Although fishing shows on television more often than not feature anglers using live bait to catch snook, it is not essential. You also have the option of doing most of your snook fishing using artificial lures as it can be used throughout the year and frees up a lot of energy and time in catching live bait.

All it takes for a successful snook catch is matching up the right lure to the ideal spot. This is done by choosing the right lure for a combination of structures and water surface. It is also important to match the right gear to the conditions: type of bait/lure being used and the area where you are fishing.

Live Bait

The best way to choose what bait to use is to note what is most prevalent in the fishing area at the time. Selecting the ideal live bait sometimes takes catching a few different types to see which one attracts the most attention.

It is best to match the hook size to the size of bait you are using. For example, small bait such as shrimp needs a smaller hook than a mullet. A good tip is to hook the bait to the nose if there is a ripping current so that it appears as though they are swimming naturally when pulled through the water; and towards the tail in light current conditions so that the bait can be directed away from you towards a structure simply by pulling on the line.

Artificial Lures

Many anglers feel that fishing with artificial lures adds a challenge and flavor to the adventure of fishing, especially in sub-tropical waters. They pay a lot of attention to lures for snook fishing and therefore there are a tremendous variety of artificial lures. Once you understand the basics of why some lures work better than others in certain conditions, it will be easier to choose the right ones.

Simplify your lure selection based on the holding depth of the snook, presentation style and feeding path. If you will be fishing in a heavy current with live bait, a stronger reel with heavier line will be best. However, if your fishing is taking place in a lighter current with an artificial lure, a lighter line with a more sensitive rod will allow you better presentation and a feel of the lure.

Topwater and Floating Lures

The best time for using floaters is during spring and summer, but they will work equally well all year round. The best conditions is when there is hardly any wind as the fish need to see them and rough conditions will make them invisible to the snook as well as to you. Snook are known as “superior fish” as they are able to look up as well as sideways. They do look down to feed from the bottom, but their longer lower jaw extending past the upper jaw which makes them look up more than down. Therefore a floater will attract their attention in calm conditions.

Topwater lures come in different colors, sizes and shapes but are also categorized by the sounds they make and what they can do on the surface of the water.

Propeller Lures are cigar shaped lures that are longer than their width with pointy ends for small propellers on the sides or on the back or front. They spin and move causing the water to bubble causing a wake. The noise from the props attract the fish.

Suspension Lures are designed to simulate live fish suspended in the water. Some can vibrate or rattle and they have lips and fins. First choice should be the ones that will look like live bait to snook according to the season. In winter time for example it is pinfish and in summer it’s scaled sardines or threadfin herring (greenback or greenies).

Sinking Lures will sink to the bottom and simulate crustaceans. They work particularly well when fish are moving in or out of deeper water and work best in deep channels, on the bottom where snook like to congregate or structures near the shore. Some anglers will attach a soft plastic tail and flavor the jig head with strip-lure from natural shrimp to draw strikes.

When to Fish

Although snook will most certainly feed during daytime, they are actually more geared for night feeding. They have large eyes situated way up on the head with a distinguished lateral body line that senses movement, which makes them great night predators. One of the most popular ways to catch snook at night is by fishing from a bridge or a dock with lights where snook will congregate to pounce on the prey like crustaceans and baitfish that are attracted by the light.

For night fishing, a favorite live bait is ballyhoo as even the most pressured snook find it hard to turn it down. Any other live bait will work just as well.

Artificial bait is more difficult to select because of the popularity of this type of fishing which means that snook have already seen almost every lure made by man multiple times. A good tip is to cast a line up-current and faster retrieves than normal which may trigger a bite based on a strong reaction from the snook.

Caution: always make very sure that you are familiar with the area in daylight before fishing at night and be sure to have safety equipment and lights operating in good condition in order not to spoil an incredibly fun and rewarding excursion.

So when deciding on the best lure for snook fishing, bear in mind the season and where the fish like to feed. Pick a floater when the snook are near a calm surface and a suspension lure when they are midway down the water column below the surface. For very cold water, choose sinkers or bottom lures.

