Capt. Brent Gaskill
The Tampa Bay Times
This past Saturday we experienced a chilly morning with clear blue skies and crystal clear water that provided great conditions for seeing fish in the calm shallows protected by mangrove islands. The problem was these conditions also allowed the fish to see us as well. Locating a pod of snook gathered on a sandy bank with overhanging mangroves proved to be the easy part. The extreme low tide brought them out to the edge of the limbs where they were keeping warm in the sun. Getting them to bite is always the hard part in these situations. High barometric pressure combined with bright sun and 60 degree air temperatures are perfect for the Chamber of Commerce and tourism, but not for snook fishing. By tail hooking live shrimp and allowing them to naturally crawl along the bottom we were able to fool three. It took patience and stealth. The free-lined shrimp rigged on a 1/0 circle hook and 20-pound leader landed soft enough to not spook the fish. Tail hooking the shrimp provided better casting distance and accuracy, which was critical. The reward of seeing your fish in less than 2-feet of water, making a cast, and watching it eat your offering, all makes it worth the added effort.
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