Select a state to find fishing and boating information:
Get A Fishing License
Get started fishing today, purchase your fishing license online, check regulations and more.
Register A Boat
Register your boat today. Learn how to register your vessel, boating laws and more.
Home > Learn to Fish & Boat > Fish Species > Snook
Snook are very distinctive and it would be difficult to confuse them with any other fishes.
The lower jaw protrudes and a highly prominent black lateral line runs from the top of the gill cover along the sides and all the way through the tail. The body is compressed and the snout depressed and pike-like. Two dorsal fins are separate by a gap. The second anal spine is conspicuous, spurlike, much thicker than the first and third. The margin of preopercle is serrate, with 1-5 enlarged denticles at angle.One of the axioms relating to fish species is that the colors will likely be variable depending on the season, habitat, and/or any number of other conditions. The snook is no exception. The back of the snook may be brown, brown-gold, olive green, dark gray, greenish silver, or black, depending largely on the areas the fish inhabits. The flanks and belly are silvery.
The genus Centropomus is confined to the American tropics and subtropics. Six species occur in the Atlantic and six in the Pacific. None occur in both oceans. They inhabit shallow coastal waters, estuaries and brackish lagoons, often penetrating far inland in fresh water. Their movements between fresh and salt water are seasonal, but they stay close to shore and never stray far from estuaries. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish:
Its diet consist mainly of fish and crustaceans. Fishing methods include trolling or casting artificial lures or still fishing with live baits like sunfish, mullet, shrimp, crabs, or other small fish. Best fishing is said to be on the changing tide, especially high falling tide around river mouths and coastal shores and night fishing from bridges and in ocean inlets. A flooding or rising tide is more productive at creek heads. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:
The following are lures, tackle or bait that can be used to catch this fish:
Travel Fly Fishing Tips
Read More
How to Winterize a Boat and Store It Till Spring
How to Fish for Trout in a Lake: Tips for Catching Rainbows
Do you like this content? Subscribe to our Newsletter and get all the information you need to learn, plan, and equip for your next fishing and boating adventure.
NEWSLETTER SIGNUP
Sign-up to receive our monthly newsletter with interesting blogs about fishing and boating. Get fishing tips and tricks and read personal stories from anglers who live and breathe fishing and boating. Learn new fishing skills, boating resources, fishing etiquette, conservation and more.
Please complete the following fields to subscribe to our newsletter.
SUBSCRIBERS PREFERENCES
What information would you like?