Live shrimp are a great bait for all types of saltwater gamefish, including the snook. The key when fishing with live shrimp is to hook them properly as not to kill them and keep them in oxygenated water to extend their lives. The use of a bait bucket with aeration holes that you can attach with a thin rope and drop into the water will ensure that you live shrimp remain lively and well until you are ready to use them.

How To Hook A Live Shrimp

The proper way to hook the live shrimp in a way that you will not harm the crustacean is as follows:

Look at the head of the shrimp and locate the horn (rostrum). The horn is a sharp protuberance right on top of the head which extends out in front over the eyes. Just behind the base of the horn is a dark spot that can be seen through the shrimp’s upper body (carapace). This dark spot is the shrimp’s internal organs and we want to avoid that area. The target location for the hook is to penetrate the shrimp’s skin under the horn and before the dark spot.

When hooked correctly, the shrimp will continue to jump around and try to escape even after it is hooked. This is what we want as we need the shrimp to move around freely and naturally when it is presented in the water after the cast. Free lining usually works best when using a feisty live shrimp, just toss him in and let them do all of the work.

Live Bait for Snook

SW Florida Snook-Feeding Time

Snook have been known to strike and consume just about any kind of bait you can imagine. From oversized minnows to sea cat’s, snook are not particularly over-finicky eaters, yet there are certain baits that are like surf and turf for the ambitious predators. For sheer excitement and loads of fun nothing gets the blood flowing like a Southwest Florida snook crushing a topwater plug or even a live pinfish or a pilchard smack out of the water. As wily and intelligent as we have been claiming Florida snook to be, there is one Achilles’ heel that fools them each and every time. A live pinfish is such a weakness for the Southwest Florida snook.

Unresistable Pinfish

Southwest Florida snook can’t seem to resist a seemingly easy prey item such as a pinfish that for some reason can’t seem to swim away? For this reason most of the snook fishermen of Southwest Florida use live bait and live bait alone. Pinfish are the number one choice for snook in all of Florida and this should come as no surprise at all. What may be surprising is that in the SW region of the Sunshine State there is a good amount of what is referred to as a pilchard. These are the preferred live baits for all snook in the Gulf waters off Florida.

Bait Fish or Shiners

To the younger snook fishermen out there most of these small baitfish that are cruising along the bottom of the waterways here in SW Florida or along the beaches and inlets and all through the mangroves of South Florida look about the same. In actuality, the species of prey items that Southwest Florida snook are taken on each and every year include pilchards, greenbacks aka threadfin herring and the ever-present finger mullet. Most of these baitfish are referred to by the seasoned anglers as white baits or just shiners for lack of a better term. Most anglers know how to differentiate shiners that are used for snook fishing from the wild shiners of Florida that are used for largemouth bass fishing, just by the locality of the angling. It seems that Southwest Florida snook are not found in golf course lakes or freshwater tributaries and subsequently largemouth bass tend to stay away from surf conditions on Sanibel Island.

Best Bait Choice – Bait Availability

The type of live bait that you will use when fishing for snook in Southwest Florida has a lot to do with what type of bait you can locate. Normally schools of whitefish such as pinfish and other inshore bait taking small baits can be caught with hook and line. All it takes is a few handfuls of frozen shrimp, some small gold hooks, old school split shots and some quick hook setting. Within 15 to 30 minutes you’ll have enough pinfish for the entire day of snook fishing. Before fishing for snook it is advisable that you already have the bait-bucket full of live baits.

Proper Attitude Toward Bait Preservation

In summation live baits are relatively easy to locate as long as you have the right snook bait, the right tackle and the proper attitude towards bait preservation. By keeping the live baits well aired and out of harms way, at least until the entry into the snook-filled waters of SW Florida, you will be able to enjoy a day of snook fishing so much better than having to chase baits throughout the day.

