Why More Snook Are Showing Up on the Northern Gulf Coast

Want more fishing content and fewer ads? Check out asfr.supercast.com for an ad-free, extended cut of your local fishing report. New subscribers get the first 30 days free. 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. SPONSORS The Coastal Connection / Angelo DiPaola Sea Tow Foster Contracting / Fortified Roofing Pros Black Buffalo Eastern Metal Supply Fiber Plastics Inc Hilton's Offshore Charts / Realtime-Navigator Coastal Brew Bait Company Dixie Supply / Baker Metal Works Make Wake Marine Midway Lumber Admiral Shellfish Company Pure Flats Pike Consulting Group Community Fly Supply Deep South Crane Rentals SlipSki Solutions CCA Alabama Camper City Mobile Moffett Road Dentistry / Ricciardone Family Dentistry McCoy Outdoor Company The Orthopaedic Group / Dr. Michael Blackmer Alfa Insurance / Bryan Klein Ultra Wash