The Summer of Snook
This sweltering summer and intensified pressure from the abundance of Floridians seeking the water for exercise, leisure and social distancing has our aquatic resources recently bustling with traffic of all sorts. Jet skis, wade fishermen, net throwers, piers lined with rods, boats, drones and swimmers are everywhere when we gaze upon our beaches and waters. This unusual rate of contact has many species of our favorite inshore fish privy to our presence, hence, making our favorite fisheries a bit more challenging.
We’ve been working hard on the shop lately, so full-day trips have been challenging for us. We did, however, manage to find a nice snook bite in a short amount of time during the hottest part of the day. Snook are a sub-tropical species which makes them more tolerant to heat than most species. This makes them a great target for our scorching Florida summer days. The spawn is another reason we see more snook on the end of our lines. Spawn season is April through October with the peak being July through August.
Despite the dogs swimming and floating tiki bars, this doesn’t stop a snook’s insatiable appetite. Hungry males will practically jump into your boat for a meal, so many types of lures are favorable for a hungry snook. If you prefer live bait, shrimp is a great option, as well as, shrimp patterns for the fly fisherman. Soft plastics and jig heads always do the trick when pitching into the mangroves, while topwater lures are effective for covering more space and, also, provides a fantastic strike.
Sneaking up to those areas with a kayak is ideal to target these wonderful sportfish. Snook are very agile, fast and acrobatic, so make sure you’re geared up for a good fight! Good vibes and tight lines always from your friends at Pure Florida Watersports!
