Tarpon get all the credit and crowds as they should they grow to be giants that swim in shallow water and eat tiny flies. Anyone who has fished in Southwest Florida for years knows a big snook is the real trophy. I always tell most of my friends and clients that I would rather land a 40inch snook instead of a 150lb tarpon on the fly, the simple reason is it is harder to do day in and day out.
Snook are those fish that you just don’t know what they are going to act like when they see that fly 3 feet in front of them. They are very unpredictable when they get to trophy size, but I have a great ability to help clients learn how to feed and fight them. When they decided to eat, its on! but other times it takes some coaxing like a cat and mouse game. They need to chase it down and think that bug may get away from them.
They are beautiful, smart, strong fish and can be found in environments most saltwater trophies are not and that is super shallow in the back of no-mans land. Its a very personal experience to me wading super shallow flats and creek systems to stalk these monsters. I love walking to the ends of the earths where most guides will never fish to find those happy fish that will readily eat a well presented fly.
I have dedicated my life to these snook and yes if there is one fish I could catch for the rest of my life it would be them. I often do love to watch them smash a top water plug or surface fly as they are designed to eat upwards. Let me share a true passion of my and come snook fishing with me to see what its all about be it here in Charlotte Harbor or Everglades National Park.
Snook fishing is good throughout the entire season with the winter months (Dec-Feb) being wade fishing shallow water creeks and flats. The spring and fall you can find these giants in lots of bigger bays and cuts, these are usually poled and can be taken on fly, plug or soft plastic. Summer is time to stalk or pole the beaches and around the bigger passes, this is a time to get a shot a good fish in crystal clear water.
t