Snook Fishing with Lures Tips and Techniques
The best way to locate snook to catch is with lures and the best search lures that snook will devour are listed below.
The Top Snook Fishing Lures are:
1) DOA CAL 3 Inch Shad
2) MirroLure Suspending Mullet
3) Flair Hawk Jigs
4) Zara Super Spook/MirroLure Top Dog
5) DOA 3 Inch Shrimp
6) Spoons
7) Berkeley GULP 3 Inch Shrimp/Swimming Mullet
Just about anything will catch you a nice snook when they are in feeding mode. You can catch them with lures like DOA Big One Terror Eyz, spinner baits, crank baits, jerk baits and many more... The lures mentioned in the numbered list above will cover every environment from the beaches to the inlets to the mangroves and every part of the water column too.
I am a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the mangroves, beaches and grass flats all over Florida for more than 40 years. In the article below, I will teach you the right lures to use; the right times to use them and some pro tips and techniques.
Watch the video below to learn how to catch more snook.
The best way to locate snook to catch is with lures and the best search lures that snook will devour are listed below.
The Top Snook Fishing Lures are:
1) DOA CAL 3 Inch Shad
2) MirroLure Suspending Mullet
3) Flair Hawk Jigs
4) Zara Super Spook/MirroLure Top Dog
5) DOA 3 Inch Shrimp
6) Spoons
7) Berkeley GULP 3 Inch Shrimp/Swimming Mullet
Just about anything will catch you a nice snook when they are in feeding mode. You can catch them with lures like DOA Big One Terror Eyz, spinner baits, crank baits, jerk baits and many more... The lures mentioned in the numbered list above will cover every environment from the beaches to the inlets to the mangroves and every part of the water column too.
I am a FISHING CHARTER CAPTAIN on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the mangroves, beaches and grass flats all over Florida for more than 40 years. In the article below, I will teach you the right lures to use; the right times to use them and some pro tips and techniques.
Watch the video below to learn how to catch more snook.
Snook Fishing with Lures off of the Beach
Snook love to cruise the beaches to look for food. One of their favorite foods is the croaker. Croakers are one of those fish that eats sand fleas along with the pompanos and the whitings in the surf. Snook will do just about anything to get at some croakers which brings them right to your feet during high tide.
That is why it is such a great place to catch snook. The best times to fish off of the beach for snook is when the waves have churned up the water so that the snook can't see your lure as well. When the water is somewhat murky you can catch a ton of snook.
Another great time is during the first two hour of light after sunrise and the last two hours of light before sunset. These are great times to catch some snook in the surf.
My go to snook lure on the beach is my go to snook lure just about everywhere else too. It is a white DOA CAL 3 inch shad with a paddle tail. I usually couple this bait with a 1/8 or 1/4 ounce red jig head.
The key to effectively fishing for snook on the beach is to cast parallel to the shore and bounce the jig on the sandy bottom. The snook will usually be within 20 feet of the shoreline during the higher parts of the tide so you don't want to cast your lure out too far.
Casting out too far will put your lure past where all of the snook are. This is a huge mistake that many fishermen make when fishing off of the beach.
Another great lure is the flair hawk jig. This is especially true when the waves and current are too rough and require a 1 1/2 or 2 ounce jig to hold the bottom. You will fish this jig the same way that you did the DOA CALs. You will just bounce it off of the bottom parallel to the shore line.
The best time of year to fish the beaches is in the Summer. The snook head to the inlets to spawn in the Summer months and spread out along the beaches in between those inlets in great numbers.
Snook Fishing with Lures in the Inlets
Snook fishing in the inlets can yield some BIG snook in the Summer months. Snook move to the inlets from the grass flats, rivers, mangroves and wherever else they were to spawn.
These fish will stack up so thick that they look like firewood under the docks around Florida's inlets and on the bottom of the inlets. They are out of season during this time of year because the big ones are the breeding females. They are necessary to keep their numbers up.
The best lure for fishing the inlets for snook is the flair hawk jig. This is the undisputed champion of deep water snook lures in inlets and other deep water areas.
The best time to fish for snook in the inlets is during the outgoing tide. The outgoing tide brings out shrimp, crabs and small fish for snook and other predators to eat. BUT I like it because the dirty water makes the sharp eyed snook much more apt to eat a lure.
