Redfish/seatrout/snook Thread 2024
FSUFish reply :
Search didn't turn up much, so I thought having this topic would be nice for some discussion. Who here fishes for these?
This weekend in north Florida I'll be tossing MirroLures and weightless flukes over hard bottom for reds and a jig and paddletail in creeks for trout. Ready for warmer weather!
Catch 22 reply :
I never caught a snook ,but I love fishing reds & trout.A friend was down in Charleston,SC for the last two weeks. In ten days of fishing they caught only one red,even with a guide one day. The cold water has them shut down and the local salts have landed very few.. They saw lots of reds pushing but would take nothing.I was supposed to join him but declined the 9 hr drive to wait for better conditions.
No expert status here but my favorite lure would be 3" paddle tails
C22
Chris at Tech reply :
This guy right here!
My folks are retired in Hilton Head SC so I fish the marshes for reds and trout every chance I get. Snook have eluded me so far on a few trips to Florida, one of which was after that freeze in FL, which took quite a toll on the snook population. It's killing me that I haven't knocked that one off my bucket list yet.
FloridaFishinFool reply :
I grew up in Jacksonville and that area is not known for big snook. They are quite a bit further South. They do catch snook up there, but not as much or as large or as often as found further South.
As I recall, Jacksonville was kingfish and redfish mostly.
Go a couple hundred miles South of Jacksonville and this is what we catch down in South Florida. On this trip we caught about 30 plus all close to this size and missed hooking just as many more in less than 3 hours- on live bait though... I don't think I have ever heard of snook this size caught in Jacksonville area, but I am sure it is possible...
kikstand454 reply :
Alright! A thread I can contribute to!
I live in N.Fla and I kayak fish reds/trout/flounder year around.
Fsufish, I assume we live in the same area? I work at fsu. Lol.
Are you a BBF member? FCKA?
Helluva_Engineer reply :
All you need is mirrolures...vary the size/color, but mirrolure works well for both fish. Try to find the sand to grass transition.
FSUFish reply :
Hell of a fish FloridaFishinFool! I don't fish for snook because theyre not around this area, but I figured theyre similar enough for the thread.
Helluva_Engineer, can't beat a mirrolure...every single one catches fish
kikstand...I just graduated from there, and now I'm living for a while down at Keaton beach. Are you a professor? No, I'm not a member of either but have been planning on joining NFGFC.
kikstand454 reply :
No, I'm staff, not faculty.
Keaton is an awesome area for trout! Never- EVER discount a topwater in our area. The fish will hit it all day, all year.
SirSnookalot reply :
We don't have redfish here but I've caught enough of them to be able to compare them to snook. There are quite a bit of similarities as far as lures go, just about anything works. The key is whether they are feeding or not, there can be a ton of snook around and it's easy to go hitless, or get a strike on nearly every cast. I've used every lure mentioned and some not, don't ever overlook a spoon. If I were to make a short list of lures this is what I'd be using, gold spoon redfish, silver spoon snook, bucktails, jerk shad on a jig head (might be my #1 pick), twitchbait like a mirrorlure and topwater.
Biggest snook I ever saw was caught off the beach at Juno on a Yozuri magnum, every bit of 40# +, my biggest was 35# caught on the jettie at the Boynton inlet on a jerk shad, med redbone cardinal 802, have had jacks spool me on the same set up.
0119 reply :
Been a lousy year for snook here. Cold early in winter moved them to river mouths but then it got hot now for a month or more. They seemed to have moved half way back out towards near shore. Hard to find and not much size to them.
FSUFish reply :
Its been real tough up this way too. Apart from an occasional kayak trip or some bass fishing with my brother, its been reel cleaning and boat maintenance season for me!
What does everyone throw rods/reels/line wise?
riverbasser13 reply :
Dayum that is a monster snook!! Good idea for a thread, I love catching all three of those kinds of fish. I grew up in central Florida fishing for bass inland,then heading to the saltwater on the weekends and holidays. Hooking into a big red or gator trout is awesome but snook are in a class of their own.