How To Catch Snook

Before you pack up any gear, it’s best to get an idea of what is a snook fish. There are different types, but the one you’re most likely to run across is the common snook (Centropomus undecimalis). Found from central Florida south, around in the Gulf of Mexico and into the Caribbean. it’s a large fish with a black stripe running from the tail to the gills. Its lower jaw protrudes, and it has a silver green color with touches of yellow.

What Tackle Should I Use?

If you want to know how to fish for snook you need to use the right tackle. There are different ways to approach this, but for best results a saltwater spinning rod or bait caster will be necessary. As for the fishing lines, 15 to 30 lb test of braided should work out fine, and you’ll need at least 40 lb test of fluorocarbon leader, although depending on the clarity of the water and fish size. As for the hooks, it’s a matter of personal preference, although circles are popular among those who catch and release snook.

What is the Best Bait for Snook?

The best bait for snook is dependent on the season and where they are feeding. As a rule though, you can use fish that’s in the area as bait, but do add variety because just like people, snook get tired of eating the same thing over and over. Regardless which bait you choose, make sure to change it up every few days: for instance, you can use sardines for three straight days, but on the fourth use a pinfish.

Ask a half dozen anglers as to what bait to use and you’ll get a different answer each time, and that’s something you should expect. This should not discourage you however, as it actually opens the door for a lot of possibilities. Instead of being stuck with a single bait, you can opt for sardines, mullet, pilchards (greenbacks) or shrimp.

The same rule applies when it comes to snook lures. If you want to catch the big fish, make sure the lures cover all the bases, so this means having sinking bait and suspended bait for top water, and they have to be in different colors, sizes and have different actions. Variety is always good, but a spoon and jig should always be part of your fishing gear because they’re so versatile.

The best way to approach this situation is to check the area where you intend to fish. What kind of fish swim there? You may try using those as bait as suggested above, or you can ask the local anglers for advice on the best lures possible. No matter what you choose, make it a point to bring different types so if one bait doesn’t work out you can try another.

How Do I Make a Good Catch?

The best way to learn how to catch snook is to go after them directly. The ideal time to fish is an hour before high tide or during the first three hours as the tide falls. The key is to have moving water. As long as the tide is moving it is fishing time. The snook is an ambush hunter and it will position itself behind structure and wait for the tide to bring the bait fish to it.

Pitch your lures along any inshore structure or close to the docks. Regardless where you pitch, keep in mind that the common snook is sensitive to the movement of the tides, so before you start ask some of the locals for information or check the web. As for the time of day, it varies actually, and it isn’t as important as the tides. In other words, you’ll catch snook if the tide is right whether it is day or night.

Provided you fish in areas where snook are found, you should have no problems catching a few. But if you are after the big fish you will need to be more patient. Florida is a good place to catch some big snook, but be warned that the bigger, the smarter they are, so you’ll need to use different types of lures and baits.

If you plan to go fishing outside the US, check out the snook at the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, as they’re home to some large fish and several potential baits. If you’re a seasoned angler and want a challenge, then you should head to south Florida. If you can catch snook in the Florida waters, then you can catch them anywhere.

Choosing Fishing Gear

The simplest rule is this: buy the best you can afford, and avoid the cheap ones because more often than not they’re just junk. If you’re just starting out, the mid-level rod and reel should do just fine, and save the pricey stuff for later when you’re an accomplished snooker.

When it comes to rods, the choice depends on the size of the snook you’re trying to catch. The general rule is that a one-piece rod will perform better than those that come in several pieces. That being said, having a rod that can be broken down into components is much more convenient, so it’s up to you.
Anglers take a lot of factors into consideration when buying rods, such as length, weight, feel, stiffness, guide material and so on. Aside from the figures, trust your gut feel and instinct as well. If the rod doesn’t feel right in your hands, then don’t buy it even if the specs seem right.

Constantly fishing for large snook can be tiring so it’s best to get the lightest rod possible, in which case those constructed from graphite are ideal. However, they are sensitive and could break if not handled properly.

Conclusion

Now that you know the snook, it’s time you packed up and get after him. No matter how often you read, there’s no better way to learn how to get snook than by going after it. Patience is needed yes, but with the tips given above, you’re bound to get hooked up sooner than later.

