..  The best times are usually 2 hours before the high and low tides.  

Rod and Reels for Snook Fishing

When looking for a combo to target snook going to usually want to go with a spinning reel setup.  The rod length should be from 7’ to 8’ medium to medium heavy and the reel size can be from 3000 to 4000 is the best in my opinion.  I personally use a Daiwa BG4000 size reel on a 7' 6” rod and haven't let me down yet.  When it comes to line I use a 25lb braid but can use mono as well.  Line you want to use should be between 20 and 30lb test.   Mono works great when fishing the beach but when fishing the rivers and inter-coastal having that braid can help with pulling the snook from breaking you off in the dock or bridge pilings.

Best Baits and Tackle for Snook

When it comes down to what to use when targeting snook nothing beats some snook candy!  What I mean by snook candy is live bait.  A snook cant resist live bait.  

 Best Live Bait:

• Mullet

• Sardines

• Croakers

• Pinfish

• Grunts

• Shrimp

• Pilchards

You can sometimes get away using cut bait or a big ole mullet head on the bottom.  But Live bait is the way to go.

Best Artificial Bait:

The second best option is artificial lures.   There are many options out on the market today when it comes to lures.  If fishing with some current around structure a safe bet is the flairhawk jig because they come in all different sizes from ¼ ounce up to 4 ounces so the weight helps keep the jig hugging the bottom.   I also do a lot fishing with soft plastics in chartreuse, rootbeer, and white colors paired up with a 1/4oz jig head and you are good to go.  Some other options are Rapala X-Rap and Live Target mullet. 

I went through a few pointers for hooking up with a snook so get out there, give it a shot and you will be hooked on Snook!  Oh yea and i forgot have I mentioned that they are amazing to eat.  They have a pure white meat that is delicious.  Remember to check out the local guidelines for the fishery in your area as the rules are always changing and Snook has in season and out of season to ensure that we have the Snook around for years to come.

Tight Lines and Good Luck!!!!!

Post written by Michael Kelly, follow him on Fishbrain and say hi.