Supercharged Summer Snook Sessions

              With torrid waters and raging afternoon thunderstorms upon us there’s no doubt it’s summer and the Snook bite is as hot as the weather. Each summer Snook stack up by the hundreds in passes and along beaches to spawn. Huge numbers of fish will sit in eddies created by rocks, ledges or sandbars waiting to ambush their unsuspecting pray as it drifts past with the tide. I’ve found that fishing for Snook in these situations is best on an ebb tide (out going tide). As the tide begins to fall it will move from the flooded grass flats and estuaries where the waters are heated from the sun towards the open waters of the gulf. Along with sun heated water the tide will pull small baitfish and crustaceans off the flats. All that bait filled sun drenched water will run into the barrier islands flanking the coast and be funneled through the passes and along the beaches, providing the Snook with a smorgasbord of Shrimp, Crabs and baitfish. Along with food for the Snook the swift moving waters will pull fertilized eggs, released by the spawning fish out with the tide then back into the estuaries with the incoming tide. Here they will spend the first few years of their lives concealed among tangled mangrove roots and waving fields of Turtle Grass.

Over the next few months, Snook anglers may be presented with the opportunity to catch Linesiders in the double or even triple digits on a single trip. The majority of these spawning fish will be small Chicken Snook averaging about twenty inches, however plenty of large females will be mixed in among them. The trick to catching the bigger Snook is to get your bait or lure to the big girls without the hungry little male fish intercepting it. I found that the easiest way to do that is to use bigger bait. You know, “Big bait catch big fish”. Using larger bait will probably result in fewer strikes but chances are the strikes you do get will be from bigger fish. A few large baits I’ve had success with in the way of live baits are Mullet, Ladyfish and Pinfish. As for artificials large Buck Tail jigs, Zara Spooks #7 Reflecto Spoons and 6 to 8 inch swimming lipped plugs that float or suspend work very well especially in channels and passes where there is strong water movement. If quantity is what you’re looking for the smaller Snook are a blast on light tackle or fly and can be caught in huge numbers. Live bait such as white baits and Thread Fins, as well as Clouser minnow, Deceiver and bait fish pattern flies are sure to be gobbled up almost immediately when lots of little guys are present. I’m pretty sure working one school for hours on end could be detrimental their survival especially if flipper and his pals are around. It’s best to work one school for a short while then continue on working with the tide. This will not only give the fish a break but it will also prolong your time spent in the peak tidal flow. By moving from spot to spot in the same direction as the water flow, you can fish a single tide that may last two to three hours in one spot, or stay with the moving water for four to five hours. Not spending too much time in one spot and planning your route wisely can have dramatic results not to mention moving around every so often will help you stay cool in the sweltering heat of summer.

With so many Snook willing to eat this is also a great time to take youngsters fishing. The action is usually fast and explosive which will help kids who may become bored rather quickly, stay interested. Keeping kids interested while they are young is critical in developing long term interest and a passion for the sport. Remember during the summer it is extremely hot out on the water so if you do have kids along you may want to plan short morning or evening trips, bring plenty to drink and cover up with a hat and light weight cotton clothing. So get out there and hit up the passes and beaches for a Super Charged Summer Snook Session and make it a point to share the fun with a kid. The memory of their experience will last a lifetime.

‘Till next time, this is Captain Chris Wittman of Stillwater Charters bidding you tight lines and screaming drags.