Charlotte Harbor Snook - Snook are one of the most sought-after species in the southern half of Florida. Powerful and fast like a bonefish and leaping maniacs when hooked, they often are prized by some anglers even more than the mighty tarpon.
Our backwater flats are covered up with snook in the spring and fall and they stick with us all winter and summer, moving off the flats into creeks, rivers in colder weather and to the beaches in summer for the annual spawn.
We grow them big and abundant here and days with 20 to 40 fish are not uncommon when the bite is on. From nursery fish to oversized giants over 40 inches, we have the perfect environment to raise and sustain snook. We most often fish them on spinning tackle, using an old favorite bait known as a scaled sardine or pilchard. They also will take shrimp and a variety of artificial baits like plugs, jigs and fly. Be sure your drag is adjusted properly because this is one fish with a habit of ripping line off the reel when hooked.