A note from Harry on Catching the Crafty Snook...
Snook Season is closed December 15-January 31, and all of
June, July and August each year. The rest of the year, fishermen know that
the only way to put this
tasty sport fish on your dinner table is to catch one yourself. (It is very
gratifying to catch and release the noble snook, but once in awhile a fish
does make it to the kitchen.) If you know Harry, you know there is no one
better qualified to tell you how to catch this fish and how to cook it. Fishing
in Sarasota Bay, here's how to hook 'em,
straight from the fishing chef's mouth:
First you have to capture the bait. Mix some bread crumbs with a can of jack
mackerel to chum up the greenback shiners that snook love. Go along a grass
edge in the bay and sprinkle your gourmet chum on the surface of the water.
When the shiners show up to feed, throw your cast net over them and put them in
your bait well.
Next you want to find a swash channel where the water is moving. A successful snook
fishing expedition can only occur on a moving tide. In or out doesn't matter, but a slack tide
won't produce fish. The changing water wakes the fish up and gets them
looking for their favorite food. Just toss your hooked shiner in the sand where
it can be easily seen. With luck, a hungry snook will be nearby hiding in
the grass waiting to ambush its prey. But always remember, this is why we call
it fishing not catching.
Lastly, and most importantly, when you feel the line get tight, SET
THE HOOK!
(Don't forget that if you're just too tired after a day of fishing, bring your catch
to Harry's. We'll be pleased to cook your fish for you any way you want it.)
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