Do You Know Your Snook?

Did you know there are 4 different kinds of snook that live in Florida? There is the common snook, fat snook, tarpon snook and swordspine snook.

Common Snook

The snook that makes up most of the population is the “common snook”. The snook has a distinct lateral line down the side and it is what defines a snook.  Common snook can grow up to 40 pounds, but 10-20 pound snook are most common.

Fat Snook

This is a fat snook. This type of snook has a much shorter body than the common snook and a much smaller mouth.  You’ll notice the body is more filled out or “fat”.  These snook are also much smaller, with the world record only being 8 pounds.

Tarpon Snook

These are tarpon snook.  The jaw on a tarpon snook swoops upward much like that of a tarpon. It also has much bigger eyes than a common snook.  This species only grows to be about 3 pounds.

Swordspine Snook

This is a swordspine snook. The smallest member of the snook family and they only grow to about 15 inches long. The swordspine also has much bigger eyes than that of a common snook.  What really distinguishes a swordspine is the long anal fin. The anal fin will actually be able to touch the tip of its tail, unlike the other 3 species of snook. The swordspine snook is also the rarest of the 4 species of snook.

David and Erica
Treasure Coast Tackle