Surf fishing for snook can be one of the most exciting ways to target snook, although, most saltwater anglers never target snook from the surf. Some of the best times to fish for snook on the beaches are during the summer. When anglers think of surf fishing, they think of standing on the beach and casting into a steady flow of good-sized waves. In many of the popular fishing destinations in southwest Florida, you can find snook roaming the beaches with very minimal waves. At times, the water will be so flat that you will feel like you are on a small inland lake rather than the ocean. Sight fishing can be a blast in these areas, but make sure you are cautious when walking the beach. Snook will often be laying just off the beach in only a foot or two of water and they will spook easily.
The better surf anglers will cover a lot of water searching for these fish with topwater lures, jerkbaits, swimbaits, spoons and other fast-moving lures. While covering water, these anglers are always looking through the water to make sure they don’t miss some of the shallow water snook. The plan is usually to move quickly, but quietly in search of aggressive snook and larger schools of snook. If you don’t find the schools of snook, you can still catch a lot of fish if you cover enough water. Sight fishing with fly fishing gear can also be a lot of fun on the beach.
Some of the best places to fish for snook from the surf are in the passes and there are several passes throughout South Florida that offer some excellent shore fishing. The early morning, evening and night are the best times to fish. Just make sure to fish during a tidal change. Moving water is key. Incoming tides and outgoing tides are productive times to fish. During slack tides, you may want to take a break and go grab a sandwich….we’re serious! The fishing gets tough when the water stops moving.
