Safe Snook Handling

In 2005, nearly 45,000 snook died after being released. Only about 10 percent of these were killed by fly anglers, but that’s still too many. According to Dr. Ron Taylor of Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, the major culprits were bait fishermen using treble hooks.

“There were fish that died after being caught on flies,” Taylor says, “but the majority of snook that died after being released were fish that were caught on bait. Poor handling techniques also contribute to mortality.

“It’s common to see photos of anglers holding snook by the lower jaw, suspended vertically. That can break the muscles in the lower jaw that are essential in the feeding process. When that happens, even though the snook looks healthy when it swims away, it can’t feed properly and ultimately dies.”

According to Taylor, the best method for landing snook is with a jaw-clip mechanism—such as a BogaGrip—in order to minimize contact with the fish’s protective slime coating. After removing the hook, hold the fish horizontal in the water until it regains strength. Snook often suck on your thumb until they’re ready to swim away.

“I see people rapidly shoving the fish back and forth in the water,” Taylor says. “But that’s not a natural motion for any fish. Just hold it quietly until it lets you know it’s ready to be let go. Then just open the clip and you’ve successfully released an unharmed snook.”

Taylor says that when anglers need photographic evidence of their success to show the folks back home, it’s best to use a jaw-clip device, moisten the other hand, and cradle the fish’s belly in a horizontal manner. “Unhook it, or cut the line if the snook swallowed the bait, and snap the photo quickly.” Then follow the release method detailed above to help minimize snook mortality.