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Tackle
& Flies
Reels:
Fishing
for snook requires a reel that holds a minimum of 150
yards of twenty pound backing and has a smooth, reliable
drag mechanism. Although large arbor reels are currently
popular due to their ease of line retrieval, they are
not a necessity when hunting snook.
Rods:
The
most effective rod size for snook is a 9 weight. A nine
foot 9 weight rod is the optimum choice for both it's
casting and fighting abilities.
Line
& Leaders:
Your
reel should be lined with at least 150 yards of backing
matched to a brightly colored fly line. The colored
line improves your accuracy because you can visually
track your cast as it unrolls toward your target.
Snook
leaders should be roughly 10 feet long with a thirty
pound butt section. A thirty pound shock leader is an
absolute necessity when fishing for Snook. They will
put you leader to the test once hooked and head straight
for any type of obstruction such as pilings or mangrove
shoots. Snook also have razor sharp edges on their gill
plates which will effortlessly slice through a lighter
shock leader.
When
tying on your flies it is best to use the nonslip knot.
When tied correctly, this knot offers maximum strength
while allowing the fly to move more freely and naturally.
Flies:
Snook
are ravenous carnivores. They eat primarily baitfish,
but also feed on crustaceans and will eagerly suck in
a live shrimp with a distinctive pop. Snook will take
a variety of flies depending on which environment you
are fishing.
A
weed guard is essential when fishing around heavy cover.
The Glades deceiver is a popular solution when targeting
snook in heavy cover. This particular fly has the ability
to be cast into the thickest cover without snagging.
A Clouser Minnow when used with a wire weed guard is,
as always, a deadly option.
Snook
are fished for in a variety of different situations.
There are numerous flies that have been adapted to match
each particular condition. A general collection of flies
that will work well in most instance should include
the Glades Deceiver, several color combinations of the
Clouser Minnow and the Bendback, popping bugs, Dahlberg
Divers,and several colors of the Lefty's Deceiver.
The
time you spend fishing in your local waters will help
you decide which fly combinations work best for you.
Mastering the subtleties of snook fishing can take a
lifetime!
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