The key to fishing the inlets are to cast up current and bounce the jig back to you about the same speed as the current is moving. You can also swim the jig a foot or so off of the bottom at the same speed as the current. Those big female snook will be hugging the bottom of the inlet and if you swim the jig more than a couple of feet from the bottom, then you will be out of the strike zone.
The best colors for the outgoing tide is chartreuse and pink. Those colors seem to work the best in dirty water. If the water is clean, then you will want to use a white jig. The incoming tide is much harder to catch snook because of the clear water.
WANT TO CATCH SNOOK? BOOK YOUR FISHING CHARTER TODAY!
Snook fishing in the inlets can yield some BIG snook in the Summer months. Snook move to the inlets from the grass flats, rivers, mangroves and wherever else they were to spawn.
These fish will stack up so thick that they look like firewood under the docks around Florida's inlets and on the bottom of the inlets. They are out of season during this time of year because the big ones are the breeding females. They are necessary to keep their numbers up.
The best lure for fishing the inlets for snook is the flair hawk jig. This is the undisputed champion of deep water snook lures in inlets and other deep water areas.
The best time to fish for snook in the inlets is during the outgoing tide. The outgoing tide brings out shrimp, crabs and small fish for snook and other predators to eat. BUT I like it because the dirty water makes the sharp eyed snook much more apt to eat a lure.
The key to fishing the inlets are to cast up current and bounce the jig back to you about the same speed as the current is moving. You can also swim the jig a foot or so off of the bottom at the same speed as the current. Those big female snook will be hugging the bottom of the inlet and if you swim the jig more than a couple of feet from the bottom, then you will be out of the strike zone.
The best colors for the outgoing tide is chartreuse and pink. Those colors seem to work the best in dirty water. If the water is clean, then you will want to use a white jig. The incoming tide is much harder to catch snook because of the clear water.
WANT TO CATCH SNOOK? BOOK YOUR FISHING CHARTER TODAY!
Snook Fishing with Lures around Docks
Docks and snook go together like beer and chicken wings. Snook love to cruise the docks looking for food. Docks are mini ecosystems that attract all kinds of marine life.
You want to find the older docks because they will have sponges, marine plants, barnacles, oysters and all kinds of other creatures living on the pilings. Those will in turn attract shrimp, crabs and small fish that predators like snook love to eat.
I love to fish the docks with top water lures during first light and last light. When a big snook slams your top water lures it is amazing. AND that is only the start of it. THEN you will have to fight them to stop them from cutting your line on the dock pilings.
My favorite top water lures are walk-the-dog types of lures. The two lures that I use the most are a Zara Super Spook and a MirroLure Top Dog. My favorite colors are white or a more natural look with a light belly and sides with a dark back.
You will want to match the size of the lure with the size of the actual bait in the area. Size matters as much as the profile of the bait, in my opinion.
When you are fishing around deeper docks the DOA Big One Terror Eyz is a great choice. You will want to cast this lure up current and bounce it on the bottom with the current.
PRO TIP- Don't forget to cast right up to the shore line of the area that you are fishing. Snook have no problem hunting in water just deep enough to cover their backs.
Snook Fishing with Lures on the Grass Flats
Snook fishing on the grass flats is another great way to catch lots of snook. Snook love to hunt the grass flats for shrimp, crabs and small fish.
The key to fishing the grass flats is to cover a lot of water. You will have to figure out where all of the fish are. I'll give you a hint to where they will be. The snook will be wherever the bait is. If you can find the bait, then you can find the feeding fish.
Look for diving birds like terns and pelicans. Look for bait activity like jumping fish. Look for wading birds like herons and egrets if you are fishing in shallow water.
Once you find the bait then it is time to catch some snook. If you are fishing in four feet or less water depth, then you can use a top water lure; you can use a DOA CAL; you can use a Berkeley GULP shrimp or swimming mullet or a MirroLure Suspending Mullet.
The best place to focus your efforts is around the sandy potholes that are in all grass flats. Those sandy spots make great ambush points for predators like snook. They will lie in wait for unsuspecting shrimp, crabs and fish to be brought to them by the current.
