Snook Opening

[mauso1]

I haven't seen any posts about the decision to re open snook season in Sept. Did I miss it ? My opinion is they ( the powers that be ) can delay for another year or so after the freeze of 2009 that caused a tremendous loss to the snook population.

[John]

I agree

[justabucup]

I am on the fence on this. I have seen and caught plenty of snook this year. Would I like to keep a few for the table absolutely! There are many out there that are lobbying hard to keep it closed. However when I see the so called snook foundation advocating the opening I tend to think it should be closed. After all if that dude is for it how can I not be against it.

[John]

Exactly Buc that organization has zero credibility as long as that Schiester is at the helm

[Rik]

The problem I have with opening snook is the 'fever' that happens. No other inshore fish generates the fever to go out and catch and keep as many as legally possible. Some guys almost commit their life outside of work to doing nothing but catching snook. There's a similar fever that happens just before deer (and turkey for Steve) seasons.

I'd love to keep a snook for the dinner table. I wouldn't keep every legal snook I catch, just one every once in a while. However, I think I'm in a minority. There are way too many who would keep every legal snook they catch even if they go out every day.

With snook being closed for several years, the height of the fever 2 weeks before snook opens up will be massive. All of the tackle shops will be having snook season opening specials. The buzz will be all around us. I can only imagine how many 100's (1,000's?) will be killed within the first week or two of opening. Forums will be flooded with pictures of snook that were killed for the dinner table.

I wish there was a way to open it softly. Minus that, I'm in favor of giving them sport fish status for catch and release only.

[mauso1]

A much as I love the flavor of snook ( closest to my fave walleye ) I really don't think I will keep one this year if the season goes forward as planned. I am just not sure we have enough data to support the SPR of 40% on the gulf although some of the data suggests 43- 48 %.
That is not enough margin of error for me and I would like to see a SPR of 50% minimum.

It seems to me there will be the frenzy that Rik wrote about. That means hundreds per day for 90 days. That will create quite a dent in the spawning population unless they have changed the slot.

I will not get into the politics of the organisations that support the re opening at this time other than to say I no longer support them.

However a quick note to the Director of the FWC if you feel so inclined to show your support or lack thereof could get an executive decision.

[John]

I'm in favor of giving them sport fish status for catch and release only.

Amen to that Rik, I'd love to see them get the same respect as Tarpon and Bonefish

Like you say it will be a slaughterfest those first two weeks, with the meatheads going all out to get all they can, I know that most ethical anglers wont treat it that way, but unfortunately they are very much in the minority

[DaveR]

Throw in the permit to make a quad. Can't bring myself to kill one..

[shamus]

Being part Jetty Rat I target Snook. I've landed well over a hundred fish this year. I don't believe more than three were within the slot limits. So as long as folk are legal about it and practice safe handling of the fish( no hanging them by the jaw...)I don't believe the species will be harmed. I'm with Rik on keeping a fish, I have no need to keep a fish every time. Every now and then or one that's mortally wounded will be invited home. I will say the Jetty has more elbow room since the season is closed.

[1okbyme2]

Save a snoook....eat a flounder.

[Lime Cider]

Save a snoook....eat a flounder.

[GILs_GONE_WILD]

Being part Jetty Rat I target Snook. I've landed well over a hundred fish this year. I don't believe more than three were within the slot limits.

That is EXACTLY the gist of what I posted on another forum a few days ago ... only I guessed two.

Prove it to me ... somehow shock an acre of water and let's just see how many are "in the slot".

The best thing I heard was to stop the chumming with live whitebait ... "silver rain" the guy called it. Hell, if it was allowed, anybody could catch a Tarpon at Robbie's.

[Todd]

The best thing I heard was to stop the chumming with live whitebait ... "silver rain" the guy called it.

If they did that I bet close to 90% of the fisherman out there would not be able to catch anything.

I fished with a guide several years ago that was tying to stop that in the Everglades. His point was you are, by law, not allowed to feed any wildlife in the Everglades national Park. By chumming you are doing just that, feeding wildlife. I agreed with him, he had a very valid point.

[sfurman]

Guys the regulations on snook are extremely restrictive and this is done for a reason, in order to promote an abundant and healthy resource. The slot is so small that it allows most fish that are caught to be released. There is no reason to have a catch and release only status for these fish. I totally understand the desire to protect them to that extreme but it is not necessary. The regulations will pretty much guarantee lots of fish forever, now about poachers, they don’t follow the rules so the rules don’t apply to them. This is more of a problem and always will be. I haven't kept a snook in a long time, but I haven't hit a slot fish in a long time either.

The snook population is recovering very well, is it back to where it was before the freeze of ’10 not quite but, that was an all-time high for them, the current population is still better than in years past.

I got a turkey this past season and one is enough to satisfy my craving, even though I am allowed 2. Sometimes I don’t get any, then I am bummed for the whole year. Not really, I just like to get into the woods.

[Rik]

However, Steve, we don't have the fever or the frenzy or the 'snooks open, gotta go git me some' attitude right now when it is closed.

I wish there was a way for a wholesale change is fishermen nature - something different then human nature - that would stop the boiling frenzy that will happen when they open it up. If everyone had the attitude of "yep, snook is going to be open so I can take one home but we should still be very conservation oriented and only do it once in a great while" there wouldn't be a problem. There's going to be a whole bunch of guys that consider fishing in the morning and then again in the evening as two different trips. There's going to be a whole bunch of guys who take a lot of fish to make up for the years they were 'deprived'. Freezers will be stocked.

In other words, the snook are going to get pounded in the first month they are open!

[sfurman]

I understand, don't forget also, you need to buy a $10 permit too, you gotta want it pretty bad along with the tight regs. I do believe that the attitudes of fishermen is better today than it was years ago and there are a lot more anglers now happy to C&R. years ago that was never considered. Heck people killed hundreds or tarpon just because back in the good ol days.