Are Snook common on reefs?

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KyPete

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After developing my film from a trip to Key Largo last week, I found a photo of what I believe is a snook. Perhaps I haven't been paying close enough attention, but I don't recall seeing snook on swallow (less than 50') reef dives before.

Anybody know anything about snooks and whether they are perhaps more common than I thought?
 
I found references to snook sightings on two wreck dives in the keys. I think that snook are fairly common in Florida.
 
Snook are not what I'd call common on the reef. OTOH, I see them fairly frequently.

One Snook, two Snook, three Snook, no Snooks.
 
I've seen Snook frequently on shallow reefs in the Caribbean, but primarily on nights dives which would make sense since they are mainly nocturnal feeders.
 
Ive got a spot at Sunshine Key were you are bound to see at least 15 of them on any given day.... Its a good thing that not many people if any at all know about the spot since I could forsee some a-hole go on a shooting spree...
 
Snooks are big bone fishing game down in the BVI, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos for executives with a lot of extra cash to spend - they can be found in the sandy bottom shallows but don't necessarily inhabit the reef (although they are often seen going by at high speed over a reef if the reef is near some flats).
 
I would characterize snook as "rare except where abundant." By that I mean I usually see a lot of 'em or none at all. And it seems to vary by time, too. On my annual Bonaire trip I usually see quite a few, or none at all. This year I didn't see any.
Rick
 
The only snook that I've seen here on Grand Cayman is a school of 4-6 under the dock at Rum Point snorkelling (4 ft. max). "Rare except where abundant", as Rick said.
 
:) I teasure dive along the Florida East Coast from Sebastian to Jupiter Inlet. Over the past 7 years I have encounter several large snook under limestone ledges at about 15' to 20' feet. These fish are alway solo, and in a resting mode. When I move close to them they edge away. When I retreat they slowly move back to the original position. Of course I encounter Nurse Sharks, grouper, flounder, lobster, and a lot of other fish too. Even the occasional Jew fish will be under a ledge.
 
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