Snook, also known in Costa Rica as Robalo, is a common target for local and sport fishermen for the delicious tasting meat. Since Snook fishing does not require high end gear, local fisherman frequently fish with hand lines. Costa Rica currently holds the IGFA world record for Snook, weighting 63 lbs caught in Palo Seco Costa Rica. The snook with its cavernous mouth and insatiable appetite is strong, agile, crafty, and a good leaper.
How do you catch a Snook?Best fishing for Snook is on the changing tide, especially high falling tide around river mouths and coastal shores. Snook can be caught fishing from bridges, surf fishing or on boats close to the river mouth or shore. Snooks are predator hunters, generally they will wait for their prey to swim past and then attack. Bright lures, trolling, and live bait are all great methods to catch Snook.
Costa Rica Snook Facts-There are 6 varieties of Snook in Costa Rica with Black Snook having the genetic predisposition to grow the largest.
-The most recent snook world record was a Black Snook out of Costa Rica.
-The common Snook is a voracious predator and an amazing fighter. Its white flaky meat is highly prized.
Snooks spend part of their lives in fresh and saltwater – they can live in either.
-Costa Rica produces some of the biggest Snook in the world with the both the current and previous world records coming out of Costa Rica – The biggest a Black Snook weighing in at 60lbs
-Snooks are hermaphrodites and change sex throughout their lives from male to female, the exact reason is unknown but being studied.Its diet consists mainly of fish and crustaceans.
-Fishing methods include trolling or casting artificial lures or still fishing with live baits like pinfish, mullet, shrimp, crabs, or other small fish.
-Best fishing is said to be on the changing tide, especially high falling tide around river mouths and coastal shores and night fishing from bridges and in ocean inlets. A flooding or rising tide is more productive at creek heads.
If you are staying in Jaco Los Suenos or in Manuel Antonio Quepos, just a few minutes away you can enjoy one of the best places to fish for SNOOK.
The Mangroves of Palo Seco together with the mangroves of Isla Damas are the best spots to target snook in Costa Rica
Robalo Fishing Costa Rica
My husband and I went fishing all day yesterday. We had an absolute BLAST! We caught lots a fish. The captain was so nice with a great personality. The mate waited on us the entire time...