Bush Whacking -- John Callaghan

Spring has arrived, flowers have begun to bloom sending forth natures sweet aromas, and the Snook have started to awaken. From the dark depths of the backcountry snook are stirring. The lethargy of winter diminishes as the water temps climb and the daylight hours lengthen. Before making their transition to the spawning grounds of local passes, they must first prepare for the journey. Yes sir, it’s time for them to eat.

Now is the time for the paddle fisherman to head for the bushes. There’s fish in them thar trees!

Within the entangled mass of the mangrove root systems, lay snook, waiting for the current to deliver them their next meal. The almost impenetrable sanctuary, allows the Snook to avoid the attention of all but the most determined anglers. Whether canoe or kayak, both offer the perfect means of exploring the local creeks, bayous and backwaters in search of the pre-spawn linesiders.

Stalking mangroves is certainly more demanding than drifting an open flat, but the rewards far outweigh the labors. Trying to paddle up current, maintain position, cast, play, and land any fish you may happen to hook, can be quite challenging in such close quarters. If at all possible, the easiest solution to all these problems is to get out and walk. Wading reduces or negates all the aforementioned problems.

I am amazed at how often I see people fishing from paddle-crafts messing with anchors, drift chutes or stake out poles, trying to control boat position, when simply sliding overboard will solve all their problems.

Obviously when fishing the mangroves you are going to want to be casting either up or across current. Snook are not too fond of their food, hitting them in the rear while they look into the current anticipating their next meal. If the water is too deep to wade then you’ll want to have a canoe or kayak fitted with a pivotal anchor trolley, which will allow you to anchor with the bow facing into the current. Enabling you to make a natural presentation to your quarry. Keep the anchor on as short a line as possible. Too much slack and hooking into a good sized fish will soon have you being pulled into the Snook’s den, rather than pulling them out to you.

When wading I deploy a small 1lb anchor on a short line at the rear of the kayak, to help keep it in position and reduce the affect of current or wind. The last thing you want to be worried about is your boat and all your tackle becoming ensnared in the grabbing branches of the bushes!

Tackle needs to be stout and able to with stand the rigors of fishing around the barnacle-encrusted roots, that snook call home.

Long casts are not normally necessary, so I prefer a 6’6” rod matched to a 4000 series reel, with the drag tightened down hard. Line of choice is 20lb Power Pro, with a 40lb leader of at least 36”. The shorter rod will improve your casting accuracy, a definite advantage in getting your bait to the elusive snook.

Generally snook are lazy fish, waiting for their food to come to them, rather than chasing it down. This foible can be used to your advantage, as long as you know how to capitalize on it. Skipping an artificial bait, in under the roots and letting it drift naturally with the current, will send your offering directly to the waiting fish.

My favorite lure for skipping is a DOA Shrimp; I like the Nite-Glow, for clear water and either the avocado measles or red measles, in water carrying some color. Skipping is done by casting the bait down onto the water just in front of the mangrove branches and forcing the bait to bounce or skip over the waters surface and under the branches into the lair of the Snook. Similar to how you would skim stones across the water as kids. Of course you’ll put a few casts in to the waiting clutches of the mangrove bushes. But, like they say “If you’re not getting hung up once in a while, you’re not fishing close enough”

Once the bait settles, let the current move the bait, keeping a tight line. Be ready to hit any strikes hard and hold on, giving the fish any leeway will end in you being tied around those roots in seconds. I have my drag tightened down as far as it will go, so I can exert maximum force on a fish immediately. If a snook does beat you to the draw, then opening the bail and letting the fish run, is your best option. Carefully taking in the slack and threading the rod through the ins and outs of the branches may win you the fight, if your luck is in.

If the tide is falling the snook have no alternative than to move further out from the waters edge, making them a lot easier to target. Due to being closer if not right out from under the edge of the branches, skipping is not so important.

In this situation I’ll change my approach slightly. Instead of casting toward the mangroves trying to penetrate the biomass, I’ll cast parallel to the edges retrieving my lure with the current and hopefully into the waiting maw of any hungry snook.

Favorite lures for this kind of fishing are the Mirror-lure She-Dog, the loud rattles and walking action are pretty hard for hungry snook to ignore. I’ll generally let the current bring the lure back toward me, and simply retrieve in the slack line. A few twitches as the lure bobs along is normally enough to call up the linesiders from their hidey-holes. My second choice bait, especially if I am seeing small finger mullet being pulled out by the outgoing tides is a Yo-Zuri SS Minnow. This is a 3.5” shallow running crank-bait that has a huge wobbling action, leaving a wake almost identical to that of a finger mullet swimming along the surface. Best retrieve I’ve found for this lure; is to hold your rod tip high keeping as much line out of the water as possible making the bait wobble and rattle on the surface, sending out all the right kind of vibrations.

I’ll go with the She-Dog in colored stained water, relying on its louder rattles to entice the snook. I prefer either the “bone” or “white belly, black back” color for this bait.

In clear shallower water the Yo-Zuri is the bait of choice, favorite color being the “silver sides, black back, orange belly”.

If the mangroves are in water over 3” deep, I’ll throw a jig with a paddle tail grub, or the DOA Terror eyes. These swim baits will get down to the fish, and can be bounced along off bottom, kicking up some mud and drawing the attention of the snook.

Now what differentiates between a mangrove and a snook mangrove?

First thing to look for is deeper water, either close by or directly under the mangrove.

An undercut bank is also a snook magnet, the banks get under cut by the flow of water, and usually on the outside of bend in a creek is a good place to look.

The points of mangroves are another hot spot. As the current flows down the shore, the points will deviate the current and create some slack water where the snook can lie, without expending too much energy as he waits for his dinner to be drawn by in the quicker water.

Junctions between smaller feeder creeks and the main creek will also hold fish as they wait for bait to be flushed out with the falling tides.

Look at the water surface; anything that creates a deviation in the flow, or a back eddy and slack water is worth a cast or two.

Of course Snook won’t be the only fish you’ll encounter in the mangroves, Redfish and Mangrove Snapper love this habitat too.

So head into the backcountry this springtime and try some bush whacking for your self.

I guarantee you’ll have a lot of fun, oh and don’t forget the bug spray!

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