How to Catch Snook With Samson Lures

After a fun snook fishing trip to Central America, I decided to make a video giving a few hints and tips on how to catch them using the Samson lure range. The Samson Enticer Sub Surface Tweak Bait ended up being by far the most productive lure from the lineup on this trip. A long casting design, the Tweak Bait was originally designed to catch sea bass but has also proved very successful on many other predatory species, from snappers and striped bass to giant trevally and tuna.

In the area I fished, the best spot for snook seemed to be around a small river mouth, the seabed consisting of a lot of mixed ground with large boulders. Although it was shallow with only a gradual change in depth, it was an ideal spot for snook to come in close and ambush baitfish under the cover of the waves. I had used the Tweak Bait in very similar conditions for sea bass and stripers and was excited to see how they would work for snook.

When fishing for snook from the shore with a decent surf running, you will have the opportunity to catch them at any time of the day. Although I particularly targeted early mornings and evenings, success ended up being more dependent on the state of the tide, with the river mouth spot proving best between mid and low water. In fact, I didn’t end up catching any snook early in the morning and most fish were taken around mid morning.

I worked the Tweak Bait in a similar way to how I would when fishing over rocky shallow grounds for bass in European waters. Snook, like bass, are real ambush predators and will come in close and hunt in shallow water even during the daytime, providing they have the cover of waves.

Working the Enticer Sub Surface Tweak Bait

When fishing this lure, there are various methods you can use to work it to its optimum effectiveness. For pelagic species like jack crevalle, longer sweeps of the rod tip can be used (especially in open water), making sure to occasionally splash the lure at the surface to attract deeper-roaming fish. When fishing for snook and many other species, small taps of the rod tip with a steady retrieve can also be extremely effective. This simulates the erratic movements of an injured or fleeing bait fish and is irresistible to predatory fish.

It’s very important when fishing over shallow rocky areas or reefs to keep the rod tip up and the lure working just under the surface. Unlike beaked lures that dive down when you increase the rate of retrieve, the Enticer Tweak Bait can be easily brought to the surface by lifting the rod tip and keeping it high. This enables you to work the lure effectively over very shallow areas without fear of snagging. Varying the retrieve is always a good idea to see what’s working on the day.

This snook trip was also an ideal opportunity to try the new air brushed range of Samson Enticer Sub Surface Tweak Baits. The natural mullet color proved to be deadly over the week, accounting for some really large snook. Ideal fishing conditions consisted of a swell of around a foot or two. The snook were typically found by working the lures around structure like rocky areas, preferably with a change of depth in the area. These places provided cover and ideal hunting ground for the sneaky snook and an Enticer Tweak worked in the right area would often result in an explosive take and a thrilling fight!

Click here for more details on the Enticer Sub Surface Tweak Bait.