by: Eric Henson
It’s Snook Time! Snook are actually one of my top species of fish to target in Florida. I find them just about every place I fish during this time of the season. From the backwaters to the Gulf Beaches and even offshore on the wrecks! They like to spawn in the summer months where they will group up into huge schools in passes and inlets. It is a pretty incredible site to see. Find the bait, find the snook!
One of my favorite places to target snook this time of year is the beach. You can walk the beaches in the morning and late afternoons, site fishing them with flies and artificial baits. Next place this time of year would have to be at the mouths of passes. Although most of the spawning fish will be in this area, don’t be surprised to catch them still on the grass flats and even in the backwaters. Look for these fish where you see any change in direction of the water. They will be facing into whatever direction the tide is coming from, waiting on its next meal. Also, strong tides play a big role when snook are feeding heavily.
Snook are not very picky when it comes to the size of the bait this time of year. I’ve caught huge snook on some of RiverBum’s smallest flies like Gotcha Flies. Then I’ve caught them on large mullet and lady fish where the bait is literally over half the size of their body. With their huge bucket mouths no bait is safe! Some of my favorite artificial baits to use this time of year are the top-water baits like the Yo- Zuri Pencil and the Monster 3X X-SWIM. For live bait, it would have to be a nice large white bait or even a chunk of mullet in these summer months.
To all of you out on the water, make sure to be safe and stay hydrated. Best thing to do in these scorching hot summer months is to get out early and be off the water early to try to dodge the afternoon thunderstorms. Respect your fellow anglers. Tight lines and Tight Knots to everyone!