My saltwater background is why I still bass fish with all spinning gear. My favorite three lures: DOA Shrimps, Mirrolure twitch baits, and a rattle float with a nice frisky finger mullet.
I live in upstate South Carolina now, and am definitely jealous of my buddies who get to fish mosquito lagoon or N Indian river on the weekends.
kikstand454 reply :
Hahha. ..
My bass background is why I fish inshore with baitcasters.
I think I'm finally going to get out this weekend and chase some reds. .... Im going to a new area and there are rumors of small tarpon and stripers/hybrids. We shall see. ... I will report back for sure.
SirSnookalot reply :
I think my inshore saltwater fishing has improved my bass fishing. I seem to be much more aware of what's going on me, I do less blind casting.
FSUFish reply :
I throw both types of tackle, but still mostly spinning. 7'6" med or medlight rods, 2500 reels, 4" yozuri or 10# braid.
I've always felt that bass fishing is easier than flats fishing, but I'm not a very good bass fisherman, so I could be completely wrong haha.
kikstand454 reply :
^^^^^ see, I feel the exact opposite!
FSUFish reply :
Fished 5 creeks today, not much luck. But it was 20-25 mph winds and murky water, so we did what we could. Maybe next weekend!
My new oil and grease came in, so this week I'll be servicing tackle for spring
SirSnookalot reply :
On 1/29/2015 at 11:16 PM, FSUFish said:I throw both types of tackle, but still mostly spinning. 7'6" med or medlight rods, 2500 reels, 4" yozuri or 10# braid.
I've always felt that bass fishing is easier than flats fishing, but I'm not a very good bass fisherman, so I could be completely wrong haha.
You're not wrong or right.
With as much similarity with bass and inshore fishing there are big differences too. Many of the bass waters I fish are landlocked, the bass are always there, doesn't mean they are always striking. Without addressing variables like tide and baitfish, inshore fish just may not be in the area. Pretty hard to catch a fish when none are around. At certain times bass fishing is easier and at other times inshore fishing is easier.
A little tip with inshore fishing, with some species of fish that are busting don't cast to where they are. By the time the lure hits the water they're gone, cast to where you think they will be.
0119 reply :
On 1/29/2015 at 11:16 PM, FSUFish said:I've always felt that bass fishing is easier than flats fishing
It is easier than flats fishing. The flats are mostly devoid of visible targets/structure to cast at. Much of the flats grass' is gone forever, destroyed by runoff and malicious boat operators. Its mostly sight oriented and completely reliant on tide. But flats fishing is only a very small part of saltwater fishing. Those creeks you just fished are the ticket this time of year. Look for dark bottom or brown tannin stained water that'll be warmer.
notevenanibble reply :
On 1/29/2015 at 10:33 AM, riverbasser13 said:Dayum that is a monster snook!! Good idea for a thread, I love catching all three of those kinds of fish. I grew up in central Florida fishing for bass inland,then heading to the saltwater on the weekends and holidays. Hooking into a big red or gator trout is awesome but snook are in a class of their own.
My saltwater background is why I still bass fish with all spinning gear. My favorite three lures: DOA Shrimps, Mirrolure twitch baits, and a rattle float with a nice frisky finger mullet.
I live in upstate South Carolina now, and am definitely jealous of my buddies who get to fish mosquito lagoon or N Indian river on the weekends.
I was in Mountain Rest just last week. There is a nice fly shop there.
Missed a chance to go to Savannah and Buford a few times recently. Hoping to spend a few weekends out there this coming spring. dividing my priorities between, trout, bass, and inshore will not be easy.
