forgive me for i have molested live bait...

[Vlap]

but perhaps you can help me.... take a look at the report and see the situation i was fishing and help me to figure out what type of artificial bait would have worked best in this situation and why...

well my buddy and i decided to go wading last night... after stocking up on bait (pins,greenies, and maharrow (sp?)) we headed to a spot that seemed odd to me... we went a ways up manatee river and waded out around a bridge... casting up around the pilings soon resulted in some small snook... no picts... there was no reason to...but fun to catch none the less...

after some action with the small ones i finally get a hit that screams drag for a second before a huge body comes outta the water and spits my hook at me... looked like a good size snook... a lil later my buddy has a hit that scrams drag for a second b4 cutting his line clean... (mackeral maybe???) we land some more small snook and have some good hits and a few break offs...

its around 1 in the morn and its time to head in... my friend puts a big pin on and casts it out i am done fishing so i happily watch his line hoping for a hit... i wasnt disapointed... i see his line go tight and hear a big splash... i look up to see the splash but no body.. my buddy is yelling "WOW DID YOU SEE THE SIZE OF THAT SNOOK!!!" i watch as this monster snook easily takes his line into the bridge pilings. my buddy fights smart and relaxes pressure on the line and holds it out away from the pilings... while holding that pose for a long long time (prob less than a minute but it felt like hours) i see his line start moving out away from the bridge he goes tight against it again and then the biggest snook i ahve seen in a long time (high 30's to maybe 40) comes flying out of the water and with a violent shake of its head its snaps my buddies line like it was nothing.. i was honestly amazed since i didnt think snook that size jumped very much if at all... that was a fun way to end our night although it was very tempting to retie and try again for a monster...

not a bad way to spend the evening hours... but i was very suprised to find snook that far up the river at this time of the year... do some snook just stay there and not go to the beach to spawn? at this time of the year i expect to find them in the surf on the beaches or in the passes...

also a question for you experienced artie casters out there... in this situation what type artie do you think would have been effective.. i tried a mirrominnow for a while with no luck... there was a good incoming tide...then out going... we stayed on the up current side of the bridge for both...just casting the bait out near a piling and letting it drift into the shadow... i did out catch my friend with the live bait but i would rather leave the bait for him and catch it all on arty...

[Bigfish171]

Most tidal rivers have a resident snook (and redfish) population that live there year round. During the daylight hours you'd swear they were all 15" long. The bigger fish like to feed at night. The exception is spillways, drainage culverts, etc. after heavy rains. I've caught 30+ inch snook in July & August on diving plugs thrown right in the whitewater caused by the runoff.

As far as artificials, diving plugs and jigs are good around bridges, but I prefer the down current side. Cast under the bridge & retrieve past the pilings with the current.

[Bigfish171]

When fishing around docks and bridges it's important to match your tackle to the situation. Better to risk straightening the hooks on your plug pulling a fish away from the pilings than to leave a big snook with a plug in it's mouth.

[TerryW]

Sounds like you guys had a blast, Jeff.

Snook are such lazy creatures. I'm surprised that so many of the big girls actually make it to the outside passes and beaches.

[Bigfish171]

I'm surprised that so many of the big girls actually make it to the outside passes and beaches.

Hormones are a powerful thing