Topwater Snook

HyFishing

What’s your favorite bait to catch snook with? 

https://youtu.be/VcVM6crKGGA

MangroveMark

Chartreuse skitterwalk

Lostconch

Free line white bait. They tend to swim right under the surface. Cast near cover and wait for the explosion. Tarpon are a bonus with this technique

swampdog

Skitterwalk, Goldeneye Maverick, Zaraspook. I use them all about equally. 

tampaspicer

bucktail jigs in the passes

MangroveMark

HAHA, after seeing Lostconch's response and rereading OP's question I realized the question was about bait and not lures. Down through the years for me the best live bait has been situation specific on the SE Fl coast, fall bait migrations on the beach and at inlets, other times of the year at inlets, when a spillway is open, lighted docks at night, bridges, or mangroves and oyster bars all have the best bait for that circumstance. Match the hatch is good old saying.

swampdog

I agree you’re correct that bait and lures are different. However, I grew up fishing topwater “baits”. It was most probably just a colloquial expression. We called our tackle box a bait box as well. Sounds a little backwards today.

Lostconch

I was only halfway making a joke. 

lemaymiami

I love the way snook attack a full sized Skitterwalk but I don't like how fragile they are (a few good sized snook leaves the plug with one or two cracks in it most days).  When you get a bit of water into the plug you don't get many strikes -but until then nothing beats it for topwater snook strikes when it's brand new...

My anglers tangle with snook using live bait, dead bait, lures, flies (in other words every way possible..). Much as I love a topwater bite - most of our fish come on lures or flies that aren't at the surface (and most our big snook come to live or fresh dead cut bait year after year..). 

Day trips out of Flamingo or Chokoloskee - night trips out Miami or Jupiter... 

MangroveMark

Well there you go, guys. It's gospel if Capt. Bob says skitterwalk! Click, clack, click, clack, pause, click, BOOM! The strike is the best part for me on a topwater, whether you catch the fish or not.

lemaymiami

And for those who've never "walked the dog" with a Spook, Skitterwalk, Top Dog (or any of the other nice fat stickbaits..). vary your retrieve a bit - particularly with a bit of stop and go every now and then... That stopping and starting routine draws strikes (understatement...). 

When we work one of them for tarpon it's different - with a slow lazy retrieve (like you didn't care if you ever got a bite...) but never ever stop the retrieve - and expect the first strike to be a bit short.  If you keep that plug moving slow and steady, walking the dog they rarely miss the second strike... 

tampaspicer

A little secret. Those bigger snook get lazy and prefer a dead bait off the bottom. 

lemaymiami

Or a nice live bait - in my area, the backcountry of the 'glades we mostly use live ladyfish...

The truth is most really big fish will scavenge up a good sized fresh cutbait - since they just can't get enough to eat.  That includes giant tarpon, snook, redfish, jack crevalle - and many, many other species... We only use cutbait, though, in a spot with some current.  No moving water - don't bother using cutbait at all...