You have to love this equal opportunity bait destroyer. Snook are one of the fastest ambush attackers in the Tampa Bay area. They are like a guided missile just waiting for bait to come into their sight. Whether it’s a live bait or artificial, they will hit with such a ferocious strike that you will see the water explode and hear their jaws snap shut when they chase a bait to the top of the water. Now, if you are in deeper water, you might not see or hear the strike but, if you are a seasoned snook angler, there is no mistaking that tell tale thump a snook does when he hits your bait.
Once they grab your bait, they may (or may not) swim slowly at first; but, once you set that hook, you will be latched onto a speeding rocket. They are capable of speeds up to 24 miles per hour with explosive bursts of speed. They are no bonefish that can hit up to 40 miles per hour, but they are usually not too far away from structure, and they are heading for it to break you off. This is where your skill, some luck and your adrenaline all kick in at the same time. Those first few seconds can make or break you, if you let them get the jump on you. The goal in those first few seconds is to put the heat to the fish and get them away from any nearby structures.
If you are pulling them out from under the mangroves, keep the rod low and to the side while pulling them out. This will keep the line angle lower so as not to catch on to the low hanging limbs, but will also deter them from jumping as much as possible.
They are great at throwing a hook or breaking your leader with their sharp gill plates when they come to the top of the water to jump or give a good gill rattling head shake out of the water. The same things that we hate that they do is, also, the adrenalin rush that keeps us coming back for more! So, get out there and try your hand a catching some line-siders!
Tight lines,
Capt. George Hastick