# Snook in Pensacola Bay



## Sunshine17

So yesterday I was on my way back from T-hasse from the FSU game and Quackaholic called me and told me there was a snook hanging out at Port Ops on the naval base. I didnt believe him. SO i got back to Pensacola threw my rods and net in the car and went out there. He was blabbering about the snook and 5 mintues later while I was throwin for some lady's and spanish he came right up next to the wall and just sat there. He had to be a good 25-30 inches. He had a remora on him. And there wasnt confusion becuase he had the black lateral line running down his body and I have seen many of them before in Florida Sportsman. Does anybody know if there is more snook in the bay or if it was just carried up by the current.


----------



## Jighead

There were reports of white shark in P'cola bay two winters ago.... Never know whats down there.


----------



## standrew

I was watching juvie African Pompano swim around my marina yesterday... Not as rare as snook but still almost as cool.


----------



## Sunshine17

African Pompano are the big ones right? My friend speared one this weekend while diving in Bama. I havent seen the picture yet though. ANd thats just scary about the great white being in the bay.


----------



## chasintail05

i have a buddy who took a pic of a fileted snook next to port afinos a year ago no idea where he came from or who caught it but def a snook


----------



## Sunshine17

are they legal to keep in the panhandle? whats the regs on them?


----------



## biggamefishr

There's been several caught in Pensacola bay over the years, definitely not a common occurrence though.


----------



## Sunshine17

I mean this wasnt a "baby" snook. This thing would been a beast for a Southern Florida snook. Id love to know what they eat and try to get a pic of him.


----------



## lobsterman

Sunshine17 said:


> So yesterday I was on my way back from T-hasse from the FSU game and Quackaholic called me and told me there was a snook hanging out at Port Ops on the naval base. I didnt believe him. SO i got back to Pensacola threw my rods and net in the car and went out there. He was blabbering about the snook and 5 mintues later while I was throwin for some lady's and spanish he came right up next to the wall and just sat there. He had to be a good 25-30 inches. He had a remora on him. And there wasnt confusion becuase he had the black lateral line running down his body and I have seen many of them before in Florida Sportsman. Does anybody know if there is more snook in the bay or if it was just carried up by the current.


The moral of the story is. Fish have tails and swim following bait ( food source ). I have personally seen them in the narrows off Navarre. they do wander up here ocasionally but when they do if they don't make it South before the cold they die here.


----------



## lobsterman

Sunshine17 said:


> I mean this wasnt a "baby" snook. This thing would been a beast for a Southern Florida snook. Id love to know what they eat and try to get a pic of him.


 
Big live shrimp on 25# fluoro leader of about 4' long.


----------



## Sunshine17

i would think there would be enough bait in South Florida and such so they could stay there. but that makes sense.


----------



## J.Sharit

I believe thier in season right now so lets put him on the deck and dispell the myth...............


----------



## J.Sharit

They most certainly prefer the warm water in fact this past winter many
were killed by the extreme cold snap in the tampa area.


----------



## Sunshine17

just free lined?


----------



## Sunshine17

Hopefully I will get him. I think its gunna take a lotta shrimp and alotta time. cause im pretty sure there are more pinfish and reds, spanish, and ladyfish down there than there is snook. So....... maybe it will be my lucky first drop.


----------



## jim t

Maggie Grey caught a small bonefish off the beach a few years ago.

Jim


----------



## a

snook stamp?


----------



## Hopin4aboat

We caught one about 14 inches 2 years ago at Deer Pointe. After the 1.5 hours of argueing in chest deep water we all finally agreed definately a snook. Also last year in tampa there was an article that came out that suggested that there is a species of snook that is evolving fast to cooler climates so who know's maybe in the future there will be a population.


----------



## Sunshine17

That would be awsome. Snook in Pensacola bay. I mean more than one. Like a whole population. Ha


----------



## jdhkingfisher

the weather has been so crazy lately so its def possible


----------



## MillerLight21

Snook love palm sized pin fish or grunts as well. Snook were my specialty when i lived in Clearwater for 24 years. If my memory serves me correct, snook season opened Sept 1st. Don't expect they will stay here for much longer, the cold killed a lot off last winter.


----------



## jdhkingfisher

ive heard of permit being caught in our bay as well.


----------



## Mad Hooker

The normal snook season is closed this year since the freeze last year was pretty devastating... if you do catch one please release it.. 

I really hope that they have evolved to cold water though, it would be an unreal fishery if we started getting snook up here... absolutely my favorite fish


----------



## captwesrozier

this snook was taken in perdido bay a few years ago.


----------



## Sunshine17

Very nice. Thats awsome.


----------



## Razzorduck

They also are excellent on the table. Several years ago I caught a legal one near Sarasota and brouht it home. Sauted in butter and finished with a white wine sauce. MMMMM may be top 5 fish dish all time and I've had a few.


----------



## Johnms

here is what i found on Snook. it says it's regional but this region is not speicfically listed. You do need a $2.00 snook permit to keep one.


----------



## 7M

Snook have to be 28 inches and not more than 33 (Gulf). Atlantic size limit is 28-32inches. I believe the season is closed until further notice because of the loss of so many fish last winter. Then you need a snook stamp which used to cost 2 bucks but now costs 10 dollars. http://myfwc.com/RULESANDREGS/Saltwater_Regulations_Snook.htm

YOU CAN STILL CATCH THAT FISH! Take a picture and release it. Go getum!


----------



## Cornflake789

Jack, if u catch that snook i will personally fly down from maryland and shake your hand


----------



## FrankPowell

Jighead said:


> There were reports of white shark in P'cola bay two winters ago.... Never know whats down there.
> There was a 2000lb + great white about a month ago 12 miles out .


----------



## FrankPowell

Jighead said:


> There were reports of white shark in P'cola bay two winters ago.... Never know whats down there.
> There was a 2000lb + great white about a month ago 12 miles out .


----------



## FrankPowell

chasintail05 said:


> i have a buddy who took a pic of a fileted snook next to port afinos a year ago no idea where he came from or who caught it but def a snook
> I caught a small snook near Bal Alex boat ramp about 5 years back but that's the only one I've seen with my eyes around here.


----------



## sealark

If you catch a Snook make sure you skin them. Soap fish is what they were called back in the 50s.


----------



## Catchemall

What a great fish. I used to travel south to fish for them every year on both coasts, too bad they're not regulars here.


----------



## Jason

Why is Tampa referred to several times....yes they are in the south but there is a good fishery of them over in Jacksonville so why is it so hard to believe they have made it this way? I think it's pretty cool and that is a bucket list fish fer me so I will gladly welcome them to the area....hahaha Just like 1 poster put about the Great White being in the gulf......you just never know....


----------



## Catchemall

We caught them in the 70s north of Mosquito Lagoon in the Indian River on the east coast, but that was as far north as we'd ever seen them then. Their numbers have skyrocketed in the last 25 years and I've read that there is even a pretty stable population on the south Texas coast.


----------



## SurfRidr

Man, what's with all the zombie threads lately?


----------



## eddyfisher

Placing ads on zombie threads probably pays as well as putting them on new threads.


----------

