Tales From The Tupperware Navy: April

Welcome back yak fans.  April is upon us and snook season is open. Our line-sided friends have been found up and down the coast these last few weeks.

White bait, bomber lures, Mirro dines, buck tail jigs and my old favorite Zara Spook Junior in bone have all been producing fish. The “catch”, of course, is finding them when they’re in the mood to bite. Yes. The Snook can be a frustrating fish, but well worth a little extra effort. The main trick is to work the most productive time.  The first is early in the morning (and I mean, get your bait the night before) not eight-ish. They really seem to go crazy for lures early in the morning, either before or right at dawn, so keep that in mind.  The next best time is going to be based on tide flow. Normally, the better the current, the better the bite! Always keep in mind that snook, as well as most game fish, will always face the direction of the flow; so set your presentation with this in mind.  An interesting fact that some of you may already know, but I’m to share it anyway, is that back in the day, the snook wasn’t considered to be the delicacy that it is today. In fact, early Florida natives consider them to be a trash fish, and wouldn’t eat them. They would even go so far as to throw them up on shore to die (trust me, this is all true).  The reason was, that the early fisherman always cooked their catch with the skin on, and the oils in the snook skin ruined the meat and gave it a taste, and back then, the common soap was made with lye, so it must taste pretty bad! It also led to our beloved snook being called the soap fish.  You have to wonder who the first guy was to actually filet one, and discover how tasty the snook is. This may seem like Bruce’s Believe it or Not, but it’s actually true.  The snook’s range has been slowly moving north over the last few years. I mean, ten years ago you would never dream of going out and targeting a snook this far north.  The migration may partially be due to global warming, but it is also due to the many springs that exist on the nature coast, so they have a place to go when the Gulf gets cold.  Whatever the reason for the migration, I for one ain’t bitchen. I just wish I did more catching! Maybe if I listen to my own advice. I’ll do a little better with Mr. Snook.

Let me know how you do on my Facebook page and I am always ready to answer any questions, except about my favorite fishing spots. Then I lie, LOL.

Until next time, Bruce