Looking forward to new fish that can be put on the list of keepers. Snook season opens September 1st and runs through the end of November. The slot size for a snook is 28 in to 33 inches, it’s like winning the lottery when you catch one in the slot. Although in other parts of Florida they have been kept off the harvest list because of red tide, winter freezes and conservation, our area has a healthy stock of snook in all sizes. One natural thing that has helps our area in cold weather is our 3 first magnitude springs that protect snook with it’s 72 degree water and warmer winters. Big Bend snook can be caught around the western points of the outside keys, near creek and river mouths with deep drops and current. The best bait hands down if you can catch them is white bait (threadfin) with a sabiki rig. Other good live baits are finger mullet, mud minnows and pinfish. Good artificial baits are D.O.A, 5.5 glow jerk baits, MirrOlure MirrOdines and Eppinger Rex gold spoons.
For trout use a popping cork with a MirrOlure Provoker in watermelon red flake. Target the edges of the rockgrass on hard bottom in 3 to 5 feet of water. Outgoing tide is best and the bite will shut down at the change of the tide. For your Labor Day weekend incoming tide will be first thing in the morning.
- Nature Coast - March 23, 2024
- William Toney - February 29, 2024
- Nature Coast - February 14, 2024
