How To Catch A TX Snook
Three TX Lakes Now “Infested” With Mussels
June 22, 2021
Filming On Public Land Means More Conservation
June 24, 2021
Catching a snook in Texas is a special moment. Because of the thrilling battle, snook have quickly become my favorite species to target and luckily, here on South Padre Island, there is a fishable population of them. These powerful fish slam live baits and lures, take off running like a freight train and do impressive acrobatic jumps. What else could you want out of a fish?
Similar to bass, snook are either eating any and everything in sight or nothing at all. My two favorite techniques of catching a linesider are on a slow sinking artificial shrimp or a topwater.
Lots of times, snook will be at the top of the water column next to pilings, docks and walls. If it looks like a good place to get snagged, that’s most likely where a snook will be. In this scenario, the D.O.A. 2.75” Shrimp in 305 Nite Glow is a must. This lure lands on the water discreetly and sinks down naturally. Snook simply can’t resist it. Pictured above is my personal best snook (32”) that I caught and released with Capt. Brian Barrera using that exact shrimp.
Topwaters are fun to use on all species, but snook seem to get extra agitated by the commotion a topwater makes. The result is a predatory attack that sounds like a cinder block being dropped in the water. This is where my favorite topwater shines, the Shimano Hi-Pitch Coltsniper. The Coltsniper walks extremely well and produces the perfect sound to grab the attention of any fish.
Releasing a snook is just about as fun as catching one. Once again, snook have a large mouth that is similar to a bass. When releasing, you can lip them with your thumb and they will close their mouth on it until they are ready to swim off. This is where they get the name thumb sucker from. Their pronounced, black lateral line is something to marvel over as well as their gleaming yellow dorsal fins. When viewing them from above, their eyes are rather close together. For some reason, every time those eyes stare up at me, it reminds me of a puppy dog begging for a treat.
It’s a true honor to get your hands on a snook, especially in Texas.
Kelly Groce