Make sure to bring your lure presentation to the snook from up current. The snook will be facing into the current so your lure must come at them from the front. If you bring it from behind them, then you will often spook the fish.
If you are fishing with a jig, then you will want to bounce it on the bottom right through the middle of the sandy pot holes. That is your best bet for catching snook near the sandy spots.
Watch the video below and catch more snook with jerk baits.
Snook fishing on the grass flats is another great way to catch lots of snook. Snook love to hunt the grass flats for shrimp, crabs and small fish.
The key to fishing the grass flats is to cover a lot of water. You will have to figure out where all of the fish are. I'll give you a hint to where they will be. The snook will be wherever the bait is. If you can find the bait, then you can find the feeding fish.
Look for diving birds like terns and pelicans. Look for bait activity like jumping fish. Look for wading birds like herons and egrets if you are fishing in shallow water.
Once you find the bait then it is time to catch some snook. If you are fishing in four feet or less water depth, then you can use a top water lure; you can use a DOA CAL; you can use a Berkeley GULP shrimp or swimming mullet or a MirroLure Suspending Mullet.
The best place to focus your efforts is around the sandy potholes that are in all grass flats. Those sandy spots make great ambush points for predators like snook. They will lie in wait for unsuspecting shrimp, crabs and fish to be brought to them by the current.
Make sure to bring your lure presentation to the snook from up current. The snook will be facing into the current so your lure must come at them from the front. If you bring it from behind them, then you will often spook the fish.
If you are fishing with a jig, then you will want to bounce it on the bottom right through the middle of the sandy pot holes. That is your best bet for catching snook near the sandy spots.
Watch the video below and catch more snook with jerk baits.
Snook Fishing with Lures around Mangroves
Mangroves are a great place to find snook on the move. Snook like to move up and down tidal creeks, mangrove islands and other areas that are lined with mangrove trees. They will move with the tide back and forth hugging the mangrove roots.
Mangrove roots are a great place for marine life. There are shrimp, crabs and small fish that hide amongst the roots of the Red Mangrove Tree especially during the higher parts of the tide.
Snook like to hunt for food in and around the roots of the mangroves. It is hard to fish this environment because you have to get your lures so close to the roots to be effective. This often leads to lots of lost lures but you have to be very close to the roots to catch fish.
In my opinion, a cast more than 2 feet from the roots will probably not catch many snook. You have to get your lures right at the roots or at the very least under the branches of the trees. If you can get good at skipping your lures, then you can catch a ton of snook in the mangroves.
A good lure to use is a DOA CAL rigged weed less or a Berkeley GULP Shrimp or Swimming Mullet rigged weed less. These lures can be skipped under the branches or sent up into the roots without getting snagged as often as a non weed less set up.
When the tide is high and you can cast parallel to the line of mangroves a top water lure like a Zara Spook or a MirroLure Top Dog will elicit some big hits. Just make sure to cast them up current and work them back to you as close to the roots as possible.
Watch the video below and catch more snook wade fishing the mangroves.
Snook Fishing with Lures on Bridges
Bridges are a great place to catch snook. This is especially true at night. Snook like to congregate around well lit bridges because shrimp and bait fish like to congregate there too.
Around the bridges in shallow water a DOA Shrimp or any fake shrimp can be a great lure for snook. The problem with fishing the lights is the snook can see your line better than other scenarios. You will have to go with the lightest leader that you can get away with for more strikes.
You will want to let these shrimp come from up current and move it as slowly as you can from the dark areas into the lit areas of water. The snook will hide in the dark and wait for prey to show themselves in the light.
Around deeper bridges the old stand by flair hawk jig is probably your best bet for night time snook. This lure should be fished from up current and moved from the darkness into the light within a couple of feet from the bottom for best results.
The size of the flair hawk jig that you need will depend upon the depth of the water and the amount of current. You can usually get away with a 1 1/2 ounce jig but if the tide is extra strong then you might want to go up to a 2 or 3 ounce jig.
Snook Fishing with Lures at Spillways
Snook are a fresh water tolerant species. In fact they can live just fine in fresh water if they have to. When the rains come in the Summer and Fall the many dams around the state of Florida are opened up.
