December 06, 2011
By Sam Hudson
Snook season closes in all Atlantic coastal and inland waters (including Lake Okeechobee and the Kissimmee River) starting Dec. 15. The season will reopen in Atlantic state and federal waters on Feb. 1, 2012.
For 2011, Atlantic anglers saw a resurgence in snook catches at many of the well-known hotspots along the east coast. Once again, snook action was strong at traditional structures such as jetties, bridges and docks. Most anglers say that the prevalent snook action along the grassflats has not yet recovered to years past.
Snook season remains closed in Gulf of Mexico state and federal waters through Aug. 31, 2012, a decision made by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) after prolonged cold weather during the 2009-10 winter that affected snook numbers. It's unknown at this point whether the season will open at all in 2012 for Gulf Coast anglers.
The extended Gulf harvest closure will help protect snook populations this winter, when they are most vulnerable to cold weather, and give snook added protection during next spring and summer's spawning months. Florida Sportsman member Linesider41 had to make a recent trip, targeting a keeper snook before the season closes. Check out his catch.
