Hernando: Getting the line on snook

Getting the line on snook

Learning behavior patterns and how to locate the fish in their hot spots are keys to landing popular catch.

By MIKE SCARANTINO

There are anglers who can muster the attention of snook without much work.

Then there are anglers who, for one reason or another, haven't been able to connect with one of Florida's most sought-after gamefish.

With some basic knowledge and concerted effort, anyone can experience the magic of that first soaring leap, that first mad dash for structure, and the ensuing battle to the boat.

This is the time of year snook are moving and feeding ferociously in anticipation of the breeding cycle.

After the winter we just experienced, the fish are aggressive. Almost any large offering in the right spot will bring brutal strikes.

Where is the right place?

As snook travel from their winter haunts to the summer breeding grounds, their movements coincide with warming water temperatures and the arrival of schooling baitfish. The more constant temperatures become, the more predictable the fish's movements will be.

Anglers should carefully track and record those shifts in position.

To follow the snook, start at the beginning of their migrations, which originate in deep, backwater areas. When the temperatures are right, the fish will move outside the many canals, river systems, bays and bayous that make up the coastline.

The snook will not venture far from those areas until water and air temperatures become stable. As temperatures rise, the species will move closer to its summer home.

The snook's primary food sources this time of year are forage fish such as scaled sardines, threadfin herring and juvenile mullet. The larger and easier a meal, the faster the fish will strike.

Spring offers maddening hits. It also is a time of many lost fish due to the snook's heightened aggression. The snook's only mission is to fill its belly as often as possible, replacing lost fat stores and body oils.

As the fish move from their sheltered winter territories, they will take up residence near hard structure or deep dropoffs with fast-moving water nearby. The latter is necessary for a productive breeding cycle.

Through this part of the migration, snook will feed heavily. As the fish move outward and away from the mainland, many anglers will lose track of them until the snook reach their summer destinations.

Savvy anglers constantly are on the lookout for large line-siders making their moves. During the journey, they often can be found chasing food on the flats. Watch sandy potholes and obvious ambush points for long, dark shadows.

It is easy to spot snook if you have the right equipment.

High-quality polarized glasses with side shields are a must for sight fishing. A long-billed hat with dark undersides reduces glare, allowing anglers to see through the water if it is moderately clear.

If the water is stained enough to inhibit sight fishing, knowledgeable anglers will toss handfuls of injured baitfish into an area holding snook.

In such a location, it shouldn't take but a moment for the strikes to begin. If the fish react, repeat the method and throw in hooked baits at the same time. Then, hold on.

Though the majority of snook angling occurs in the southern portions of the Nature Coast, big line-siders can be found as far north as the Homosassa River. Their numbers will be fewer, but their size will be fairly large.

Snook in this region generally are older and bigger than their southern counterparts. Plus, the area fish are tougher from being in colder climate.

Knowing these basic behavior patterns will allow anglers pursuing snook to reach their goals. For the people wishing to expedite the learning process, hiring a guide to help teach the skills for success can be beneficial.

The best guides spend 200 days per year on the water, honing their craft to a fine point. Their success rate depends on their ability to locate fish and convey that knowledge to the angler.

-- If you have a question or comment, call Capt. Mike Scarantino, (352) 683-4868.