• If you plan to lift the corner of the water for a photo, prepare the camera first. Then lift it horizontally and support the corner under the abdomen. Return the fish to the water in the same way. “When he finally put it back up, everyone cheered,” said Max`s mother, Jennifer Lichtig. Max`s snook was not weighed on a scale, but its weight was estimated at 30 pounds. The capture and release of Gulf Coast snook is still permitted at this time. When the snook is open in the waters of the Gulf, the pocket limit is one fish per person per day. The slot size limit is 28 to 33 inches; and the season is closed from December 1st to the end of February and from May 1st to August 31st. Maybe it`s not just anglers who are looking forward to snook season. Closing seasons are also important. Snooks are a tough fish, except when it comes to the cold. Managers give the species a break during the coldest winter months, when it is most vulnerable to life-threatening water temperatures caused by cold snaps. They are also protected for most of the spawning season, which runs from May to September.
Along the Atlantic coast, fish are protected in June, July and August – the main spawning months. Protecting fish during breeding is a science-based and sensible approach to ensuring excellent fishing year after year. The fall edition of the Florida snook season begins on September 1. This means that snook of a certain size can be harvested. The common snook, like many species of fish, is very much in harmony with their environment; Even a slight change in their environment can have a significant impact on their behavior. For example, ordinary snooks can determine when to start and stop spawning based on the temperature and salinity of the water they inhabit, how much precipitation in the area, and whether the moon is full or not. [14][15] However, in some cases, disturbances to their environment can have very negative effects on the snook population. One example is the devastating consequences of a cold snap. Snooks are very sensitive to cold temperatures, with effects ranging from completely stopping all power at a water temperature of 57.6°F (14.2°C), to loss of balance at 54.9°F (12.7°C), to death at a temperature of 12.5°C (54.5°F). [16] Recently, a cold snap in January 2010 resulted in a 41.88% year-over-year decrease in the nominal frequency of the common snook population in southwestern Florida and a 96-97% decrease in apparent survival estimates. [17] I caught some snook in the waters between Tampa Bay and Cape Sable of the Everglades. I`ve always wondered if a 34-inch snook caught on the Gulf Coast has the same head, but a slightly smaller and thinner body than its Atlantic Coast counterpart.
• Hold the snook in the water and hold its lower jaw with your thumb or a fish gripping tool. At the June 2012 meeting of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), commissioners voted to keep recreational snook cultivation in Gulf of Mexico waters closed until August 31, 2013. This closure will provide additional protection for the species after a cold killing in 2010 affected the population. The migration of the Snook is somewhat surprising, as it is known to be a tropical species and does not suffer well from cold spells. Where you can`t stop a snook just yet: From Gordon Pass in Collier County north to the border between Pinellas and Pasco counties. Until further notice, this area is divided into two sections with different closing times. Anglers regularly use a variety of bait to catch snook. Common baits include jerkbaits, jigs bucktail, surface baits, spoons and live baits. One of the largest snooks, C.
undecimalis reaches a maximum total length of 140 cm (4.6 ft), but the common length is 50 cm (1.6 ft). The IGFA world record is 24.32 kg (53 lb 10 oz), captured at Parismina Ranch, Costa Rica, by Rafael Montalvo. [3][2] Typical of centrtropomide shape, it has a dull coloration, except for a distinctive black lateral line. It may also have bright yellow pelvic and caudal fins, especially during spawning. [4] Size restrictions: Minimum size 28 inches. Maximum size, Atlantic coast – 32 inches; Gulf Coast – 33 inches. Snook is administered in two regions of Florida: the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. The regulations apply in federal state and adjacent waters. Commercial harvesting or sale of Snook is not permitted. Where to hold a snook: You can catch one anywhere along Florida`s Atlantic coast, in the Florida Keys, the Everglades, Biscayne Bay including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River, where a few snooks live and occasionally a fisherman catches you. Palm Beach County anglers have seen a good number of snooks in rivers, coastal waters and along beaches this summer. Talluto found his corner around the mule in the river.
It measured 43.5 inches and was carefully weighed in a noose before being released. There`s good news for Florida Snook and the fishermen. A recent assessment of Gulf and Atlantic populations shows that the species is responding well on both coasts to temporary closures imposed after the 2010 freeze. “September is definitely the best time to snook fish and catch a slotting fish quite easily,” Kirkhart said.
