Hit an area today for a couple hours that always produces something. Either reds, snook, trout, sharks, etc. It seems like every time I hit this spot only one species of fish is there. Today it was snook.

First I was throwing a topwater and had a couple nice blowups but they just didn't want to commit to hitting the plug. I grabbed my little 7ft med/light trout rod and started to throw a CAL shad around. I get a couple follows from some 22-25 inch snook but they still wouldn't commit.

I throw up into a little cut in the flat where the water drops from 3ft to about 5ft and the biggest snook on the flat nails my lure, I set the hook and it went airborne. As the fish is ripping across the flat burning line off my little 2000 size reel I had to start paddling after it so I could keep just enough pressure on that it wouldn't slice my 20 pound leader. Just as I thought it was going to be easy and the fish would stay out in the open it takes off and starts pulling me straight into some deep mangroves! I couldn't put enough pressure on when it was pulling my yak so I quickly toss the anchor, get in, and somehow I kept the fish from going in the mangroves.........



I got a measurement with the tape in the water and it was between 32-34 inches. It was a very healthy snook. After a quick revive it heads straight into the deep mangroves.

I jump back in my kayak only to find my paddle had fallen off and drifted away when I jumped in after the fish. Good thing it was only a cheap 15$ paddle and the launch was close so it wasn't that far of a swim but I leaned my lesson, I need to get a leash for my paddle. Bought another paddle and a leash to go with it on the way home and immediately put it on my yak so I wouldn't forget.