Vivian Oliva, Miami Florida. 41″ snook. June 30th, 2001
Fishing the outgoing tide at one of the exits from shallow Chokoloskee Bay, there was a lot of baitfish action. I started trolling with a 1/4 oz cottee red head jig with a 4″ rootbeer Gotcha swirl tail grub. After about 100 yards, my kayak came to a halt and started going backwards. A flash of silver and it looked like a tarpon so I grabbed the rod and got a good hook set, at which point the fish started taking me around faster into open water. Then it decided to do what all snook do to get free… head into the mangroves. As the fish was 5 feet from the mangroves I opened the bail and took the pressure off the fish. It stopped and started swimming out into the open again.
Great! I let it go and started picking up line slowly until it was clear of the shoreline and I resumed the fight. I finally tired it out. Paddling around for what seemed like hours to find CBK, Tom and TJ, I finally spotted CBK and he had a camera to record the fish. It measured 41″ but the girth was not taken so we will never know how much it weighed. I was fortunate to have been able to get the fish back in the water and it swam away.
Tackle used: Shimano 4000 spinning reel with a Falcon med/heavy action rod
FS-5-16. Line: Ande 10lb test with a 30lb mono leader tied to line with a
surgeons knot. The lure is tied to leader with a loop knot (very important).
