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This fish was caught by Youth Ranch staff member, Mike Brannan, at one of our programs in Polk county. I've heard stories from back in the day about snook being caught in this lake but, never have I seen proof. A few months ago I was sure I had seen a tarpon roll and Mike said the night before this snook he actually jumped a poon. Needless to say he changed from the typical bass gear and was prepared for this girl. The fish was caught on topwater and was Mike's 1st snook and 1st topwater fish!
I truly feel sorry for his wife as he is now seriously doomed.
Time to put up the plastic worms and break out the mirrolures! 8)
PS- This is a private lake and is not open to the public unless you want to volunteer with the recreation dept. working with youth.

Very pride worthy Snook there.

Thanks for the post snookfinatic!
You are right, now I have snook fever. It will be a while before I have a fish story to top this one.
I still cant believe a CF lake snook. Who knows what else is in the lakes around here.

that is one fine fish you got there. Congrats on your first snook and welcome to the club of snook addicts.

She looks like she got a few trebles stuck under her gills, did she look fine when she swam away?

p911gt2 wrote: She looks like she got a few trebles stuck under her gills, did she look fine when she swam away?

I noticed that as well. Thats what happens when using plugs.
Not sure how well the release went but, I know Mike and I'm sure he was as careful as he could be. From a conservation standpoint I don't believe a snook in freshwater can spawn and reproduce. Anyone know anything about this?
BTW-Welcome campbrannan!

A friend of my brother in law was bass fishing in a lake in Winter Haven a few months after those big floods from the three hurricanes that went through the central part of the state. He hooked into what he thought was a really nice bass, it turned out to be a snook. The lakes in that part of Polk County are all somewhat connected. And at some point there is close access or a small area that reaches one of the rivers. He hasnt since caught a snook but I imagine it is possible that snook and tarpon could be in some of them.

I know on the pond on the 18th green at Doral in Miami, there are large tarpon in there. Saw one roll....and some great peacock fishing in those lakes as well.

Very nice fish. Congrats.

I know that pond myself doral is great for peacocks and fresh water snook...I see very big tarpon and snook in the freshwater canals all the time...my favorite is C4

I am sure finatic is going to post the pic of the TARPON he caught last night in the same lake. It was great seeing my first poon up close. All I caught was one small bass..... Go figure now i am complaining about catching bass in fresh water. I am still wondering about thier reproductive abilities.

Yes, there's tarpon in the lake too! We had seen several of them rollin' and waited patiently as they moved toward us. When they came into casting range I made a cast in front of them with a 52m mirrolure and got whacked!

Whoa!!! I am paying you to work, not catch fish.

Do you think they are coming underground from the Peace River?

quickly...put it back in the water...new regs

bonefishwhisperer wrote:quickly...put it back in the water...new regs

It was "immedietely" released. I had to pull it up onto the dock to remove the plug lodged sideways inside its mouth. If it wasn't for a bit of operation the fish would of probably not survived.

just kiddin...I am sure you handled it properly...love the picture too...I chase freshwater poons myself and lots of times its actually better to pick up the fish instead of letting it beat itself senseless in the shallow coral...keep it coming

Snook712 wrote:Whoa!!! I am paying you to work, not catch fish.

Do you think they are coming underground from the Peace River?

Remember, I get paid to fish. I was doing some research to determine if there was in fact tarpon in the lake and how to catch them so I can plan to put some youth on some shark free tarpon action!
The peace river is no longer connected. These fish made it in during some past flooding and are now landlocked. 8)

Snookfinatic wrote:Yes, there's tarpon in the lake too! We had seen several of them rollin' and waited patiently as they moved toward us. When they came into casting range I made a cast in front of them with a 52m mirrolure and got whacked!

Awesome job man, those land locked poons look like a blast.

I hope the snook can reproduce, it would be great to have your secret pond filled with snook and tarpon.

Anyways let me know if you have any more afternoons open for fishing, if the weather is good and I dont have work I might be able to meet you at the ft. or honeymoon.

"I hope the snook can reproduce, it would be great to have your secret pond filled with snook and tarpon."

I dont think they can, but sure would be nice. How crazy would it be if Finatic and my son's first fish are freshwater snook and/or poon. Crazy.