Before proceeding to give you some Snook fishing tips, learning some basic information is necessary. The Snook is an inshore game fish found throughout the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. It is a large fish notable for its protruding lower jaw and the black lateral stripe stretching from the back of the gills all the way to its tail. Its color is silvery green although some are a vivid yellow. The Snook is strong and sleek, and its weight ranges from 48 to 50 lbs.

When and Where to Fish for Snook

Snook season in the eastern US usually starts in September, and you’ll be able to catch most of the big Snook during the summer months. Generally speaking, the best time to get Snook is an hour before the high tide. However, it is important for the tide to be moving for optimal results.

Snook fish are usually found in mangroves, bridges and under docks as well as other inshore structures and cover. Snook usually stay in these locations because the lateral line gives protection and helps them detect prey even in dark waters. If you’re just learning how to fish for Snook, you can find them in saltwater and freshwater, and it’s also a good idea to look into river mouths because it’s where they usually stay.

The best place to fish for Snook is off the Florida coast as well as the Pacific coast and the Caribbean, although Florida is the best option if you’re after the big ones. However, a lot of the Snook there tend to be aggressive and intelligent so you need to be more patient.

Besides the aforementioned locations, Snook can be fished along the shorelines, inlets, passes, potholes and grassy flats. You can also hang around pier pilings or snags. Regardless where you decide to fish, do it during the summer months. If you’re a recreational angler living or visiting Florida, check out the fishing spots over at Tampa Bay along Florida’s central west coast. Among the most promising locations on the east coast are the Sebastian Inlets, Lake Worth and Jupiter.

Tackle and Techniques

Before you fish for these, keep in mind that Snook do not have any teeth but do have a pointy razor sharp gill plate. Make sure to always use caution when handling them.

Fishermen use different types of tackle, but it’s best to go with either a bait casting or light saltwater spinning configuration. 30 lb test of braid will be sufficient in most cases while a fluorocarbon leader around 15 to 40 pound test will do depending on the Snook size and the water’s clarity. Different types of hooks are available, but if you’re going to release the fish (as is usually the case), a round (circle) hook will be fine.

As to which technique is most effective, keep in mind that the majority of Snook are captured along docks and inshore structures, so set up your spot there. Second, remember that Snook are sensitive to tidal movements and that the tides play an important role. While some like to fish during the mornings, you can also catch plenty during the evenings.

Catch Snook at Night

Earlier we mentioned how important patience is, and that’s true regardless of the Snook fishing lures you’re using. For instance, it’s not usual to see people fish at night in Venice, Florida as it’s a good place to make a catch as any. On most summer nights you’ll see thousands of Snook under the docks, but no matter what bait you use, they won’t bite until the tide turns and they start feeding.

The key here, as pointed above, is the tide. If the tide turns the right way, Snook will come in droves and you’ll end up with a couple dozen or so in less than hour. But the moment the tide turns, the Snook will move away.
While spinning and bait casting tackle are the most widely used, saltwater boat rods are also useful especially when live baiting in inlets and passes. Also, you might consider heavier gear if you’re going to fish along bridges and piers. Some fishermen go for surf tackle especially when they’re along the beach, although you can go with casting gear as well.

Using the Right Lures

You will catch most of the Snook with plastic tails or bucktail jigs, although Gulp Shrimp and Jerk Shads will also do. As for the live baits, it will depend a lot on where you’re fishing, but usually live mullet, live shrimp and live pilchards will do nicely. If all you have are live sardines they will do too. The general rule though is you should grab some of the bait near the fishing spot you’ve chosen.

If you’re into fly fishing the best options are poppers and large streamers, but for hard lure casters it’s best to go with topwater plugs, spoons, jerk plugs or tail / plastic jigs. In addition to these you can also try any small fish or live crabs. You’re likely to have more luck with schooling baitfish like the aforementioned Pilchards.

