Tampa Snook Fishing with Patches, Terry, and Rusty
- At March 14, 2012
- By Captain Mark
- In fishing reports
0
One benefit of having a tower boat skiff is that when the water clears it allows me to see where the fish are on the flat and in the holes. Monday was no exception as I had a couple of minutes to scan over certain spots to see if they were holding fish. Low and behold, one spot had a big pile of snook and a few redfish.
After picking up my clients we went into that spot first. It did not disappoint, as Rusty hung two snook of 10-15 pounds and lost one at the boat as I had scaled down my leader to 25lb and the big snook wore through the leader with his sandpaper- like jaw. I should have known better, From now on, its 30lb. leader or bust.
My clients really had their sights on redfish, but this day was all about snook, really big snook. 
Sometimes it just works that way, and if they were a little upset with me, it was a good disappointment because it’s simply not every day one hooks and catches a twenty pound snook. This day they hooked 4 in my estimation were 18-20 pound fish. I hope they don’t get snook fever because that will mean many, many sleepless hours, in pursuit of those big fish again.
I do not know why, but I think the snook closure of a couple of years after that dreadful winter sometime back, has allowed the few remaining survivors to grow to large size. Not the huge 25 pound hogs, but the nice 20 pound pigs. What I see these days are more of the big breeders than even the little scooters of 2-4 pounds, which should mean good breading seasons and future proliferation of the species.
In reflection all Terry really wanted was a nice 5 pound redfish, but all she kept hooking were those dang 20 pound line siders. I wish we all could have such bad luck! It’s a good thing husband Patches was around to help out, as he turned out to be quite the angler in my view, a real quick learner. Yep, some days you may not get what you wanted, but you may get a surprise of a lifetime indeed.
Tight lines,
Captain Mark
Funflatsfishing.com
Snook fishing Tampa
- At March 04, 2012
- By Captain Mark
- In fishing reports, Uncategorized
- 0
February 28, 2012
I caught my first snook in 1974 in Tampa bay with a dear friend, Dewayne Pillard that is no longer with us, bless his soul.
I will never forget that moment. We were fishing at the old phosphate dock off port Tampa with live needle fish, and that 11 pounder picked up the bait, off the bottom and away she went. Ten minutes later I had my first snook, and nobody could have ruined my day after that! It was a magical moment indeed.
Unfortunately, neither Dewayne or I had the sense between us to know you have to fillet, and SKIN these fish; otherwise the cooked fish filet will taste just like a bar of ivory soap. Those filets turned out to be the best ivory soap I had ever had! No kidding.
How times have changed in almost 40 years of snook catching. These days we use the liveliest of scaled sardines, pinfish, threadfins, shrimp, pigfish, cut ladyfish, or menhaden caught daily, with huge cast nets, the best of round live wells, with fresh water pumping in, and spots fished that our mothers don’t even know about. All, just to stay one notch ahead of the competition.
One thing that I constantly remind myself is one always must keep learning the nuances of snook to truly master the art of catching snook. Now, I may not be the baddest snook fisherman on the block, but after 40 years of hard snook fishing, I do know I certainly am not the worstJ
Three years ago we had a real bad freeze in Tampa bay that in my humble opinion killed 75% of the snook population due to the cold water. Indeed, even this State has shut down snook harvesting on the west coast of Florida still. Point being, snook are all catch and release game fish until further notice. Which, by the way would suit me fine if they completely closed this most excellent fishery for harvest 5 more years, as it takes 3-5 years for a snook to reach breeding size.
Snook are simply too much fun catching and releasing in my view. Perpetuate the species and everyone will be able to enjoy catching a giant fish that can obtain speeds to 40 knots in 2 seconds, and that’s what would happen as fish would have the chance to grow to 25lbs. Which once was common is seldom seen anymore.
Tight lines
Captain Mark
Funflatsfishing.com