Snook Fishing in Key Largo, FL
The linesider: ambush predators that hug mangroves, docks, and passes. Explosive strikes, blistering runs, and a strict love of warm water.
Typical season in Florida
- January: also fished
- February: also fished
- March: also fished
- April: peak
- May: peak
- June: peak
- July: peak
- August: peak
- September: peak
- October: peak
- November: also fished
- December: also fished
Peak months: April to October. Also fished: November to March.
Snook harvest closes Dec to Feb and May to Aug on the Gulf coast (to Sept 30 in the Southwest), and mid Dec to Jan and Jun to Aug on the Atlantic. Catch and release is open all year.
Peak months are general guidance for the region, not regulations. Always check your state's current rules and ask us before you book.
Species guide
Snook (Centropomus undecimalis)
- How to identify
- Silver with a bold black lateral line, sloping forehead and jutting lower jaw.
- Size
- Commonly 20 to 34 inches; big females pass 40 inches and 30 pounds
- Lifespan
- Up to about 20 years
- Habitat
- Mangrove shorelines, docks, passes and beaches in warm water.
- Range
- South Florida, the Texas coast, the Caribbean and Central America.
- Diet
- Baitfish, shrimp and crabs
Did you know? Snook are born male and many change to female as they grow, and cold snaps below about 60 degrees can stress or kill them.
