Snook Fishing

The common snook is also known as the sergeant fish or the robalo. Snook range in size from just over 50cm (1.6 feet) to a massive 140cm (4.6 feet) as one of the largest ever caught. The work record snook, by the IGFA, is 53lb 10oz, caught in Parisimina Ranch, Costa Rica, by a fisherman named Rafael Montalvo.

Snook are something of a celebrity fish for fishermen in Florida. A fisherman with a saltwater fishing license and a snook stamp can keep one fish daily during the open season, but it must fall within 29-32 inches long from tip to tail. Snook are some of the most aggressive fighting fish for their size, making them a blast to catch. Snook season is catch-and-release through May 31, 2022, for all state waters south of State Road 64 in Manatee County, include Palma Sola Bay through Gordon Pass in Collier County, but does not include the Braden River or tributaries of the Manatee River. Please look to the local regulations to ensure you are fishing legally. For more on Florida regulations, go to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

A snook’s appearance tends to be rather drab with a black lateral line, and they can have bright yellow pelvic and caudal fins, most often during spawning. The spawning season runs from April through October, with the peak in July and August. Snook are found throughout the tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from North Carolina all the way to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

The flavor of snook is enjoyed by many and also is popular commercially. It is said a snook’s meat is heavier than trout but lighter than a swordfish steak. The excellent flavor is said to be from its diet of crustaceans and other small fish. One thing to note, the skin must be removed entirely before cooking as it imparts a soap-like flavor to the fish.

Check out some of our most popular snook fishing rods, made specifically for the intense battle you are sure to find when fishing for snook.

Hooked on excellence.