# Great Snook trip last weekend



## Madsnooker (Apr 11, 2011)

My Father in Law and I went to Punta Gorda in Charlotte Harbor and put it on some big snook this past weekend. Actually, some of them put it on us. We caught 2 about 20#s but we also lost 4-5 much bigger under the sailboats.

We caught snook under just about every boat we fished. There is nothing like it in my book. Its bass fishing on steriods times three.

Only took a few pics but here they are.


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## Tugboat1 (Apr 11, 2011)

Sweet!


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## XTREME HUNTER (Apr 11, 2011)

Good Job


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## teethdoc (Apr 12, 2011)

I got to sample some snook in Belize recently.  Man that is some good eating fish.


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## Madsnooker (Apr 12, 2011)

teethdoc said:


> I got to sample some snook in Belize recently.  Man that is some good eating fish.



Just about as good as it gets. The bad news is they are still off limits for now because of the major fish kill last year. We see no effects of the kill where I fish. Seems to be just as many snook as ever. Fl. Fish and game said it was only going to be closed last spring but open back up in the fall. When that didn't happen they said it would open up this spring but that didn't happen. Now they say it will for sure open back up in the fall. I will believe it when I see it.


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## Nitro (Apr 12, 2011)

Awesome photos!!!! 

I love me some Snook. We eat em in Costa Rica.  They are outstanding table fare. They get huge down there. I saw a 50#er caught off the beach by a local ....casting a plug into the mouth of the river. Unreal.

We will be in the Keys in May and will target some snook for sure. 

Congrats to you and your Dad!!


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## madsnooker89 (Apr 12, 2011)

nice snook


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## Lead Poison (Apr 21, 2011)

What is your reel, rod, line, lure, bait of choice? 

1. Reel
2. Rod
3. Line
4. Lure type/color
5. Bait


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## HALOJmpr (Apr 21, 2011)

Thanks ... now I miss my house down there even more.   IMO snook is top 3 fish to eat.  Nothing like going to your dock and catching dinner.  Nice trip ... I'll head back this summer to visit.


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## Rich M (May 3, 2011)

You guys had a great trip!

Funny, I don't care for snook as an eating fish.  They fight well tho'.  We used to catch them where they could run and jump - phenominal.


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## kenmorrow (May 3, 2011)

I'm heading that way this weekend and staying for a month.  All fly rod.  Doing some tarpon fishing and chasing some redfish on the turtle grass, too.


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## Lead Poison (May 5, 2011)

Rich M said:


> You guys had a great trip!
> 
> Funny, I don't care for snook as an eating fish.  They fight well tho'.  We used to catch them where they could run and jump - phenominal.



Wow, I'm shocked to hear that.

Snook is positively one of my very favorite fish to eat!


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## Madsnooker (May 5, 2011)

Rich M said:


> You guys had a great trip!
> 
> Funny, I don't care for snook as an eating fish.  They fight well tho'.  We used to catch them where they could run and jump - phenominal.



Your the first person I have ever heard say they didn't like eating snook. That is the whitest, cleanest tasting fish I have ever eaten. 

When I first got married, I would tell my Father-in-Law(from Ohio) to come down to Fl and I would put him on some snook. He loves to eat fish and I told him there was nothing finer than Snook. He told me that although snook might be good there is nothing that tops walleye. Well, 20 years later, he tells me before I go up to Ohio for my annual hunting trip, "if I don't have a small cooler of snook to bring with me, don't even bother to come".


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## silverbullet (May 6, 2011)

Great Pic! I just moved to Orlando and cant wait til I hang one, goin to Mosquito Lagoon for the first time this weekend..Maybe I'll get lucky and hang one.


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## billy336 (May 8, 2011)

The fish kill we had around here was horrible. Folks we scooping them
Up and using them to fertilize the fruit trees in their yards. I saw pics of hundreds of dead snook from here to north of Vero. The kill was significant, just maybe not in your area


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## Madsnooker (May 9, 2011)

billy336 said:


> The fish kill we had around here was horrible. Folks we scooping them
> Up and using them to fertilize the fruit trees in their yards. I saw pics of hundreds of dead snook from here to north of Vero. The kill was significant, just maybe not in your area



Actually, the kill was significant all the way down to Ft Myers. But, just like the 89 freeze, where the "experts" said 60-70% of the snook were killed, it wasn't true. After many studies they concluded in reality, only about 2-3% of the population was killed. The same thing appears to have happened with the last one. There are snook everywhere right now and many guides saying they are seeing as many as they ever have. I have seen the same thing. I have actually had the best spring I have ever had for quantity and quality. There are so many springs and off shore spots the snook move to when it gets really cold and they handle it very well. Yes, lots and lots of snook died but compared to the population, it is just not as significant as, some, like everyone to believe.


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## billy336 (May 9, 2011)

Truth be told, we are seeing the same thing. Fish of all sizes are everywhere. Yeah 89 was an eye opener, killed 80% of the Australian Pines here. We had Christmas by flashlight and candle, power was out with all the heaters running.


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## Madsnooker (May 16, 2011)

billy336 said:


> Truth be told, we are seeing the same thing. Fish of all sizes are everywhere. Yeah 89 was an eye opener, killed 80% of the Australian Pines here. We had Christmas by flashlight and candle, power was out with all the heaters running.



Yea, the Austrailian pines took a beating. I miss camping under them and listening to the seabreeze whistle thru them. There just aren't many around anymore and the 89 freeze did most of the damage.


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## swamp hunter (May 16, 2011)

The Far reaches of Everglades City / Chokoloskee backcountry took a major hit also. Them big shallow Bays smelled bad. Gators got nice and fat.
20 Miles further West the Marco area with it,s  deeper water was fine. I seen about 50 Tarpon 5/20 pounds that could barley stay alive, floating on Their sides. But not one Snook dead in Marco or Goodland. Not one. I still can,t keep one . I,m Hungry!


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## nkbigdog (May 17, 2011)

I was raised in the keys and worked on a dive boat back in the 60s during the summers just North of John Pennycamp.  Snook was the best table fair fish you could have. Back in the day's of being a kid, we had no lobster limit and caught many and boilded them on the beach and partied. My favorite fishing was Tarpon what a rush seeing them roll and casting for them.  It just dosn't get any better.  I hope I can go again someday, that is my slice of heaven ,watching the Silver King Dance. Those are some good looking Snooks!


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## Chris S. (May 17, 2011)

Nice fish...congrats! We would have liked to have caught some on our recent trip..........several captains explained to us that the snook took a hard hit due to last years super cold weather around Daytona.Maybe next year.


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## MTMiller (May 18, 2011)

I love to catch snook.  They will spoil you in a hurry.  Good job!


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## Madsnooker (May 18, 2011)

Chris S. said:


> Nice fish...congrats! We would have liked to have caught some on our recent trip..........several captains explained to us that the snook took a hard hit due to last years super cold weather around Daytona.Maybe next year.



Well, the Daytona area is a different story. That is getting pretty far north for their normal range. The cold did hit them hard overall there and it may take a few years before you can consistantly catch lots of snook per trip.


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## Chris S. (May 18, 2011)

Madsnooker said:


> Well, the Daytona area is a different story. That is getting pretty far north for their normal range. The cold did hit them hard overall there and it may take a few years before you can consistantly catch lots of snook per trip.



Thanks, I appreciate the info.


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