FSUFish reply :
I have a friend, captain vince, from savannah. He comes down this way all the time and outfishes all the locals. Very meticulous. Id love to fish out of savannah for a weekend.
heyitskirby reply :
I live in a freshwater world and because of that light tackle is my favorite thing. I hate a deep sea trip with big gear and only tolerate big gear when going out for rockfish in the Chesapeake Bay as that is what my friends tend to use. So from my various travels I have found that redfish are my absolute favorite to target and to be honest I hate bass fishing (am I in the wrong place or am I tired of spending money on it?). I have never had the chance to fish snook but it is probably on top of my bucket list of fish to catch. I've always wondered and I'm obviously in the right place for this question.....What's the comparison of fight for snook versus a redfish?
SirSnookalot reply :
I'd personally give the edge to snook over redfish and saltwater stripers. All 3 of those fish don't even come close to a jack, permit or tarpon, a totally different league.
riverbasser13 reply :
I think I'd have agree with snooksalot, snook edsjacks all have different fighting styles and they are all fun as heck to catch. Whenever I fish inshore saltwater I'm pretty happy with whatever I catch. Except maybe too many catfish.
@notevenanibble, I'm kinda in the same dilemma haha, I guess it's nice to be spoiled for choices. I'm trying to pull off a cape romaine trip once work slows down, I've heard they have great fishing out there. That fly shop is nice, the folks that run it are super nice.
notevenanibble reply :
On 2/10/2015 at 9:57 PM, riverbasser13 said:I think I'd have agree with snooksalot, snook edsjacks all have different fighting styles and they are all fun as heck to catch. Whenever I fish inshore saltwater I'm pretty happy with whatever I catch. Except maybe too many catfish.
@notevenanibble, I'm kinda in the same dilemma haha, I guess it's nice to be spoiled for choices. I'm trying to pull off a cape romaine trip once work slows down, I've heard they have great fishing out there. That fly shop is nice, the folks that run it are super nice.
Carl is a good guy. gives good info on those rivers. i've been flyfishing in western nc and soon in east tennessee, so I don't get to head that way much.
FSUFish reply :
The Special Olympics tourney was this weekend. Any chance anyone fished it? I didn't...the weather was nasty. But a buddy won 1st place in redfish, 500 bucks!
blackmax135 reply :
I do all of my spot tail fishing in beafourt, SC. Great fishing but I don't think there are any snook around these part and I can't wait until June for my honeymoon we will be heading to key west and renting some kayaks. Any advice there would be great. I'm far from an expert spot tail fisherman but I can catch them very consistently only one time a year and that's when it starts getting cold. When the shrimp are getting ready to leave the creeks we find a bluff wall with plenty of lay downs near a main creek and fish a Carolina rig. We get live shrimp and throw them on the bottom and can't keep the line in the water. The bluff walls are also great places to catch trout that same time for some reason. I really don't understand it but I do know it works. Just sucks not having a boat that I can take in saltwater that is mine.
SirSnookalot reply :
To my surprise snook have been reported as far north as New York http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/ichthyology/gallery/Descript/snook/snook.html,
in reality they are a warm water fish. The magic number is 80 degree water for them to be on or near the beach. During the cooler months most snook are caught in the ICW, brackish and freshwater canals, they seek the warmest water they can find. Right now the water is about 73 degrees where I fish and snook are a very tough go, since the first of the year I've caught only about 10 on artificial. The best success fishing for snook is targeting them within inches of a sea wall, next to or underneath pier pylons, within a few feet of the beach shoreline.
tstone reply :
Snook are definitely one of my favorite fish to catch. With the cooler weather the residential canals have been producing good numbers of underslot fish with the occasional slot or overslot. Skipping docks with paddle tails or shrimp. Smaller tarpon are a blast too on light tackle with artificials.
0119 reply :
I enjoy the long pulls of reds more than the jumps of the snook. Jack Crevalle are my very favorite, nothing runs like they do. Before the commercial netters wiped them out of Charlotte Harbor, we'd have massive schools of 20lb.er's. Those fights lasted 10, 15 minutes easy. All gone now, turned into dog food.