If you’re after the big Snook, get large dead baits like Ladyfish or Mullet heads. If you’re using live shrimp, use a 10 to 20 lb. outfit with a 30 inch #40 shock leader. This should be fastened to a 2/0 or 1/0 hook, and make certain you weight the line with only the necessary amount of sinker so it goes down. If you’re using live fish like pinfish, menhaden or mullet, use the outfit given above but get a bigger hook to suit the bait.

Final Thoughts

Snook respond well to live and artificial bait, but generally it’s ideal to use artificial lures during wintertime and live bait during the summer. Your chances of landing a big catch will also increase if you fish when there’s a current especially in the outgoing tide. Apart from the locations mentioned, be sure to look in channels along flats, adjacent points along sandbars and island cuts.

During windy and cold days, look for a sand bar, or maybe a bayou by the bay, and arm yourself with some artificial lures and you’ll be set. As long as you don’t make too much noise when you approach, everything will be okay.

Snook Fishing Guides

For novice or just visiting anglers that want to drop a line and catch a nice sized snook while in beautiful Southwest Florida, it is recommended that the services of a professional guide be utilized. The reason for this is not to pitch the guide services of Southwest Florida even though they are rated as some of the best in not only the United States but the entire world. It is to emphasize what a good guide service can do for you and your fishing experience while in SW Florida.

Guides Save Clients Time and Time is Money

Guides lead clients to great catches of snook and other species of gamefish thus saving the client’s time and in the end possibly money, while granting wishes to guys that have only dreamed of tangling with a SW Florida common snook.

Snook Heaven

It is important to get the facts about fishing while in the 10,000 Islands or Naples area before heading over to the good side of Florida. It’s just good business to spend your hard-earned dollars while on vacation in beautiful Southwest Florida where it will do and have the most local impact. Many anglers who come to SW Florida to fish, do so for not only the common snook, possibly the worlds greatest inshore saltwater fish, but also to catch the plethora of other gamefish that are readily available on the beaches of Sanibel all the way to the mangroves haunts of Gordon’s Pass.

Loaded with Great Fisheries

This location of Florida is just simply loaded with great fisheries. With the benefit of having the best guides in the business to not only guide you to the best spots, but to assist in the catching of the biggest and best fish in that area, you will be so happy when the reel starts screaming!

No Guide Necessary?

Now we understand what you’re thinking right now and that is you do not have to enlist the services of a snook fishing guide while in Southwest Florida, because you consider yourself an experienced fishermen already. That’s great and we understand that but there is a high degree of individuals that do not share the same experience level as you and still would like to hook into a nice bullheaded snook from under a mangrove stand and are willing to pay for that experience.

Baltimore Guest

The trickle-down theory works best here and can be explained in any easy descriptive manner. Here we go; a visitor from Baltimore, Maryland brings the family to Naples, Florida to vacation for one week. While in the Naples area, the angler of the family, the husband, would enjoy an eight hour full day of backwater snook fishing with a guide of his choice. The husband feels that he is already is in to the vacation for $1700-$2000. He has hauled the family all the way from Baltimore to the warm confines of Naples, and he only wants to have eight hours on the water doing what he has always dreamed of doing, hooking into a common Gulf of Mexico snook.

Vacation to the Sunshine State

But your overall ending to this vacation to the Sunshine State is all about the happiness of the entire family and as a fair and equitable husband and father you take what you can get and smile all the way to the mall if need be! Try out a SW Florida snook guide the next time you are down here and see what that gets you! Maybe a huge snook to brag about to the boys back at the Crab Cake Factory!

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SW Florida’s Best Kept Secret

When fishing in Southwest Florida there is one spot that is pound for pound one of the best snook fishing holes in the entire region. Gordon’s Pass is such a spot in Southwest Florida. The directions are simple. All one has to do to have a fantastic day of big snook fishing is to head towards Gordon’s Pass and right at the entrance, on the extreme left, there will be a deep hole that produces some of the biggest snook in the area. That’s about all the directions that are necessary to give since there are usually a few snook fishermen tossing live pilchard’s or deep running Johnson Silver Spoons in that general vicinity.

