As good as snook

Ask 100 Southwest Florida saltwater anglers what their favorite fish is to eat, and I guarantee at least half of them will tell you it’s snook. The reason is simple: Snook have mild, white, slightly sweet meat that is tender but not mushy. It goes well in most fish recipes and is also a treat all by itself.

But that popularity has come at a price. If we were allowed to keep all we wanted, snook would quickly be fished out — probably within just a few weeks. To ensure that doesn’t happen, we have strictly enforced seasons and a narrow slot limit. Most anglers are lucky to catch one or two legal fish a year.