SirSnookalot reply :
I've had to chase 20# jacks down with the boat fishing in current. Palm Beach inlet and the ICW there are meccas for large jacks.
FSUFish reply :
Any reports? Haven't had a chance to go and not sue if I'll have a chance before I head north for 6 months
tstone reply :
The snook bite in Tampa is on fire. Reds have been hit or miss for me and when I do find them it's hard to get them to eat artificials.
atcoha reply :
Catch a lot of reds and "gator" trout in Pensacola bay. Shrimp on a jighead, mirrolure, doa shrimp, doa cals and paddletails on a jighead. No snook around here, tarpon every once in awhile.
I'm over in Eastpoint/Port St. Joe this week...seems nothing is biting...not even pinfish...
FSUFish reply :
On 4/1/2015 at 10:06 AM, atcoha said:Catch a lot of reds and "gator" trout in Pensacola bay. Shrimp on a jighead, mirrolure, doa shrimp, doa cals and paddletails on a jighead. No snook around here, tarpon every once in awhile.
I'm over in Eastpoint/Port St. Joe this week...seems nothing is biting...not even pinfish...
fishing has been rough down here too. Seems theres nothing but mullet and sharks around
atcoha reply :
The slot/rat reds are showing up in the bays near Pensacola, my buddy from work caught 3 specks on 3 casts this morning before work from the dock in his backyard, closer to perdido. That's a good sign, specks have not been in numbers,yet.
kikstand454 reply :
.... I had a report last week from a friend and he and another guy caught 60 reds in 5 hours in oyster/Dickerson bay. He said most were slot sized.
Made me want to punch him as I haven't gone in well over a month due to family stuff. The whole area is starting to turn on. ...lots of reports of trout and even Spanish ( already! ) on the flats at the lighthouse in St marks.
I'm going Saturday morning ( finally! ) in the kayaks. .....I will report back.
SirSnookalot reply :
Great report kikstand, which I could say the same is happening here. I've caught 2 snook this week and only about a dozen since the first of the year. Mullet are just staring to run, had a nice 8-9# jack this morning.
atcoha reply :
kikstand, the spanish were in st. joe bay last week when I was there. black and silver mirrolures mr17
Could not get a bite on jigs/plastics. Would love to hit the bay this weekend, stymied by another baseball tourney... 
kikstand454 reply :
Caught this " just inside the slot" red yesterday.... 26 3/4".
Bantum curado cu200
Field and stream inferno 7'mh/f
15# yz ultrasoft
Bone spook Jr.
blackmax135 reply :
On 4/12/2015 at 9:39 PM, kikstand454 said:Caught this " just inside the slot" red yesterday.... 26 3/4".
Bantum curado cu200
Field and stream inferno 7'mh/f
15# yz ultrasoft
Bone spook Jr.
Good job man that's a beautiful fish
SirSnookalot reply :
Was getting ready to drive up to Juno or Hobe Sound, checked the weather and decided against. South east wind usually means heavy seaweed coming in, and that was the case.
atcoha reply :
Went dock fishing in Perdido bay after work. Speck bite was pretty good.
Dillo reply :
Probably headed to the Banana / Indian River area around Christmas... Good fishing then? I've got no clue being from Colorado, trout are different here!
FSUFish reply :
Old thread, but any reports? Did real well last weekend and going again tomorrow!
USAVet/FishmanS/F reply :
Sirsnookalot. I lived in FtLaud. For 15 years in the 70/80s the snook fishing then was fab.they would hit a zaraspook on top water. It was a great time. We would keep the bigger ones. Then in 87 I believe they made the new rules slot was 24/36 in . What is the new rule. I now live in Western North Carolina.
Dropinbrix reply :
Checking in from Virginia, still seeing some trout in our inlets. 808, bch, golden retriever and mardi gras mirrolures. 3" Gulp swimmin mullets on tandem rigs and 5" jerk shads on 3/8th jigheads.
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