This mammoth snook was caught by Tessie Wallace of Bradenton, FL , my mom, in 1988. The snook bottomed out a 35lb. scale and measured over 50 inches. Quite a feat, as it is the quest of every Florida snook angler. This night was even more memorable as my Dad, Don Wallace, hooked into a 28 pounder as Mom was reviving her giant snook. Both fish were caught on light tackle rods with Shimano 350 baitrunners. Line weight was 12 lb., freelining pinfish. It could be a Florida state women's "all tackle" record snook. It beats the I.G.F.A World Record for all women's line classes, except a 49 lb. snook caught (20 lb. test) in Costa Rica.  The fish were "live released", and mom still asks if we've seen her big snook.

A fish of this magnitude or a topper has virtually no chance of I.G.F.A. line class record status or any other category, these days. No snook caught from a boat qualify, the fish must be weighed legally on land. The fact that it is illegal to possess/transport/harvest oversized snook combined with the "land weighing" rule protects the record holders. That's ok. You have to appreciate our fishing pioneers who carried and past on our snook fishing pastime in Florida. Fishing for snook is so fun that thousands fish for them just to let them go. The release is as gratifying as the catch. It's personal, there's really no glamour in snook fishing for the most part. No snook tour or round-up. That's the way we want to keep it. The preservation of our snook is vital if future generations are to enjoy the thrill. Big snook memories last a lifetime, so always carry a camera on your fishing adventures. For more information on saving our snook, please support www.snookfoundation.org.