OT, Anyone fish?
- Thread starter CrazyEyes
- Start date
Vorog
New member
Never caught a snook? Holy ****! Man I tell you what you are missing out! Lol if you fish blind pass or any mangroves you are due to catch them. I know mote marine had the project snook going on and I have to say I catch and see snook all the time. I have a few good spots that I fish they require a boat or kayak. Last time I was there we trolled our way up on a incoming tide the snook were stacked. Had a few that didn't want anything to do with artificial hahaha but in all seriousness we gotta get you your first snook!
CrazyEyes
New member
I know, it's a dang shame. We were at Gators cafe a few weeks ago and they just pile up around the dock, a few days later we got as close to Gators without going on their docks and were throwing everything at them and they just laughed, big live jumbo shrimp, live pins, spoons, top water lures, DOA shrimp, they just werent having it.
Snookster
New member
You see them > they can see you.
They're usually smart enough to know it doesn't rain food.
Specfishin
New member
Definitely catch snook edges of mangroves, docks and structure. Lively greenbacks and I've used live pins as well. You could always wait for real cold weather and watch them float by lethargically inshore. They're a fun fight though. I want to catch a large Tarpon and a sturgeon one day.��
Snook are particular. Usually bite only the bait thats running. Couple weeks ago was finger mullet. Winter can be shrimp once they start running. Second to that, they bite at a particular time in the tide. When i used to fish ft pierce for them, we had spots you went to 15 mins after the tide turned and fished only 15 min. Then moved 100 ft down to fish another half hour. Once you find a bite, you can repeat at the same tide again.
What size hooks are you using and what leader? Makes a huge difference. Best for live bait are the short shank wide mouth maybe 2/0 or so. Small, about size of a nickel. Brown is usually better, keys water clearer maybe okay with silver. Have to use flouro leader, 30 or 40 for murky water and 20 for clear water. You will have a few cut you off on the lighter stuff, but you wont get bites using thicker. Biggest we caught was 52" and around 45 lbs.
Thats a bit to expensive for me, probably sticking with a sub $80 combo
And then figure out a few good overall lures and live bait options
Been there too. However, a sub $80 combo will have the reel lasting about 2 or 3 years. The stradics i are 5yrs and not even close to end life yet. You pay now or you pay later, but you always pay. Rods are not critical, my best ones happen to be the cheapest ones, 40 bucks off ebay. But i would try to get a better reel.
The penn fierce are not bad reels. Havent really used any long term, but they arent bad for the price. Still prefer shimano over penn for spinners though
Specfishin
New member
I'm spoiled and believe once you use higher end reels/rods with certain braids and lines, you won't go back. When i fish at the plant I could feel every little movement with my bait. Big difference from my old belief in the el cheapo combos I used to sport. I have st croix with stradic and braid and works great for plant and long casting across canals.
it almost seems as you get better at fishing you get better gear. then you say to yourself why didnt i just get this from the beginning. I know i could never go back now. Even switching from penn senators to finnor marquesas for bottom fishing, big difference. 20 cranks vs 50. arm is much less sore.
pugcrush
New member
I don't know how, but it's been 10+ years since I've gone fishing. I told myself I'd rig up a kayak when I got a house but it's never come around. I used to fish the whole bay back in the day: the flats on Ft Desoto & weedon island.
Where does everyone read for scouting reports now a days? Florida sportsman forum still popular?
Where does everyone read for scouting reports now a days? Florida sportsman forum still popular?
Vorog
New member
Florida sportsman is pretty popular still. However if you are reading about a "hot bite" now chances are it was about a month ago. Most people on there don't like to tell where they are finding them. But I will say the bay hasn't changed a lot. If you know where to look on the right tide you will find them. And I think that's half the fun of fishing is working areas that you haven't tried in a while to see if they are back. I can tell you I fish weedon island a lot (so does the rest of Tampa) lol but weedon holds a lot of nice areas that I find a lot of them at. I have seen caught big snook on the front side and back side. And if you want to chance it fish the outflow of the power plant it holds a lot of them
