Snook season opening Sunday

The recreational open season on snook opens Sunday, and will remain open through April.

Limits are one snook per angler, daily, between 28 and 33 inches.

Although water temperatures have been around 63 in the morning, and generally warming to 68 in the afternoon, which is cold for snook, the linesiders reportedly are a decent target.

Capt. Jason Ramsey even caught snook in 62 degrees in the morning. But, of course, we all aren't professional fishing captains, so for the average angler, catching that keeper snook will not be an easy task.

To give yourself the best chance, spot the snook before you motor over them. Snook will scatter in a hurry and typically will not bite once you have shown them your presence. If you can use a push pole and creep in on them, you may have a chance. Snook are scattered in various areas of the flats, including Terra Ceia Bay and Miguel Bay.

Currently, anglers can use shrimp, or a shrimp threaded on a Carolina rig, for example, if the snook are lying at the bottom. Artificials that imitate a shrimp (Berkley Gulp baits, D.O.A. shrimp) or any artificials can work. Small pinfish have been doing the trick as well from this area south to Boca Grande. Soon, however, once white bait becomes thick in the spring, snook will primarily be feeding on white bait. So get handy with a cast net if you're not already.

Also, with the current clear-water conditions, consider using as light of lines as possible. On the flats, where there is no structure, anglers may be able to get away with 15-pound test line. But 20-pound test strength is recommended, with a 20-to-25-pound leader. Around structure add at least 10 pounds of line strength to both of those.

Finally, snook are nocturnal feeders, so if an anglers can catch them at night, all the better. Bridges in the Manatee River have long been great for snook. Bring the coffee.

Snook populations are as robust as ever, thanks in part to the strict regulations, and in the end, in can only benefit anglers with those line-raking runs.