Florida offers some of the best beaches in the world, and one added bonus to the beauty of many of these beaches is the presence of Snook in the waters. Snook are one of the most highly prized fish not only because of their delicious meat, but also because of their very sporty fight.
When to Catch Snook from The Beach
Snook can be found around many Florida Beaches in Spring through Summer. As soon as the water starts to warm up after winter, the snook move to the beaches looking to feed before spawning. Beaches from Central Florida south can hold Snook.
Baits and Lures for Snook from The Beach
Snook have been known to eat many types of baits, ranging from finger mullet to shrimp, but here are some tried and true baits:
- Croakers
- Pig Fish
- Pinfish
- Jumbo Shrimp
- Finger Mullet
When using artificial lures to catch snook, one of the best techniques is to use a lure that matches what they would normally forage on. Casting the lure almost parallel, with a little off shore angle, to the beach and retrieving it between waves is an effective presentation.
Most lures from the Gulp Alive series work well for snook as well as many plugs.
Tackle for Snook from The Beach
Snook can range in size from around 12” to over 40 lbs on the beach and they also have very sharp gill plates. Because of their potential size and sharp gill plates a good leader of 20 pound fluorocarbon is necessary, but the main line can be much smaller (there are not many obstacles to get tangled up on at the beach)
Any saltwater rated baitcaster or spinning real will do just fine with snook, but for the larger fish, larger equipment works better.
