Species Guide: Snook

If ever there was a fish that received hyped up press it's the snook. Growing up, I read snook stories in Outdoor Life (my father's personal guide through life) and saw pictures of them with their distinctive head-to-tail black line and read how well they fought. Yeah, I thought . . . sure.Years later, I saw some video of the critters, and a bunch of slides. Everything confirmed what I'd read. I talked to Lefty Kreh and Mark Sosin. They were obviously in love with the fish, and now I know why. Snook live in some of the most beautiful parts of the world--warm, tropical shallow waters from Florida to Brazil in the Atlantic--and they are voracious eaters.Snook come in all sizes. The biggest fly-caught snook (30 pounds) was caught in Florida, but Costa Rica is also especially productive snook water. The all-tackle world record (53 pounds) came from there, and the inland rivers emptying into the Carribean Sea seem to be perfect snook habitat.Large, gaudy fly patterns imitating minnows are the best patterns for snook, and lefty's Deciever is still the best of the type. Look for snook in and around cover in brackish or salt water. Fishing around piers and docks at night can be productive, as baitfish are often attracted by the lights. Most snook, however, are caught in heavy cover, in and around mangrove roots, or in the surf. Accurate casting is critical, and a stout leader is often required to horse the fish out from around and under obstructions.Snook are one of the most easily identifiable saltwater fish species. Their backs are a darkish brown, black, gray, olive or bronze, depending on their habitat and feed. Their sides are predominantly silver and the belly white. Their most distinguishing feature is a single black line running from just above the pectoral fin to the middle of the tail. Note: The gill plates of a snook can cut your hands or shear your leader. A snook also has an anal spine, so be careful where you put your hands.