Snook
Snook
Centropomus undecimalis — also called Linesider, Robalo
Florida's flagship inshore gamefish. Snook are temperature-sensitive (mortality below 50°F), so the fishery is concentrated in South FL. Slot regulations are tight and seasons close during spawning — verify FWC rules before keeping a fish.
- Range
- South Florida (both coasts), Gulf of Mexico, Texas (limited).
- Size
- Typical 24–32" (slot); trophy 40"+; world record 53 lb 10 oz.
- Spawn temp
- 75–85°F
- Best seasons
- Summer (spawn), Fall, Spring
Best baits for snook
- Live pilchard / pinfish
- DOA shrimp
- White soft-plastic jig
- Topwater (Skitter Walk)
- Suspending jerkbait (MirrOlure)
Season by season
Spring
Move from backcountry winter holding to passes and beaches. Pre-spawn feeding. Live bait or topwater at first light.
Summer
Spawn at the passes. Boca Grande is the most famous summer snook fishery on earth. Live pilchards under floats.
Fall
Push back into rivers and creeks. Mangrove shorelines, dock lights at night. Best wade-fishing window.
Winter
Backcountry — far up creeks and inside basins where water stays warmest. Slow soft plastics. Catch-and-release recommended on cold fish.
Local secret
Fish the moving tide on a structure edge — mangroves, dock pilings, jetty rocks. Snook ambush on current. Slack tide = no bites.
Top US waters for snook
- Boca Grande Pass, FL
- Sebastian Inlet, FL
- Everglades (Flamingo, FL)
- Ten Thousand Islands, FL
- Tampa Bay, FL
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