20 to 40 Snook Daily

The average catch of snook at Gordon’s Pass in the springtime months ranges from 20 to 40 snook daily. Any fisherman would be hard pressed to find any other location in Southwest Florida that produces so many snook in such a short time span as Gordon’s Pass. Of course there will be arguments and those arguments will revolve around all the other great passes in Southwest Florida that are known for wonderful line-side fishing action. Take it from this salty snook fisherman; Gordon’s Pass is the number one location for slot-size to oversize snook fishing in all of Southwest Florida.

SW Florida Full of Spectacular Snooking Spots

Normally when anglers head out to Southwest Florida they go straight to either one of many mangrove islands, oceanside beaches, estuaries and other remote fisheries and leave Gordon’s Pass all alone and wanting. That’s just fine with the locals who know and love Gordon’s Pass and the northern hole since that means more snook for these wily ‘in the know’ veterans. There are other great locations all throughout SW Florida to catch a nice-sized snook and they include some of the ones listed below.

Chokoloskee
Everglades City
Lostman’s River

Although the above listed locations for snook fishing are a little bit south of what most would refer to as Southwest Florida fishing, all one has to do is drive a little bit north to Naples’s own Keewaydin Island to slam into a great day of snooking. We will speak more about this island paradise for snook fishing once we get deeper into the Naples area but for now we will concentrate back on Gordon’s Pass.

Spring Months Best Time

The greatest snook fishing experience is best attempted during the spring months at GP. There are many good reasons for this predicament and one is that the spring-time snook are skinny and hungry animals and will strike at just about anything to fill their gullet and to re-energize their metabolisms that have been on idle all through the long winter. Once the snook has had a few weeks of smashing everything from finger mullet to blue crab they will start to taper off and school in voracious packs. This is what’s so interesting about fishing in Gordon’s Pass during the spring with the sheer numbers of snook and their weights are quite impressive compared to any other site in Southwest Florida. Don’t take our word for it, head out there this weekend and if it’s warm and sunny and there is a slight breeze rolling across the water. Hang on and make sure you have worked your forearms into the condition that is necessary to pull in 10 to 15 pound snook all day. It’s as if you’re on a head boat and have been situated over a school of 20 pound red snapper. It’s that crazy at Gordon’s Pass.

Best Fishing Times For Snook

Southwest Florida snook are a year-round resource and can be caught throughout the annual months of January to December. Depending on the time of year, snook can either be plentiful or difficult to find. The best way to catch up to the snook of Southwest Florida will be to determine where they are in their annual cycle and use the migratory pattern of snook to your fishing advantage.

Summer is Spectacular

During the warm summer months from about April through the beginning of September snook can be located in magnificent numbers all along the beaches and in the passes of Southwest Florida. The reason the snook are there is for spawning and the big females that are normally found there are packed with roe and should be placed immediately back into the water with as little handling as possible. This perpetuates the Southwest Florida snook species and allows the younger generations to be able to continue fishing for the fantastic snook.

Fall is Fine

Once fall ushers in, the snook began to retreat back to their winter nooks and crannies behind the sand dunes. It is within these less turbulent and warmer flats, mangroves peppered with oyster bars on the high tide and also in the deep holes on the low tides that snook can be found and in great numbers.

Spring is Superb!

Imagine 10,000 snook invading the summer beaches, and then subtract a fair percentage for natural demises such as sharks and other accidents that can happen to a snook in the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico, and then do the numbers. If you think that at least 75% of those 10,000 snook have made it behind the sand dunes and are now in a more limited environment such as flats and mangroves and you would be correct. This is why early fall fishing for snook in the backwaters is one the most fantastic times of year to catch one of these great and highly appreciated Southwest Florida gamefish.

Winter is Drab

As winter blows in, snook fishing grinds to a halt. The reason for this is that the snook become tight-lipped and do not need to feed for up to two months at a time. When they do desire to feed it is best that you use a methodical, slower paced rhythmic drawl to get a slowed-down snook to strike in the rivers and creeks of Southwest Florida. Some anglers just skip over winter and look forward to the springtime when snook are so hungry that a rusty spoon trawled at a high rate of speed just might do the trick!

