With the coolest part of the winter behind us and snook back on the keeper list, anglers hankering after a couple of sweet fillets are faced only with the age-old dilemma: how to make it happen.

Snook target small baitfish under the lights.

The big schools of linesiders that filled the passes and lined the beaches during the summer spawn are a distant memory. Working the mangroves can be productive but is still basically hit-and-miss, mainly limited to sunny, lee shorelines. And with water temperatures hovering in the high 60s or low 70s these often-ferocious feeders can be downright finicky.

The good news is, despite their seasonal slump, snook remain eager and efficient nocturnal predators. Under cover of darkness much of their daytime wariness disappears. They orient to bridges, docks, wrecks and other structure to feed. Narrow channels that funnel tide and baitfish, including culverts, also draw fish. At night, even small, tight channels that hug the shoreline are good lies. Places like this can be productive on the blackest, moonless nights, but along Florida’s developed waterways, the sweetest winter spots incorporate another ingredient: Light.

Snook go where the food is, and waterside lights are one of the greatest bait attractors. It is a longstanding tradition for many dock owners to put out “snook lights,” high-wattage spotlights that become perennial fish magnets with ready-made live chum. Similarly, many coastal bridges and seawalls are outfitted with lights for the convenience of boaters and topside automotive and pedestrian traffic.

I have never been enamored of night fishing. But fishing under the lights eliminates most of the irritation factors of after-dark angling: tangled gear, bad casts, fumbling with minor tasks.

Anyone who has fished under dock lights knows what a rush this slam-bang kind of fishing can be. It is a combination of sight fishing and blind casting to likely lies. Spotting a big shadow slashing through a pod of bait gets the heart pumping and calls for a fast, accurate cast.

Night snooking is best on a moving tide. In my home waters of Southwest Florida, strong spring tides—particularly the falling tide—sweep huge quantities of bait through the estuaries. Captain Dave Gibson, who has guided in the Fort Myers area for 18 years, says, “Number one is a late outgoing tide.” Gibson favors new-moon and full-moon tides.

Here are a few basic tactics which will greatly increase your chances of hooking up:

1) Approach

The first rule is to approach the area you plan to fish as stealthily as possible. If you are fishing from a dock, wear sneakers or other quiet footgear and tread softly. Also, watch your shadow. Fish accustomed to certain light often spook when an unfamiliar shadow wanders into the bait-scape. In a boat, start an unpowered drift or switch to trolling motor, paddles, oars or pushpole at least 100 feet away. Stay as far out from your target area as you can accurately cast.

Gibson says he used to use a trolling motor and go dock to dock but now usually anchors to make casting easier for anglers. “It’s hard enough to judge distances in the dark without moving,” he says. Depending on current and wind, he may have to move his anchor several times at one spot.

2) Observation

When scouting a line of dock lights, look for skittish bait within or on the edges of the lighted circles. Also, watch for large shadows moving into the light. The best sign, of course, is snook tearing into bait. If you see this, cast to the spot as quickly as possible. Try to judge the direction of the fish and put your lure a foot or so in front of it. Often a feeding fish will smash it as soon it hits the water. But if there is no immediate take, let natural bait sink or drift naturally. If you are using artificials, start the retrieve immediately.

In clear water, you’ll spot a lot of snook right away, but don’t ignore places where there are no signs of fish. Remember, they are out of sight below the surface the vast majority of the time, but because of their skull structure and eye placement they are usually looking up.