Fishing the Backcountry
Snook....
Find plentiful snook in the area's bays, creeks and rivers. A kayak, a rod
and some lures are all you need to snag these challenging game fish.
By Terry Tomalin
A strong
incoming tide flushed the baitfish off the grass flats and carried them into the
waters of Hell Peckney Bay.
I let my kayak glide with the current and
watched as a great blue heron waded through the shallows ahead, looking for an
easy meal. As the big bird inched closer to the shoreline, a pair of snowy
egrets perched in a nearby mangrove took flight and spooked a fish that had been
resting under the overhang.
Judging by the size of the wake, the fish
had to be a snook. They love the mangroves because the elaborate root systems
give them plenty of places to hide and ambush prey.
Guessing where the fish had gone, I let a
top-water lure fly and stopped it 10 feet from the bank. Then, as the tide
carried it along, I twitched it once ... twice ... and then the water boiled as
the snook found its mark.
Line screamed off the reel as I lifted the
rod tip, hoping to steer the fish away from the shoreline and certain escape.
For a moment, I thought I had succeeded, but then the line went slack. The fish
had wrapped the line around a root, where oyster shells sliced it like a knife.
But no worries. I had a tackle box full of
plugs. And the snook? There were plenty more where he came from
Where the Snook Are
The waters of
Matlacha Pass Aquatic Preserve, San Carlos Bay and Pine Island Sound are blessed
when it comes to snook.
"Everything is just right," says Ron
Taylor, Florida's top expert on the highly prized game fish. "You have three
rivers feeding plenty of fresh water and miles of undeveloped mangrove shoreline
that provide a nursery area for the young of the species."
The Peace, Myakka and Caloosahatchee
rivers supply the expansive estuary with a seemingly endless supply of baitfish
and crustaceans. That’s why the area is widely considered one of the best snook
fisheries in the world.
How and Where
to Hook
Snook can grow to more than four
feet long and weigh more than 50 pounds. The fish prefer shallow water because
it offers some protection from sharks and dolphins, so anglers willing to paddle
have a distinct advantage over their motor-boating counterparts.
Shallow draft vessels, commonly called
"flats boats," are another option for getting into the "skinny" water if they
can run in one foot of water or less. An electric trolling motor or poling
platform is helpful.
If you're looking to do a little fishing
on your own, all you need is a cheap spinning rod, a couple of lures and a
rental kayak. Fort Myers Beach is an excellent starting point.
From there it’s a short paddle to
well-protected Hurricane and Hell Peckney bays. Nearby Mullock and Hendry creeks
are also worth exploring. The waters on both sides of Pine Island are favorite
fishing areas.
Live bait, usually pinfish or scaled
sardines, are the choice of most professional fishing guides, but anglers
looking for more of a challenge will want to use a variety of artificial baits,
from hard-bodied plugs to soft-bodied jigs.
