The common snook — a common hookup for area anglers
Snook season is open. So, anglers from far and wide are visiting Anna Maria Island with hopes of hooking into the most famous of the famous in back country fishing.
Encouraging numbers of fish are making a showing in their typical springtime spots from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge south to Sarasota.
“Snook candy,” or scaled sardines, are the bait of choice to target the linesiders. Rumors of “snook rallies” are gaining frequency during morning sessions. Slot and over-slot fish are being taken occasionally, which makes the catch that much more rewarding. A trophy, you might say. Snook is a great fighter and prime fare for the dinner table.
On my Southernaire fishing trips, I’m finding good numbers of snook around shallow grass flats and around mangrove shorelines, where good tidal flow is occurring. Free-lining live shiners as bait is resulting in multiple hookups, especially during the late morning incoming tides. Most catches are 20-24 inches, with bigger fish in the mix.
I’m also catching plenty of sheepshead to finish out that season. All of the hype about snook fishing is really taking the pressure off the sheepies, which can result in a great catch.
A live shrimp on a 1/2-ounce knocker rig with a 3/0 circle hook are attracting sheepshead up to 6 pounds. Most catches are 2-3 pounds, which are prefect fish-fry fixins.
Lastly, spotted seatrout are rounding out the day. Live shiners and live select shrimp are working great for these flats favorites. Slot and under-slot fish are frequent with an occasional fish over 20 inches finding its way into the landing net.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing offshore for a variety of fish. Mangrove snapper are making a good showing. Live shiners combined with a knocker rig and fished around structure are resulting in mangoes 15-18 inches for Girle’s clients. Fishing structure with live shrimp on the same rig is resulting in numerous sheepshead, as well as a few hogfish.
Moving inshore, Girle is still dialed in on the pompano bite. Drifting select deep grass flats and jigging shrimp tipped jigs is providing pompano bites, as well as ladyfish, bluefish and jack crevalle.
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business is doing what he does best and that is snook fishing. Gross can be found around mangrove shorelines, where lush seagrass exists, casting free-lined shiners to unsuspecting fish. Rallies of snook 20-26 inches are being caught and released, with slot fish mixed in.
Other catches on the flats include spotted seatrout and redfish. For the trout, Gross is casting shiners under a Cajun Thunder cork into sandy potholes, where deep grass and clean water exist. Slot-size trout are most common, along with some over 20 inches. As for the reds, shallower water around oyster bars is the ticket.
Steve Leonard at the Rod & Reel Pier says the sheepshead bite still is occurring. Large numbers of these barnacle crunchers are now taking up residence under and around the R&R Pier, preparing to spawn. Pier fishers using live shrimp as bait are reeling up respectable numbers of sheepies, with some reaching 3-4 pounds. Mixed in with the sheepshead bite are flounder and a few black drum.
Capt. Aaron Lowman is targeting snook throughout the surrounding waters of Anna Maria Island. Fishing in areas where mangrove shorelines, clean water, oyster bars and lush seagrass are present is key for Lowman. Casting live, free-lined shiners is resulting in many schooley-size fish, as well as some slot-size fish for his anglers.
Fishing rock piles and reefs is yielding sheepshead, hogfish and snapper. Live shrimp on a knocker rig is producing the bite. Using live shiners or shrimp is working for the mangrove snapper.
Capt. Jason Stock is targeting snook in the bays and Intracoastal Waterway. Linesiders up to 35 inches are being hooked on live free-lined shiners. Mangrove shorelines and sandy potholes are where to look, according to Stock. Snook rallies are common, with as many as 50 fish being caught in a morning session.
Stock is working the flats for spotted seatrout and redfish, both taken via live shiners as bait. Expect to encounter slot-sizes of both species.
Capt. David White of Anna Maria Charters also is targeting snook. Fishing sandy potholes adjacent to mangrove shorelines is yielding good numbers of linesiders for his anglers. Live shiners rigged with a popping cork and Mutu light circle hooks — White’s deadly combination — is prompting these fish to bite.
When not snook fishing, White is targeting deep grass flats for spotted seatrout. Again, the popping cork and the live shiner combo is proving to be a successful rig. Slot-size trout are being taken, as well as jack crevalle and ladyfish.
To learn how Florida’s snook permit program benefits the fishery, visit http://myfwc.com/license/recreational/saltwater-fishing/snook-benefits.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.