Snook

Snook are very distinctive and it would be difficult to confuse them with any other fishes.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A SNOOK

The lower jaw protrudes and a highly prominent black lateral line runs from the top of the gill cover along the sides and all the way through the tail. The body is compressed and the snout depressed and pike-like. Two dorsal fins are separate by a gap. The second anal spine is conspicuous, spurlike, much thicker than the first and third. The margin of preopercle is serrate, with 1-5 enlarged denticles at angle.One of the axioms relating to fish species is that the colors will likely be variable depending on the season, habitat, and/or any number of other conditions. The snook is no exception. The back of the snook may be brown, brown-gold, olive green, dark gray, greenish silver, or black, depending largely on the areas the fish inhabits. The flanks and belly are silvery.

 

WHERE TO CATCH SNOOK

The genus Centropomus is confined to the American tropics and subtropics. Six species occur in the Atlantic and six in the Pacific. None occur in both oceans. They inhabit shallow coastal waters, estuaries and brackish lagoons, often penetrating far inland in fresh water. Their movements between fresh and salt water are seasonal, but they stay close to shore and never stray far from estuaries. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish:

 

BACKFLOW                                       BAYS

BREAKERS                                      JETTIES AND BREAKWATERS

MANGROVES                                 SURF AND SHORE

BAITFISH PATCHES                       BAYS AND ESTUARIES

CHANNEL ENTRANCES                MAN-MADE STRUCTURES

SALTWATER AND TIDES                TIDAL FLATS

HOW TO CATCH SNOOK

Its diet consist mainly of fish and crustaceans. Fishing methods include trolling or casting artificial lures or still fishing with live baits like sunfish, mullet, shrimp, crabs, or other small fish. Best fishing is said to be on the changing tide, especially high falling tide around river mouths and coastal shores and night fishing from bridges and in ocean inlets. A flooding or rising tide is more productive at creek heads. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:

 

JIGGING        FLY FISHING        STILL FISHING  DRIFT FISHING

SURF CASTING

SNOOK LURES, TACKLE & BAIT

The following are lures, tackle or bait that can be used to catch this fish:

CRAB              FLIES        PLUGS       SHRIMP

SPOONS       CUT BAIT      JIGS         SALTWATER LIVE BAIT

SOFT PLASTICS