Spring has Sprung!

As spring comes in and warms the waters of the flats, the Southwest Florida snook population move out of the rivers and creeks and start the cycle all over again. As mentioned earlier, the snook have been laid up all winter and you can certainly bet that they will be lean, mean and hungry fighting machines. All you have to do is find the snook and that can sometimes be a difficult task. But in the end, through patience, experience and live shiners you’ll be able to hook into some fairly productive snook fishing all throughout the spring months.

Snook Fishing At Night

Snook fishing at night is practiced by a lot of anglers, and when done right can be rewarding. If you live in Florida or nearby you’ll see a lot of waterfront homes where anglers spend several nights angling under lit docks. If you only fish during the day you’re missing out on a lot, and it’s not that hard if you know the tricks of the trade.

The Best Places to Fish at Night

If you’re going to fish at night, the basic principles for other types of night fishing still apply. Fish in a place where there’s light as it stimulates growth of plankton and that it turn attracts small critters and baitfish, and this draws snook into the area.

The best places to go are residential areas, inlets and bays: during the day these areas are inaccessible to fish because of boating, swimming and other human activity. During the evening however you’ll be able to find them. You can start by asking the locals where to catch the fish, though if you’re at the Florida coasts the best place to go fishing at night is Cape Canaveral at the east and Port Richey at the west.

Regardless where you decide to fish, do so near residential dock lights. You’ll find many lights set near the water to drawn in the snook, but the truth is any type of light is enough to attract a critter and snook.

Your options are not limited to docks either, as you’ll see plenty of action under towering bridges as long as there’s even a bit of light striking it. For new anglers, docks represent the most convenient option, but for something different, try bridges. This might run contrary to popular belief, but some of the best nighttime snook fishing is done near populated cities because the lights attract the fish.

Patience is Necessary

All experienced anglers will tell you that patience is necessary, and this is especially true if you’re fishing for snook at night. One of the most common mistakes anglers make is moving into the lights very quickly, producing noise and scaring away the fish. Snook are easily spooked during the day, but the sound of a boat motor at night will drive them away.

In other words you need to be quiet so you’ll be able to hear snook make “pops” when they feed. This usually takes place near a dock light’s beam, but in some cases it will be outside the beam, so check those out too. Once you’ve decided on the place to fish, use a soft, plastic jerkbait. Texas rig your lure so it doesn’t get caught up in ropes and pilings, and cast it. Let your lure settle down before making a few twitches.

Some anglers don’t like to use lures with multiple hooks because it might get stuck, but there are instances when a jerkbait made of hard plastic is necessary to lure the snook. It’s all right to cast beyond the light –some would even recommend it-, and remember to reel the bait steadily and slowly.

What Tackle Should be Used?

Underwater fish lights can help but you’ll still need quality tackle. For day and nighttime fishing consider using a light baitcasting or saltwater spinning setup. In most cases a 30 lb. braid is sufficient, and a fluorocarbon leader between 15 to 40 lbs. will do, depending on how clear the water is and the size of the snook you’re after.

Whether you’re fishing near covers, structures or inshore, snook is usually caught with baits or pitching lures. Keep in mind they are sensitive to movements of the tide and they face the current. If you can see snook under the night lights but they refuse to come to you in spite of all the bait you’re throwing, be patient and wait for the tide to turn.

Lures and Baits

A good snook light can help but you also need some decent lures to draw their attention. Bucktail pigs with tails work great as will shrimp and top water plugs. There’s also no shortage of live bait options either as you can use live sardines, pilchards, shrimp and other critters. Generally speaking it’s best to use live bait in the area where you’ll be fishing as that is what the snook will be looking for anyway.

If you don’t want to use live bait, a chartreuse or white paddle tail with jighead is always a good choice. Your options will also depend on the type of gear you’ll be carrying, and for serious fishing you should bring something you can use all night.

