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Fish Tales
Snook fishing is good
By CAPT. TYSON WALLERSTEIN
Article published on Thursday, July 19, 2007 |
Snook fishing remains the inshore angler’s best option for this upcoming weekend and with a change in our wind pattern to a more easterly direction, sight-fishing opportunities will only improve.
From Pass-A-Grille to Anclote Key, there is no shortage of beach-cruising snook this year.
The largest concentrations of fish can be found near the passes, but don’t overlook any rock piles, breaker jetties or any sandy shoals that might lie just on the inside of the passes.
There is no question that sight-casting to these fish can be one of the most exhilarating, and at the same time frustrating, experiences a shallow-water angler can have. Your tackle should be light.
I prefer 8-pound monofilament. Braided-line is fine, however just be sure to use an extra long leader, say 4 feet of 25 pound fluorocarbon. Lures should match the hatch.
Hard baits would include Yo-Zuri Crystal Minnows and Mirro-Dines. My go-to soft baits would have to be a D.O.A. C.A.L. jig in the greene back color and D.O.A. shrimp in the near-clear color. Although you can do quite well with artificial lures, live bait is king and wading along with a bucket full of pilchards or almost-select sized shrimp definitely gets it done.
Setting up for the cast to a cruising snook is as important as the actual cast. Your ultimate goal is to keep out of the fish’s window of sight. But make sure you don’t alert the fish with loud splashing caused by spotting the fish, getting overly anxious and moving too quickly toward it. When you do get yourself into position to make the cast, be sure to lead the fish a bit and let your lure settle to the bottom. As the fish approaches your lure, begin your retrieve as if the shrimp or baitfish you’re mimicking is spooked by the snook’s presence. This will often trigger the predatory instincts of the snook and could result in a bite. For the live bait – namely the pilchards – you don’t have to lead the fish quite as far. A couple of feet should do the trick.
Take extra care with these fish. The less you handle them the better and a stealthy release kind of goes along with the whole hunting aspect to this form of fishing.
Until next week – GET BENT!
Tyson Wallerstein can be reached at capt.tyson@hotmail.com. If you have a fish picture you would like to see published in the newspaper, send it with your name and where it was caught, to: “Fish Tales,” Tampa Bay Newspapers, 9911 Seminole Blvd., Seminole, FL 33772, or e-mail it to editorial@TBNweekly.com.
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Article published on Thursday, July 19, 2007
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Tampa Bay Newspapers
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Seminole, FL 33772
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