Sports

TBO > Sports

Beach Snooking Is Best Bet

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 5, 2008

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

If you head for the beaches this holiday weekend, you will be greeted by peak numbers of catch-and-release snook. They'll be foraging for crustaceans and small baitfish in the surf, working in the natural trough along the shore.

The best presentation would be to cast parallel to the beach along the water's edge using live shrimp, crabs, pinfish or greenbacks. Artificials that can bounce up puffs of sand, emulating a crab, can also be quite productive.

What's always amazing is just how close to the water's edge snook will come. Just one note of caution: Since snook season is closed and all must be released, you're urged to avoid dragging them up into the sand. This could be a death sentence for the fish.

Great pods of tarpon also are available along area beaches and should be just a few hundred yards from shore.

These big silver kings are cruising up and down the coast and will strike a great variety of baits. However, the one offering that really gets their attention is pass crabs. If you spot some rolling tarpon, just cast a crab in their path of travel and get ready for a hookup.

The other abundant species this weekend is the mangrove snapper roaming along most mangrove edges and any kind of structure. Small whitebaits, live shrimp or jigs should yield some tasty snapper dinners.

Hear "The Captain Mel Show" Saturdays from 6-9 a.m. on WFLA, 970 AM. Also, visit

"Fishing Florida OnLine

Magazine" at capmel.com.

Share this:

* To:
Your Name:
Your Email Address:
Personal Message [optional]:

TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Sports

Beach Snooking Is Best Bet