Is There Anything Else I Should Know?

Snook take different types of lures and baits, but their behavior can be hard to predict at times, and they can also be stubborn. Even if it’s well lit sometimes the method you use today may not work tomorrow so you need to be patient.

If you’re after big snook (10 lbs. and up), plan your fishing during early summer or spring nights, as that is when spawning takes place. Look for deep holes and use live pinfish or if you want artificial bait, a plastic tail jig or a bucktail. You can also troll a plug in these passes or use a needlefish.

If you’re fishing at flats or river mouths, it’s best to start during the last hour of the falling tide and keep going for the next hour as the tide rises. You can use live shrimp here but a far better option is a gizzard shad. While effective, they perish quickly and during transportation needs to be kept in aerated water. You can also try the freshwater shiner, and they’re available in most tackle and bait stores. Again though, they don’t survive long so handle with care.

If you haven’t gone snook fishing at night before, it’s a lot of fun. It might take some getting used to due to the different environment. But give it a few tries and you’ll realize that it’s as much fun as fishing during the day.

]]> http://swfloridasnook.com/snook-baits/ http://swfloridasnook.com/snook-baits/#respond Sun, 01 May 2011 17:05:57 +0000 http://swfloridasnook.com/?p=268

Bait For Fishing for Snook

SW Florida Snook-Feeding Time

Snook have been known to strike and consume just about any kind of bait you can imagine. From oversized minnows to sea cat’s, snook are not particularly over-finicky eaters, yet there are certain baits that are like surf and turf for the ambitious predators. For sheer excitement and loads of fun nothing gets the blood flowing like a Southwest Florida snook crushing a topwater plug or even a live pinfish or a pilchard smack out of the water. As wily and intelligent as we have been claiming Florida snook to be, there is one Achilles’ heel that fools them each and every time. A live pinfish is such a weakness for the Southwest Florida snook.

Unresistable Pinfish

Southwest Florida snook can’t seem to resist a seemingly easy prey item such as a pinfish that for some reason can’t seem to swim away? For this reason most of the snook fishermen of Southwest Florida use live bait and live bait alone. Pinfish are the number one choice for snook in all of Florida and this should come as no surprise at all. What may be surprising is that in the SW region of the Sunshine State there is a good amount of what is referred to as a pilchard. These are the preferred live baits for all snook in the Gulf waters off Florida.

Bait Fish or Shiners

To the younger snook fishermen out there most of these small baitfish that are cruising along the bottom of the waterways here in SW Florida or along the beaches and inlets and all through the mangroves of South Florida look about the same. In actuality, the species of prey items that Southwest Florida snook are taken on each and every year include pilchards, greenbacks, threadfin herring and the ever-present finger mullet. Most of these baitfish are referred to by the seasoned anglers as white baits or just shiners for lack of a better term. Most anglers know how to differentiate shiners that are used for snook fishing from the wild shiners of Florida that are used for largemouth bass fishing, just by the locality of the angling. It seems that Southwest Florida snook are not found in golf course lakes or freshwater tributaries and subsequently largemouth bass tend to stay away from surf conditions on Sanibel Island.

Best Bait Choice – Bait Availability

The type of live bait that you will use when fishing for snook in Southwest Florida has a lot to do with what type of bait you can locate. Normally schools of whitefish such as pinfish and other inshore bait taking small baits can be caught with hook and line. All it takes is a few handfuls of frozen shrimp, some small gold hooks, old school split shots and some quick hook setting. Within 15 to 30 minutes you’ll have enough pinfish for the entire day of snook fishing. Before fishing for snook it is advisable that you already have the bait-bucket full of live baits.

Proper Attitude Toward Bait Preservation

In summation live baits are relatively easy to locate as long as you have the right bait, the right bait tackle and the proper attitude towards bait preservation. By keeping the live baits well aired and out of harms way, at least until the entry into the snook-filled waters of SW Florida, you will be able to enjoy a day of snook fishing so much better than having to chase baits throughout the day.

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