Snook

Snook fishing around Holmes Beach can be incredibly rewarding, especially if you understand their seasonal movements. These fish are highly sensitive to temperature changes, so targeting them in the spring and fall 'shoulder seasons' is often most productive. Focus your efforts around docks, mangrove shorelines, and passes where snook ambush prey. Live shrimp or small baitfish are excellent choices, but artificial lures like paddle tails and jerk baits can also be effective. A key piece of local advice is to fish the outgoing tide near the Anna Maria Island Bridge; the current pulls bait through, creating a feeding opportunity for snook. Remember to handle snook carefully, as they are a prized gamefish and require a special snook permit to harvest.