Slot Snook Size
How big do snook get? World Record!
Scientists believe that the common snook can grow to 48 inches and weigh more than 60 pounds. The largest snook ever recorded was caught in Costa Rica and it weighed 53 pounds and 10 ounces. The largest snook recorded in Florida waters was 44 pounds and 3 ounces and it was caught in Ft. Myers but there are certainly bigger ones out there that have not been caught.
The common snook is the largest of all of the snook species that lives in the Atlantic Ocean. There are 2 Pacific Ocean snook species that can grow to nearly 60 pounds. They are the Black Snook and the White Snook.
There are many different snook species that are much smaller and some prefer freshwater and brackish environments over saltwater. But the largest snook Atlantic ocean species by far is the common snook.
In Florida, we are lucky enough to have 5 of the 12 known snook species in our waters. The other Florida snook species are the large-scale fat snook, small-scale fat snook, the swordspine snook and the tarpon snook. Those snook grow to a much smaller size than the common snook.
I am a kayak fishing guide on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the grass flats and mangroves all over Florida for big snook for more than 40 years. In my area, there are 3 species of snook. There is the common snook, the large scale fat snook and the small scale fat snook.
The article below is all about how big the 5 different species of snook in Florida get. Let's get started.
Watch the video to see more details about how big do snook get.
Scientists believe that the common snook can grow to 48 inches and weigh more than 60 pounds. The largest snook ever recorded was caught in Costa Rica and it weighed 53 pounds and 10 ounces. The largest snook recorded in Florida waters was 44 pounds and 3 ounces and it was caught in Ft. Myers but there are certainly bigger ones out there that have not been caught.
The common snook is the largest of all of the snook species that lives in the Atlantic Ocean. There are 2 Pacific Ocean snook species that can grow to nearly 60 pounds. They are the Black Snook and the White Snook.
There are many different snook species that are much smaller and some prefer freshwater and brackish environments over saltwater. But the largest snook Atlantic ocean species by far is the common snook.
In Florida, we are lucky enough to have 5 of the 12 known snook species in our waters. The other Florida snook species are the large-scale fat snook, small-scale fat snook, the swordspine snook and the tarpon snook. Those snook grow to a much smaller size than the common snook.
I am a kayak fishing guide on the Treasure Coast of Florida. I have been fishing the grass flats and mangroves all over Florida for big snook for more than 40 years. In my area, there are 3 species of snook. There is the common snook, the large scale fat snook and the small scale fat snook.
The article below is all about how big the 5 different species of snook in Florida get. Let's get started.
Watch the video to see more details about how big do snook get.
How big do common snook get?
The common snook is the largest member of the snook family and can grow as big as 60 pounds. The common snook is a tropical fish and can be found from Florida to Texas and down through Central America, South America and throughout the Caribbean.
Its growth rate is tied to its available food resources and competition for those resources. A female common snook can grow to their slot size only 4 years. The current slot size for the East Coast of Florida, at the time of this writing is 28 to 32 inches in length.
The bottom line is that snook can get big very quickly if the environmental conditions where they live are optimal. As with most fish species the females are the largest gender of the sexes.
Female snook need to get big to produce and carry large amounts of eggs for the spawn. The spawn occurs in the Summer months and usually happens in the inlets or any rivers that empty into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
Some years, depending upon how cold of a Winter or if there were late Winter cold fronts the spawn might last into September or even October. Snook are not very cold water tolerant and will die if exposed to water temperatures of 60 degrees for an extended period of time.
Do you want to learn how to catch a big common snook? Learn more on our how to catch a snook page.
How big do fat snook get?
There are two types of fat snook species. They are the small-scale fat snook and the large-scale fat snook. These snook species do not get very big. A large fat snook might get up to 28 inches but the ones that you will most likely catch are 10 or 12 inches long.
Fat snook are small and girthy. They look blocky and kind of square. If you catch one and you take the time to look at it you will see that it looks very different from a common snook.
