Summer is approaching quickly, and that means snook will start making their way in large numbers to the inlets and beaches to spawn. There are a few key factors that make the summer months a great time of year to fish for snook.
The first is competition, the more snook in an area, the more competition there is for food making snook more aggressive. The most important is the fact that the snook are spawning. When snook are spawning they are burning more calories than usual which means they need to eat more often. That being said, it does not mean that the snook are actively looking for food 24 hours a day.
The one lure that has produced more snook for me than any other when it seems they just won't eat is the 1/2 oz D.O.A. shrimp. I keep it very simple, there are 2 colors I use in all conditions, glow over gold and clear holographic. The trick to using the D.O.A. shrimp in the inlets is to find an eddy, cast the shrimp in the eddy and let it sink. If the shrimp is flying through the inlet, it is not in an eddy...cast again! A 1/2 oz D.O.A. shrimp will not sink very fast so patience is a must here. Allow the shrimp to sink about 10 or 15 feet depending on how deep the inlet is where you are fishing and give it a very quick pop! For the best action start with slack and end with slack allowing the shrimp to sink another few seconds after each pop. What we are looking for here is a reaction bite, the quick movement of the D.O.A. shrimp followed by the lure sinking slowly drives snook nuts.
As far as tackle everyone has their personal preference. I use a 8' 15-30lb class Juno Bait Custom rod, a 4000 size reel, 30lb braid, and 50lb mono for leader. If the bite is really tough I'll use 30lb fluorocarbon but most of the time 50lb mono leader gets bites just fine.
Keep in mind the snook are spawning, and this is a catch a release fishery only during the summer months. Handle these fish with care, avoid taking them out of the water when possible, and when you catch a big female take a little time to revive her.
If you are interested in learning this fishery I offer land based guide services as well as boat trips and specialize in catching trophy snook on artificial lures.
Capt Eric Gates
(561)578-3941
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