Anna Maria Island anglers are chomping at the bit to get out on the water for a very special occasion.
That’s right, Labor Day, Sept. 1, is opening day for snook season in Manatee County waters.
And being that opening day falls on a holiday, I’m sure many of you snook addicts out there have already made plans to hit the water.
I imagine many of you have been pre-fishing to find your favorite snook spots that are holding keeper-size fish.
It’s like being a shepherd tending the flock — except you plan on doing more than harvesting the wool.
Snook fishing is taken seriously among the island locals, who are also quite protective of it. So make sure you’re not intruding on them while they’re trying to get a bite.
To catch a keeper snook is worthy of bragging rights and also a snook dinner that evening.
Whether baked, grilled, blackened or fried, snook rates among the best of the backcountry species when it comes to table fare, although the true allure of snook is the chase.
Snook can be a finicky fish at times, especially the big ones, and as we see more and more pressure on the water, fewer numbers of these large slot-size fish are available as targets.
A combination of fishing pressure, loss of habitat and pesky dolphins has made catching a keeper snook a challenge worthy of the saltiest of anglers.
This being said, many anglers practice catch-and-release when snook fishing, whether the season is open or not, which helps ensure future stocks of the game fish.
Snook inhabit a variety of areas throughout their lives, which requires the angler to pay attention to the surroundings.
Many snook like to inhabit mangrove shorelines, where grass flats and good tidal flow exist, although depending on the time of year, snook can be found in many other areas, including along the beaches, in canals, under docks and bridges, in the passes and even at the artificial reefs.
With such a variety of locations, you might think they’re easy to find, but that’s not always the case. Doing your homework and having an understanding of the fish and their habits is in your best interest.
And once you find them, you still have to get them to bite, which isn’t easy at times.
A good start is to target them during swift-moving tides, which seems to be a trigger for them to feed.
As for the choice of bait, some anglers catch them on live bait, some catch them on artificials and some just get them by mistake. Snook are opportunistic feeders, which can lead to a slip up here and there, but most of the time they’re quite canny when reading the menu.
On the flats, live shiners, pinfish and shrimp are good choices. In the passes or around piers, bridges and jetties, snook are known to take larger baits, like ladyfish, mullet and lizard fish.
While in the shallows, artificials, such as soft plastics on a jighead, plugs and top-water plugs are important assets in the tackle box. If you’re fishing bridges and jetties large, lipped plugs like the Rapala CD-18 will get the job done.
And some folks utilize the combination of live bait and artificials — a “troll-rite” jig head with the addition of a jumbo-size shrimp. This technique is deadly when fishing around the piers. But no matter what method is chosen, it is still up to the snook to take the bait, so be prepared and well-armed with a variety of offerings.
Finally, I guess we should go over the rules. Snook season is open Sept. 1 and ends Dec. 1. It then reopens on March 1 and closes May 1. Snook must be a minimum of 28 inches, with a maximum of 33 inches in total length. The bag limit is one per person per day.
Meanwhile, on my Just Reel charters, mangrove snapper are the most reliable catch, although spotted seatrout are not far behind.
For the snapper, live shiners on a weighted snapper hook are quickly being devoured mid-water column over wrecks, reefs and rock bottoms. In many instances, the snapper can be seen frolicking in the chum before they are fed a bait with a hook in it. Limits are attainable on most outings.
As for the spotted seatrout, deep grass flats are holding plenty of trout. Some trial and error is required as some schools inhabiting the flats contain smaller examples measuring 12-14 inches, while other flats hold fish 16-18 inches. In both scenarios, there are quite a few mackerel and ladyfish mixed in, which adds variety to the bite.
Small blacktip and sandbar sharks are present, leading to drag-screaming battles before they abruptly cut through the leader.
Finally, snook fishing around mangrove shorelines and in the passes is resulting in quality hookups.
Capt. David White says mangrove snapper are the highlight throughout the inshore waters.
Limits of snapper are being caught by White’s clients on most days while deploying hatch bait combined with a small circle hook and light fluorocarbon leader.
On some days when they’re deep, the addition of some weight is required. Other days, when the snapper are on the surface, a simple flat line will suffice.
Spotted seatrout are following suit with the snapper as limits of these popular flat fish are frequently being caught. Free-lined live shiners are getting the bite going.
White is preparing for snook season by patrolling some of his favorite spots and he says good numbers of snook are taking the bait pre-season. He also says he’s encountering some redfish to take home in areas where he’s targeting snook.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.