← Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report20 aug · 1 u 11 min

Why More Snook Are Showing Up on the Northern Gulf Coast

Why More Snook Are Showing Up on the Northern Gulf Coast20 aug1 u 11 min

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This special episode takes a closer look at the growing number of snook sightings and catches along the Northern Gulf Coast, from Northwest Florida to Coastal Alabama. Butch Thierry and Joe Baya are joined by Zoe Hendrickson, a PhD student at the University of South Alabama, to talk through why a fish once associated mostly with South Florida is now showing up around Pensacola, the Emerald Coast, Perdido Pass, Fowl River, and other local waters.

Zoe explains how snook have expanded northward in Florida, how their movement into places like Cedar Key may help researchers understand what is happening in Alabama and Northwest Florida, and why warmer winters, shorter cold snaps, and thermal refuge in rivers may be helping these fish survive. The conversation covers how juvenile snook use rivers and deeper pockets of stable water, how adult fish may move seasonally toward jetties, flats, oyster reefs, and other saltwater habitat, and why the recent snow and cold events made their survival even more interesting.

The episode also digs into what anglers should do if they catch a snook in Alabama or Northwest Florida. Zoe explains current tagging efforts, the importance of reporting sightings, why handling and releasing fish carefully matters, and why anglers may want to let these fish go while the local population is still developing. The group also discusses snook biology, including how they change sex as they grow, how slot limits work in Florida and Alabama, how snook may interact with native fisheries, and why this new opportunity comes with a chance for anglers to help shape the future of the fishery.