Hot Take: Choosing Locations When Jigging for Snook in Florida Inlets and Passes

Picking your location to jig for snook can make or break your outing. Florida’s inlets and passes—from central Florida all the way down through the Keys—offer countless opportunities, but the key is learning how to match the conditions with the spot.

Build a Collection of Spots

Every diehard jig angler knows about those singled-out rocks or the perfect pier corner where the jig sweeps right into the strike zone. But relying on just one or two magic spots is a trap.

Successful jigging for snook means building a portfolio of locations:

• Under bridges – like John’s Pass
• Bridge fenders – current sweeps past them and creates ambush zones where snook stack up
• Pier tips – Sebastian Inlet’s north and south sides
• Jetty corners – where current concentrates baitfish
• Backs of inlets – productive when tides shift

Having a mix of spots means you’re never left stranded by a tide or wind that doesn’t match your “honey hole.”

Match Conditions to Locations

Not all spots are equal under all conditions. Pay attention to wind direction, tide phase, and moon cycles:

• Strong north wind + outgoing tide starting → Certain jetty edges fire up
• East wind + incoming tide ending → Back inlet rocks can be stacked with fish
• Moon phase → Subtle shifts in feeding patterns that repeat every cycle

The takeaway? Snook move with the conditions. Learn when and why they set up in a location, and you’ll unlock repeatable patterns.

Case Study: Sebastian Inlet

Let’s put it into practice.

• Outgoing tide → Work the tips of the north and south jetties. Snook push bait into the outgoing flow, and your jig rides the current right into them.
• Incoming tide → Slide to the back of the inlet. Snook often reposition to ambush bait flushing through.

Spending time fishing entire tide cycles helps you see how fish reposition. That intel builds the foundation for predicting where they’ll be next trip.

Scouting & Note Taking

Great jig anglers are also great students of the water.

• Scout during different tides – low tide reveals ambush structure
• Keep a log – jot down tide stage, wind, moon, and results
• Look for patterns – if a combo produces once, chances are it’ll produce again

Over time, this habit separates casual anglers from those consistently hooking slobs.

Final Word

Jigging for snook isn’t about luck—it’s about dedication, pattern recognition, and putting in the hours. Yes, it takes hard nights, scouting missions, and plenty of patience.

When picking your location:

• Don’t overthink it.
• Match the tide and conditions.
• Fish the spot, observe, and learn.

Do this consistently, and you’ll transform into the jig fisherman you’ve always wanted to be—the one who sticks the snook of a lifetime.