Snooks (centropomus undecimalis, brochets de mer or loubines in French) are found almost exclusively in the Gulf of Mexico, mainly in the brackish waters of the west coast of Florida (from north to south) and the coasts of the Caribbean islands. Though frequently in mangroves, along piers and under bridges, they are also close to reefs and shipwrecks near shorelines. Indeed, this fish supports significant variations in salinity and it is even found in fresh water. Characterized by a sloping forehead, a prominent lower jaw and a very marked lateral line, snooks start their adult life as males, but they age as females thus following a process known as protander hermaphroditism.
The video below on the left shows you a snook ( centropomus universalis ), filmed in the waters of West Florida near Anna Maria Island in May 2016. As can be seen, a snook looks a bit like pike perch, with a nice black lateral line, fins tinged with yellow and the mouth of a sea bass. Its maximum size is 140 cm but the average size commonly observed is 50 cm. Fearful, it is somewhat difficult to approach it.
Snooks are very liked by fishermen at sea because since taken on a rod and a light line, they fight with a vigor close to that of tarpons. It does not move much, standing near the bottom near rocky areas of reefs or wrecks. Very often caught in not so deep bottoms, they particularly enjoy muddy bottoms where it searches for crabs and various fish.
Very close to Anna Maria Island in Florida and at a 15 meters depth, this wreck of a tugboat finally granted me the chance to be able to see and film my first snook. On this video we can see the black collateral line which is an essential characteristic of this fish.
In July 2018 I had a phenomenal chance while diving in the waters of Tarpon Springs northwest of Tampa in Florida : I met a school of snooks around a small reef by 25 meters deep and here is the video I was able to shoot but, due to very rough seas, there are a lot of artefacts due to particles in suspension.
