Centropomus undecimalis or the common snook, also known as robalo, is a large carnivorous marine fish that abounds in the warm tropical coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. It has a yellowish grey body with a distinctive dark line down the side and a protruding lower jaw. They are hugely popular with recreational anglers due to their fighting ability. Blue Line Charters offers a range of customized packages that will take you common snook fishing in Cape Coral, Florida.
About The Common Snook
The common snook is the largest member of the 12 species snook family. Adults grow to between 20 and 55 inches in length. They are also protandric hermaphrodites. ‘Protandric’ means the fish begin life as males but become female as they get older. This is why you’ll find that juvenile and most small adults are male whilst the larger adults are females.
Cape Coral’s extensive network of estuaries and channels provide a perfect habitat and breeding ground for common snook. During spring, summer and early autumn breeding females move to the warmer in-shore waters close to estuarine habitats like Cape Coral to spawn. Interestingly, most spawning happens when there is either a full moon or a new moon.
A single adult female can release up to 1,500,000 eggs per spawn and the eggs hatch just over 24 hours later. After hatching, the juvenile fish seek out the protected brackish waters of the nearby estuaries and shallow waterways. They’ll remain there, feeding on smaller fish and crustaceans until they’re big enough to venture out into open water. However, even mature ones like to stay reasonably close to shore. This makes them ideal for beach and in-shore fishing.
Their Environment
They are a very adaptive fish. Although technically they’re a marine, or salt-water fish, they do well in both low and high salinity environments, and can also tolerate fresh water. In fact, they’re osmoregulation experts, a process that allows them to maintain a balance between the concentration of electrolytes and fluid within their bodies (homeostasis). Juvenile common snooks will generally stay in lower salinity areas like the Cape Coral canals whilst adults live out in the saltier bays and beaches.
They are highly sensitive to even small environmental changes. A change in water salinity or slight drop in temperature for example can cause them to stop spawning. If the water gets too cold, as happened during a cold snap in Florida in 2010, they will stop feeding and even die. This can decimate local common snook populations.
Common Snook Fishing Charters In Cape Coral
If you’re interested in common snook fishing in Cape Coral, Blue Line Fishing Charters LLC, is your source for the best snook fishing in Southwest Florida. We can target your trophy common snook year round using many different techniques and locations depending on the time of year. For the ultimate light tackle battle the common snook never disappoints.
