As the ocean water temperatures rise, so do your odds of hooking a monster snook off of the beach while surfcasting! With the proper bait and fishing tackle you can turn an ordinary day at the beach into an extraordinary day catching snook in the surf.
Where to find them
Cruising the coastlines in search of their next meal, Snook can be coaxed to the sandy beach for a photo opportunity with good saltwater spinning reel on a surfcasting rod coupled with a large pinfish on a hook. These very aggressive, strong running, behemoths are a handful for anyone wanting to test their endurance.
Proper tackle to use
At least a 9' surfcasting rod will be required to get your bait slung out to the proper depth of water. Your fishing reel should be a good quality-spinning reel spooled with no less than 200 yards of at least 20# test fishing line.
About 3' to 4' of 50# fluorocarbon should be used as a leader. Tie a good-sized barrel swivel to your main line after you slip on a decent sized egg sinker. The size of your sinker should be adjusted to the length of cast you are trying to achieve as well as the condition of the surf, more turbulent waters warrant heavier weight. Next, you will want to attach the leader material to the other end of the swivel. At the end of the leader, attach a 4/0 circle hook. You are almost ready to get a close up of a possibly, 50" plus Snook!
Technique and Bait for Linesiders
Snook, or Linesiders, some like to call them due to the lateral line that runs down the middle of their bodies, are scavengers more often than not. They can be caught with dead pieces of other fish such as Ladyfish heads. The larger ones will not want to exert much energy, so more often than not; they will scoop up scraps of fish rather than hunt down live prey. You still won't get as many bites with dead bait as you will with good lively bait, but the advantage to this method is that it will most likely be a large Snook that takes the dead bait.
Snook will readily take all kinds of baitfish along the beach. Shrimp, white bait, sardines, and glass minnows are some of their favorites, but, if you really want a big Snook, I prefer the largest pinfish I can find. I like to be able to lay one in my hand and it's body covers all of my hand, that's what has landed me the biggest Snook I have ever seen, a 52 incher!
Pinfish can be acquired by casting a baitnet around a lot of docks and boat ramps, but the larger ones seem to be in the faster moving, deeper water in inland passes. To get these I use a light saltwater rod and reel with a very small hook or a sibaki rigg. They love shrimp but will often pick it right off the hook, to defeat that I like to use cut bait or squid because it stays on the hook better. You will definitely need a good portable aerator/livewell to keep your pinfish alive.
Now that you have your bait together, you are ready for that large Snook. Run your circle hook in the tail from the underside of the pinfish, this allows him to flutter above the bottom constantly trying to pull upwards. This action turns big Snook on in a big way, they see that poor little ole pinfish in distress and take advantage of him by swallowing him whole. Sling him out there and hang on, if you prefer, a sand spike may be used to hold your fishing rod since you are using a circle hook. Just watch for the rod to bend over and the fight is on!
So what are you waiting for? Your giant Snook is cruising the beaches waiting for you to fight him to the shore! Grab a few friends, head to the beach, and as always, get out and go fishing when you can, cause it is Gooooood Fer Ya!
For more great fishing tips, tricks and stories visit our fishing forum at My Tackle Space. A free blog and forum for fishermen of all walks of life. Join now and have your very own fishing page!
For great prices and a wide selection of fishing and boating products please visit eFishBox.com
Stumble It!