When snagging snook, size makes all the difference

As snook season opened on Friday, Sept. 1, many anglers began to make plans to head out in search of a line sider for the table. Snook have been one of the most consistent catches this summer from the flats and mangroves to the passes and beaches.

The biggest problem anglers face when targeting snook during the season is catching one in the slot. A snook must be not less than 28 inches in total length or more than 33 inches. Since they are a commonly kept at this size for the table, anglers more often catch fish just below or above that size.

Angler Daniel Sullivan wanted a snook for the dinner table. When the season opened Friday, he made the drive from Tampa to Siesta Key to find one in the slot.

“I come down a lot for friends and easier snooking,” Sullivan said. “The snook fishery is bit better south than in my area.”

Sullivan and friend Kyle McEnaney are part of a group of anglers who love fishing near passes from land or bridges, a common tactic for catching big snook. In the spring and late summer, many bigger snook are transitioning from spawning near the beaches to back inshore, making the passes their temporary homes.

Shore-based anglers like Sullivan have been very successful at catching snook without the use of a boat because they can focus favorite snook habitat stealthily from land or bridge.

“We sabiki’d pinfish off the side of the Siesta Key Bridge and waited for sundown. When the sun went down, we hit the mid to end of the incoming tide free lining pinfish into the shadow line where the snook were ambushing them,” described Sullivan.

Not only were the snook starting to turn on, so were the storms. Nearly the entire west coast of Florida was engulfed by heavy thunderstorms and lightning Friday night, but that didn’t stop Sullivan and McEnaney.

Instead, it may have made the fishing better. “The incoming storms definitely helped the bite,” said Sullivan.

They stuck it out, and it wasn’t long before the dedication paid off. Sullivan’s 6000-sized spinning tackle with 50-pound leader and a 5/0 circle hook was hit, producing a snook right in the slot at 31 inches. It was landed with a drop net, and a perfect size to be kept.

Searching for a slot snook this season? It will last until Dec. 1, when it will once again close until the end of February. Fish must be between 28 and 33 inches, with the bag limit of one per harvester per day. A snook permit and recreational fishing license is required.

It’s urged to not overdo keeping too many snook per year. They have had a long road to recovery after numbers dropped dramatically about 10-years ago during the freeze. I recommend to only keep what you personally will eat, and it is often rewarding to let a slot-sized fish go during the season.

You can follow Sullivan on Instagram at instagram.com/fishintheflats813/ to see all his snook catches.

This story was originally published September 2, 2017 at 12:48 PM with the headline "When snagging snook, size makes all the difference."