This release of fresh water is like a dinner bell for many species of fish like snook and tarpon. These fish head straight for the nearest outflow to feast upon the blue gills and red eared sunfish that are sucked through the lochs.
The best lures are one that will get down deep like a flair hawk jig or some sort of diving lure that mimics a pan fish. Dams that are well lit are the best ones to fish at night. You might catch a dozen snook in a night if the bite is on and the water is flowing.
It is very hard to fish in the current of one of these spillways when they are releasing billions of gallons of water BUT it can be very rewarding for you snook fishing fanatics out there.
Snook Fishing with Lures in Freshwater Rivers
People often overlook the fact that snook can live full time in freshwater. In fact, snook will often run up the many freshwater rivers in Florida during the winter months because the water is warmer.
Why is the water warmer you might ask? The water is warmer because the freshwater rivers will have a dark bottom and dark water that collects the sun's energy better than clear water and white sandy bottoms.
These snook will push up the freshwater rivers and start to act like a bass. They will feed upon frogs, snakes, crawdads, bluegill, tilapia, mice......
In my opinion, a root beer colored 3 to 5 inch paddle tail is still going to be your best bet for fishing the rivers. The snook will think it is something delicious to eat and you can cover a ton of area with that lure.
PRO TIP: You must rig this lure weed less in the rivers of Florida. There is just too much structure to get hung up on in the rivers. There are fallen trees and branches everywhere.
Many snook have become land locked in the lakes, ponds and rivers in Florida. Those bodies of water used to connect to the sea but have been blocked off by dams and levies. Don't be surprised the next time that you go bass fishing and end up with a 20 pound snook on the end of your line.
Bonus Video: Surf Fishing for Monster Snook
Snook are a fresh water tolerant species. In fact they can live just fine in fresh water if they have to. When the rains come in the Summer and Fall the many dams around the state of Florida are opened up.
This release of fresh water is like a dinner bell for many species of fish like snook and tarpon. These fish head straight for the nearest outflow to feast upon the blue gills and red eared sunfish that are sucked through the lochs.
The best lures are one that will get down deep like a flair hawk jig or some sort of diving lure that mimics a pan fish. Dams that are well lit are the best ones to fish at night. You might catch a dozen snook in a night if the bite is on and the water is flowing.
It is very hard to fish in the current of one of these spillways when they are releasing billions of gallons of water BUT it can be very rewarding for you snook fishing fanatics out there.
Snook Fishing with Lures in Freshwater Rivers
People often overlook the fact that snook can live full time in freshwater. In fact, snook will often run up the many freshwater rivers in Florida during the winter months because the water is warmer.
Why is the water warmer you might ask? The water is warmer because the freshwater rivers will have a dark bottom and dark water that collects the sun's energy better than clear water and white sandy bottoms.
These snook will push up the freshwater rivers and start to act like a bass. They will feed upon frogs, snakes, crawdads, bluegill, tilapia, mice......
In my opinion, a root beer colored 3 to 5 inch paddle tail is still going to be your best bet for fishing the rivers. The snook will think it is something delicious to eat and you can cover a ton of area with that lure.
PRO TIP: You must rig this lure weed less in the rivers of Florida. There is just too much structure to get hung up on in the rivers. There are fallen trees and branches everywhere.
Many snook have become land locked in the lakes, ponds and rivers in Florida. Those bodies of water used to connect to the sea but have been blocked off by dams and levies. Don't be surprised the next time that you go bass fishing and end up with a 20 pound snook on the end of your line.
Bonus Video: Surf Fishing for Monster Snook
Conclusion:
Snook fishing with lures can be challenging. The key to fishing with lures is not the lure itself as much as the fishermen using the lures. It is technique that catches fish not the lure.
My recommendation is to pick 5 different types of lures that you can cover the entire water column with. Then you will want to get good at fishing those lures. Once you master top water lures then move to jigs and soft plastics. After that move to fishing deep water jigs for bridges and inlets. Before you know it your confidence and technique will be top notch.
Before you know it you will be catching snook all over the place. Snook don't bite your lure based on its brand. They bite your lures based on how you fish them and how closely they mimic the prey that they are feeding on.
I hope that this article helps you catch more snook or at the very least helps you have more fun doing it.
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