Snook season closes Dec. 15

Palm Coast Observer
Opinion

Snook season closes Dec. 15, and remains closed until Feb. 1.

During the closed season, you can still catch snook, but all caught fish must be released. I have mentioned before that barring any bad freezes the rest of this winter, we can expect some good snook fishing come springtime.

All the snook I've been catching in the 18-inch range should be in the low-20-inch range by summertime. I also expect that larger ones will travel farther north if the water temperatures remain in the 50- to 60-degree range.

If you love to fish for snook like I do, you can always venture up into the Tomoka River during the closed season to search out the “linesider.”

They are referred to as linesiders because of their very pronounced black lateral line that runs the length of its body. The farther up river you go, past the U.S. 1 bridge and then the I-95 bridge, the more likely you will be able to find them.

The water there seems to hold a more constant temperature. I think that's because the water is spring-fed. As you get way back up river, it tends to narrow and turns to complete freshwater. There is some controversy about fishing those areas as to whether a freshwater fishing license is required. Unfortunately, I can’t give you a correct answer on the subject.

During warm, sunny days, look for snook to be sunning themselves along the banks of the river in the shallow water.

When it's cloudy and colder, look for them to be in deeper water. Because the fish are cold, they become lethargic. You'll have to slow down your bait presentation. When you land one, make sure it is well revived before you release it.

On the other hand, I would like to see a little bit colder weather with a drop in water temperature. That drop will make the water clearer, which makes for good sight fishing for redfish.

The colder water will also make the reds more apt to school on the flats. They head up into the shallows to warm up and feed as the day progresses. It's not unusual to see a school of 100 redfish on the flats during the winter.

When you venture into the backwaters, you'll want to enter on an incoming tide and exit on a falling tide. This will normally give you a couple of good hours of fishing.

Last week, I had Ron Coppenbarger, of Jacksonville, and Bob Allen, of Nebraska, out for some fishing.

The pair wound up with a couple of reds and trout in the shallows, and ladyfish, mangrove snapper, five snook and lots of trout from the Intracoastal Waterway.