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Cold Prepares Snook For Winter

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 14, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Ray Markham.

Last week's cold front plunged area water temperatures 10 degrees, tempering snook, our tropical species.

I recorded water temps as low as 62 degrees on the flats of Terra Ceia, and as warm as 68. Rapid drops in temperature have a tendency to put lockjaw on snook. We could see plenty of linesiders, but couldn't get them to chew.

This week, a warming trend is pushing the mercury back up into a more comfortable level for snook. During this period of weather, snook will begin preparing for winter's cold days by feeding heavily in an attempt to put on weight and add body fat, which insulates the fish from the extreme cold weather days ahead.

This is the prime time to get out and find a feeding fish. With only a couple of weeks remaining in the open season for snook, anglers will be targeting them.

Top forage for snook will be shrimp, killifish or glass minnows, and scaled sardines. My top producing artificial baits that mimic this forage are the DOA Shrimp in 1/4 -ounce and the glow color, the CAL Shad tail in either nite glow or Arkansas glow colors on a 1/4 -ounce chartreuse CAL jig head, and the new MirrOlure MirrOdine in silver.

These baits will work anywhere in any color of water. Redfish and trout have been very cooperative. Using DOA Shrimp and CAL Jigs with Shad tails we worked potholes on the low water and on edges of oyster bars as the tide rose. Schools of very large jack crevalle pushed up head wakes of water nearly a foot high and were visible for blocks.

Ray Markham co-hosts "Florida Sportsman Magazine Radio Live," from 8-9 a.m. Saturdays on WWBA, 1040 AM, and can be reached for charter at

(941) 723-2655.

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