im getting tired of catching blue fish jacks and some snapper. what is the most affective way to catch a snook. what rig, hook size and bait is well recomended? I did try to search but couldnt find it. I know there is a thread somewhere

its not just the rig that is the most important, it also about the location & time of year also.
but anyway... sliding sinker rig is popular. sinker from 2 - 3oz, hook size being a 4/0 circle, leader can 30 - 50lb whichever you choose.
bait... a pilchard, mojarra, mullet, pinfish, ect.

I would say best bet right now would be drifting live shrimp in the current under the ICW bridges.

Alot of the little ones will be active close to the top of the surface. If bigger Snook are on your list, try fishing cut baits on the bottom like mullet.

I thought "Cathing" was some new thing for snnook. But... all of the above

lol

drift a livie under a bridge or along the rocks. snook mostly feed on the bottom so a jighead or knocker rig is effective. mullet or ladyfish head on the bottom works well too.

Yeah what they said.

That whats I would try right now. Also try throwing some flair hawks, D.O.A. shrimp, T eyez, and swim baits. I usually only fish artificials.Tide wise I like to fish the last of the fall if I can. But have done well other at times. If one bridge is not working try another one. You can lose a lot of sleep snook fishing living by the tides.

First off remember its close season for them right now....
Here what works just about anywhere...find moving water (changing tides) is a must
Keep everything simple..IMO livebait will always outfish deadbait...try not to use swivels
do line to line knots and the smallest/strongest hook possible...
if you are fishing deep water...then a egg sinker will do, to get your bait down to the bottom...
weight will depend on the area you are fishing at...

Snook don't feed like other fish...they have a small window when the bite is on and at times
it turns off pretty quick...
When its "Cold" like it is right now..."Downsize" everything you use...and move it "SLOW"...this
goes for freelining live bait and lures...
Winter snooking in itself is tough...but it can be done..oh remember Snooks arent far from the
shoreline...so if you are catching blues
you are casting too far at times...or not deep enough....and keep moving around!!!
Fish a "Area" not a spot...good luck

thanx for the tips we will see how me and my dad do tomm, he will be happy to get bait on the sabiki after the 2 feet of snow he just shoveled

Did you end up getting any snook?

na the few times we went out nuttin was bitting

What did you guys use for bait?

Right on..got my biggest snook on a tarpon rig..a 15 inch section of cut ladyfish on a 9/0 owner ssw circle. Bigger snook and tarpon are a lot alike from what I've seen..they seem to like to hang around the bottom and seem to be lazy, don't really like to hunt their food.

As you are situated in wellington, you have prime snooking opportunities at your doorstep.

Lake worth spillway - fish a live freshwater panfish when the spillway is open. No weights - free line that sucker right near the spillway gates. He will get clobbered.

The next most reliable boatless bite would be to drive to stuart and throw bucktail jigs at the roosevelt bridge. or jensen causeway. or ernest lyons. any of those bridges really. This bite dies down the colder it gets. The spillway should be solid through the winter. All those ICW bridges have snook but it is very much hit or miss.