Re: Trying to catch my first snook.
Hey bud,<br /><br />I have never fished the spot that your going to but if its like the rest of the bridges around here (good example is the skyway) it will proubly hold some monsters.<br /><br />I like to fish 2 rods when i am snook fishing....one for live bait on the bottom and one for live bait or lures on top.<br /><br />I don't know if they are letting you go near the bridges now....if they are you should anchor up tide from the pileings....try to get inbetween two of them and cast over twords them...that way if you hook up with one you can pull him away from the pileing....he WILL TRY TO GO FOR THE PILEING...they are notorious for that and know if they can get the line around it that it will set them free.<br /><br />They like to hit fast and go with a strong tide (witch is always to the bridge supports) because it gives them more power to do what they want to.<br /><br />Use large shrimp, pinfish, greenbacks or sardines (white bait) and keep em lively.<br /><br />On the bottom i like to rig up with a heavy leader (50lb test or better) and a 3 way swivel.<br /><br />use a heavy line too....hook the heavy line to the top of the swivel....the leader and hook to the middle of the swivel and a 1 or 2 ounce (slow tide) up to 4 or 5 ounce (fast tide) to the bottom of the swivel.<br /><br />This is basicly a fish finder set up....you can hook this up any way you like as long as it will keep your bait about 2 ft off the bottom.<br /><br />I prefur to hook the heavy leader to my heavy line with a large swivel....but first i will slip a small swivel onto the heavy line...one that will not slide over the larger swivel....and to that i will put on a lighter line and egg sinker that way if the sinker gets snaged on something i can break the light line before i loose my hook and swivels....then i can just tie on another light line and sinker (this helps at night when you can't always see to make the perfect cast)<br /><br />keep a little tension on the line to keep the bait off the bottom but near it....and keep an eye on it....when he hits it he will be cruising at mach 1 and when he gets it in his mouth he will go with the tide (mostly) and kick on the after burners....be prepaird for this....if you have not fished at night when you can't see to well and he hits it like that it will scare the snot out of you....it still scares me sometimes.<br /><br />free line live bait on top how ever you like or use a lure but always keep one eye on the bottom rod....you'll have your hands on the other one.<br /><br />the mirror lure catch 2000 is a good lure....its a suspended lure and will sink realy slow....good stuff. gold spoons work as well as D.O.A. shrimp.<br /><br />yesterday was the new moon so if it were me i would fish the last half of the incoming and the first half of the out going for the next week.... then after that up to the full moon i would fish the whole incoming and a little of the outgoing....and i would keep close to a fast moving tide.<br /><br />talk to some old timers and they'll give you the skinny on whats up (sometimes they won't but if your nice to them.....)<br /><br />tight lines and i hope i helped a little....every place is different and so is every fish.<br /><br />Derwood.
