Greenback well worth trouble for snook fishing

Weeks of rain have contributed to lower-than-average water temperatures for this time of year, keeping bait plentiful on the flats and inshore species such as redfish, snook, and trout interested in feeding.

Catch-and-release snook fishing remains the hot ticket on the flats and beaches of the North Suncoast. Perhaps closing the season in May for the first time has left plenty of slot fish (between 26 and 34 inches) on the flats. Coupled with cool water temperatures and an abundance of bait, this surplus of large fish has led to some of the best snook fishing in recent memory.

The key, as is usually the case with snook, is catching pilchard herring (greenback) in the 3- to 4-inch range. Though bait has been abundant on the flats throughout the day, it has been easiest to catch around sunrise or during low tide. At low tide, look on the edges or dropoffs of flats. On higher tides, 3 to 4 feet of water is usually a productive depth. High-diving pelicans will often mark flats that have bait, so keep an eye out for them.

Once you've picked your flat, there are two methods to catching greenback. Anchoring the boat and chumming with a mixture of cat food and jack mackerel is the standard method of luring these baits within castnet range.

As in all types of fishing, patience is important when getting bait. Just because the bait don't show up in the first five minutes doesn't mean there aren't any. I typically spend 30 minutes to an hour getting greenback every morning.

One of the most common mistakes people make is over-chumming. By throwing too much chum in the water, you'll spread out the bait over too large an area, usually out of castnet range. A pinch or so every 20 to 30 seconds is usually plenty. The goal is to make the greenback come looking for the source and concentrate a few feet from the boat. Try to be consistent where you throw the chum, taking into consideration the swing of the boat on the anchor line.

The first visitors to your slick will be pinfish. This time of year they'll probably swim up to your boat before you throw any chum in the water.

Distinguishing between pinfish and greenback is important.

For the most part, greenback are flashier and swim more erratic than pinfish. Their backs usually appear green or gray, and they'll often concentrate just behind the bulk of the pinfish.

Pinfish backs usually appear brown and they'll often swim from the bottom up to the chum, and turn right back down again. They're far more aggressive than the greenback.

Once you've spotted a fair amount of greenback within casting range it's time to throw the net. Your castnet should have 3/8-inch mesh and a radius of at least 8 feet. Though many people are intimidated by nets 8 feet and larger, they're actually quite easy to throw after a couple hours of practice.

Another method of getting bait is sight-casting or rodeoing the bait. This is more difficult than chumming since it requires you to throw the net while the boat is moving. However, you can often grab all the bait you need in one or two casts.

To rodeo the bait, have someone idle the boat while you stand in the front with the net. When you see the school of bait fleeing, throw the net on top of them. Make sure the person driving doesn't run over the net.

Though it is easier to buy shrimp or use artificials, there is no better bait on the flats than greenback. It may take a little time to catch, but it's well worth it.

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