On Foot Angler

I Can't Catch a Big Snook. What Am I Doing Wrong?                              

                                       

The first thing I would tell you is to kindly ask the anglers next to you what they are doing to catch fish. Most of them will be very helpful. Since you mentioned snook, let me give you a few tips that will help catching some.

1. Use a Fluorocarbon leader -- it is nearly invisible and snook have great eyesight.
2. Use a live bait such as a Scaled Sardine or a Pigfish.
3. Fish during the good tide days around the New and Full Moons, which will be two days before and after those moon phases.
4. Use the least amount of terminal tackle you can -- So no swivels, no snaps, the least amount of weight you need (split shots work great), and use the smallest hooks you can get away with.
5. Be very quiet and keep the noise down
6. Fish early morning and evening or at night. Snook are nocturnal eaters.
7. Chum with your live bait
8. Wear a good pair of polarized sunglasses a dark brimmed cap and a buff over your face. It will let you see the snook that are in the water (this is for daytime and we call it the Dark Zone)
9. Present your bait as natural as possible. So let it move naturally with the tide by feeding line (bail open) to it as it drifts and swims with the the tide. Closed bail and tight line gives the bait an unnatural look. Snook know.
10. Fish in places that have a good tidal flow and a piece of structure that forms a good eddy or ambush point for the snook.

TIP -- Use the bait in the image, a Scaled Sardine.