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Anglers Are Ready For Snook

By RAY MARKHAM

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 27, 2008

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, Tropical Storm Fay caused quite a stir and pretty much blew out fishing plans, but the buzz on the docks right now is all about snook.

Hopefully, Hurricane Gustav won't affect us, but stay tuned. Anglers looking forward to the reopening of snook season Monday are scouting productive locations and finding a number of large snook around.

Snook, being opportunistic predatory feeders, depend partially on moving water to bring food to them, so you'll find linesiders in locations that provide structure, current and a place to ambush prey.

Surrounding Saturday's new moon, we will see some excellent four-tide days, with a good morning incoming tide and late afternoons with big dropping tides. Snook were scattered by the storm last week, but spawning fish will still be found in passes. Beaches just inside and outside the passes are holding fish.

If seas in the Gulf are rough, it's a good bet that the land-side of barrier islands will hold some large females in spawning mode.

Snook are spread out along the south shore of Tampa Bay from Ruskin to the Sunshine Skyway. The Port Manatee spoil island traditionally holds a huge population of spawning fish because of its proximity to the channel entering the port. However, without a proper permit, the area is off-limits.

The mouth of Cockroach Bay provides one of the best locations for snook fishing on the afternoon dropping tide around the new moon. Fish the edges of the channel exiting the bay there with a CAL Shad or some kind of weedless jerk bait or spoon on the last hour or two of the afternoon drop for some great action.

Ray Markham co-hosts "Florida Sportsman Magazine Radio Live," Saturdays from 8-9 a.m. on WWBA, 1040 AM, and may be reached for charter at (941) 723-2655.

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