The large-scale fat snook species was just discovered in 2006. It only lives from Sebastian, Florida down to Jupiter, Florida. It has larger scales than its cousin the small-scale snook. I guess that was obvious because of its name.
BUT there is another difference between the two fat snook species. The large-scale fat snook also has fewer gill rakers than its cousin does. However, you would have to look very hard to distinguish the two species from one another.
Both fat snook species thrive in freshwater. You will find that both fat snook species are the most common snook living in freshwater. All snook species can survive in freshwater but the two fat snook species seem to prefer it.
How big do tarpon snook get?
The tarpon snook is another smaller cousin of the much larger common snook. This snook does not get very big. A large one might get as big as 22 inches or so. You can catch them all day at 15 inches or less but one in the 20s is a huge one.
They get their names because of their upturned mouths that look very similar to a tarpon's mouth. They are very blocky and square just like their cousins the fat snook. You will definitely notice that it is different from a common snook if you are lucky enough to catch one.
Tarpon snook can be found in the extreme southwest corner of Florida. They are another snook species that thrives in freshwater and brackish water environments.
How big do swordspine snook get?
Swordspine snook do not get very big at all. They are the smallest member of the snook family. They only grow to approximately 15 inches in length. Most of the time you are lucky to catch one that is 10 or 12 inches. That would be considered a big one.
They are very easily recognizable because of their extremely large anal fin spine. It looks like a sword coming out of their rear and that is how they get their name. It extends all the way to their caudal fin.
This is another species of snook that thrives in freshwater environments. They are found in the bottom latitudes of Florida down in the Everglades and adjacent areas with the right conditions for them to thrive. They like coastal rivers with low salinity levels.
They are only found on the extreme Southwest coast of Florida.
Conclusion:
Snook are one of the most sought after species of fish in Florida waters. One of the reasons that they are so popular is because they can get really big really quickly. They can go from their larval stages to a keeper slot snook in 4 or 5 years. That is an amazing growth rate.
Another reason that they are so popular is because you can catch really big snook just about everywhere. You can catch them in the freshwater rivers that empty into the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. You can catch them around any docks or bridges.
You can catch them in the mangroves or out on the grass flats. You can catch them around the oyster bars and mud flats. You can even catch big snook off of the beach and in the Inlets. Like I said they are just about everywhere.
If you ever want to catch big snook from a kayak book a trip with me. We target snook, redfish, tarpon, speckled trout and flounder most often out on the grass flats and mangroves.
The best time to come to Florida and catch a whole bunch of snook is between March and January along the Treasure Coast of Florida. The water temperatures get a little too cold for them in January and February so it is hard to find them. BUT if you are in the neighborhood in the Spring, Summer and Fall, then you will have a great shot at catching some big snook.
I hope that you have enjoyed this article answering the question, 'How big do snook get?'
Bonus video: Catching big common snook around docks.
Slot Redfish Size Alabama
Fl Snook Regulations
Fact is FWC has reduced the harvest from open: to 2: to 1 open: to 1 big slot: to gill net ban: to 1 smaller tighter slot: to tightest slot: to closed for 2 years and yet you celebrate. I call for dolphin legislation as they have a high inelegance yet they ignore the laws and eat more snook and reds a year then I could dream of. Thursday, August 30, 2007 THURSDAY AUGUST 30, 2007 XC By WILLIE HOWARD PalmBeachPost.comoutdoors MAGENTA Photos by WILLIE HOWARD Mark Nichols of D.O.A. Lures cradles this snook under the Evans. Angler are after the common snook, a fish that can grow to the size of a small log and weigh over 30 pounds. There are four species of snook caught here on the Treasure Coast (common snook, fat snook, tarpon snook and swordspine snook), and only the common snook regularly reaches the legal slot size for harvest. On the east coast of Florida, snook have a slot size of 28 to 32 inches and a 1 fish per angler bag limit. Season: Year-Round. Temporarily closed to harvest through May 31, 2021. Bag Limit: One fish per person, per day on Florida’s gulf coast when open for harvest. Slot Size: 28 – 33 inches.