September marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall. The weather starts to change, becoming drier and slightly cooler. Fall begins the bait migration that in turn fires up many species. September first also marks the beginning of snook season. Snook can be found around many types of structure in the Tomoka and Halifax Rivers. They can also be caught using a wide array of techniques.
Your best bet for catching slot size snook would be concentrating on the bridges after dark. Any of the bridges from High Bridge to Main Street Bridge can be productive. I prefer fishing the bridges on the beginning and tail end of the outgoing tide. It is much harder to present your bait or lure during the middle of the outgoing tide due to the speed of the water flow. I like to start around the bridges by working the bridge fenders on both sides. I like to pay special attention to the section of the fender that has bridge or fender lighting. These areas tend to have more snook hanging around. After working the fenders start working the bridge itself. Fish the shadow lines and then the pilings. Remember snook like to use the current to bring food to them.
Snook can be caught around the bridges on live bait or artificial lures. When using live bait, keep it simple. Use a three to four foot section of 40-60 lb. leader. Anything lighter greatly reduces your chances of landing these fish. Attach one end of the leader directly to the main line and the other to a 2/0 to 5/0 hook. Hook size should match the live bait being used. For those who prefer lures, try throwing large diving plugs, such as wind cheaters, nils masters, and rapalas. Also bucktail jigs and large swim baits work well for this task.
Remember, the law allows only one snook between 28-32 inches with a snook stamp.
Forecast by: Capt. Todd Wynn Limitless Charter 386-882-3357 www.LimitlessCharters.com
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