Manatee river

[iiTzChunky]

I live close to the river and fish it on the weekends when I'm off at night. I'd like to target snook along the river anyone have any advice for that? 

[Buzzbaiter]

I haven’t fished the river, but I do occasionally fish at Cockroach Bay, which is only a short ways off. I’d say plan to fish within three days of the full or new moon. This weekend should be good, in theory. I went a couple of weeks ago, and the mullet hadn’t come into the backwaters yet; shrimp imitations worked well. Now, I think the mullet should be pushing up into areas like the Manatee. Try throwing small swimbaits.

[iiTzChunky]

7 hours ago, Buzzbaiter said:

I haven’t fished the river, but I do occasionally fish at Cockroach Bay, which is only a short ways off. I’d say plan to fish within three days of the full or new moon. This weekend should be good, in theory. I went a couple of weeks ago, and the mullet hadn’t come into the backwaters yet; shrimp imitations worked well. Now, I think the mullet should be pushing up into areas like the Manatee. Try throwing small swimbaits.

OK, I got a couple packs of the vudu shrimp last weekend and gave those a try, but I couldn't really find any videos on how to fish those things well. I kept seeing people putting them on popping corks, but I don't have one of those. 

[Buzzbaiter]

2 hours ago, iiTzChunky said:

OK, I got a couple packs of the vudu shrimp last weekend and gave those a try, but I couldn't really find any videos on how to fish those things well. I kept seeing people putting them on popping corks, but I don't have one of those. 

I just tossed them into the mangroves and gave them 2-3 twitches, followed by a fall. Kinda like fishing a senko for bass, just jerkier. My experience fishing for saltwater species is pretty limited, but I believe popping corks are more intended for redfish and speckled trout.

 

If you see snook busting on mullet, then switch to baitfish imitations like swimbaits, flukes, and spooks. A lot of your bass baits can be utilized effectively in this scenario.

[iiTzChunky]

48 minutes ago, Buzzbaiter said:

I just tossed them into the mangroves and gave them 2-3 twitches, followed by a fall. Kinda like fishing a senko for bass, just jerkier. My experience fishing for saltwater species is pretty limited, but I believe popping corks are more intended for redfish and speckled trout.

 

If you see snook busting on mullet, then switch to baitfish imitations like swimbaits, flukes, and spooks. A lot of your bass baits can be utilized effectively in this scenario.

OK, I'm finishing at night bc that's when I have off. So I'm pretty much just hoping I can hook up on one during that time. I've got a jerk bait that I bought thinking that it'd work well for snook, I've only thrown it once so I need to put more time into it bc I think it could really produce. I'm fishing from the bank so I'm limited on where I can get especially at night. 

[Buzzbaiter]

1 hour ago, iiTzChunky said:

OK, I'm finishing at night bc that's when I have off.

I’ve never tried night fishing, but conventional snook-fishing-wisdom says that snook are especially active after dark. Granted the moon phase is right, you shouldn’t have much trouble pulling into a few. Let us know how it goes!

[iiTzChunky]

19 hours ago, Buzzbaiter said:

I’ve never tried night fishing, but conventional snook-fishing-wisdom says that snook are especially active after dark. Granted the moon phase is right, you shouldn’t have much trouble pulling into a few. Let us know how it goes!

That's what I've heard is they are more active at night, but I'm in a little cove area and land locked so I might have some troubles getting a bite. But we will see! 

[Alex from GA]

We used to have a trailer on the Manatee between the bridges and fished for them often.  When the water gets colder go to the warmest water you can find, the back of inlets and canals usually and throw a swimbait or a saltwater spook.  My buddy came down and he was deadly with a spook and outfished me 2 or 3 to 1.  I've caught them off my dock in a canal we lived on.  Let me know where you are and I'll try to give you some help.

[iiTzChunky]

On 11/22/2024 at 3:31 PM, Alex from GA said:

We used to have a trailer on the Manatee between the bridges and fished for them often.  When the water gets colder go to the warmest water you can find, the back of inlets and canals usually and throw a swimbait or a saltwater spook.  My buddy came down and he was deadly with a spook and outfished me 2 or 3 to 1.  I've caught them off my dock in a canal we lived on.  Let me know where you are and I'll try to give you some help.

I live in north Palmetto so I'm usually fishing around the green bridge or the Bradenton bridge right now. Those places are close to me and I have access to them at night

[Alex from GA]

There's a walking trail just to the W of the 41 bridge that has access to a canal with places to throw a bait or lure.  Throw a spook or swimbait.  Good luck and report.  I used to wade at the river end of that canal and caught trout, redfish, snook and flounder all with a swimbait but I don't know if I'd do it at night.

[Alex from GA]

Give me a PM with your email and I'll send you Google Earth pictures of the places I wrote about.