I climb out of my tent to check the stick at the waters edge to see the water had dropped over two feet, what a difference that would have made yesterday. The river was rushing by pretty fast and the fog was following along for the ride. I get my camera out to try to catch this image.

Blackwater River Fog

Hoping to stick to my plan and get more Photographs today we head off back up the dirt road to where we left the trail. Shortly we get to Blueberry Hill and take a couple of Photographs from Blueberry Hill.

View from Blueberry Hill

About a mile and a half into the day I cross a dirt road and right back to the campsite I was at last night. What a waste of time! The trail continued right behind where my tent was not sure why the data book sent me down a dirt road to a campsite on the trail. I shrug it off and start back down the trail right into knee deep water just to get the day going right. This is better than what the trail looked like last night, well it was completely underwater last night. We keep going listening to the sloshing of my boots till we come upon a creek, I hope I see a bridge soon. Yes there is a bridge.

Bridge Over Small Creek

As if walking in a circle wasn’t bad enough I step into a rabbit hole or something taking me to the ground pretty quick and hurting my ankle, nothing severe but just adding to the difficulties of the pack weight it wasn’t very comfortable. We push on into an area that was recently part of a prescribed burn.

Prescribed Burn Area

Now coming down a hill I get tripped up on some roots and try to catch myself only to build up enough speed to make a better crash face first into my camera bag! As if my ankle wasn’t enough now I am sitting here debating the whole trip, is it worth finding out later the feeling in my sides are more than just sore maybe I’m causing some damage, is it worth risking the loss of my laptop or worse my camera??! I get back up and head down the trail more discouraged than ever I arrive at a crossroads on the trail one goes to a campsite about 4.5 miles off the Florida Trail along a blue blazed trail and the other brings me further down the Florida Trail. I sit for a while upset with myself for the decision I am even giving myself but I know that heading down the blue blazed trail will end all the pain and the orange blazes will continue an unknown distance before the inevitable early withdraw. I am sure the packs would overpower me sooner or later so I decide to give up hopefully to try again at a later time with lighter packs. I don my packs and start following the blue blazes to end my journey, short lived but still an adventure.

Boardwalk Blackwater Forest

Then we came to Blackwater River, I’ve never seen it before but it looked very high with a very strong current. I see handrails stepping down into the river but all the steps are under water. After we cross over Blackwater River, it wasn’t long before we came to a section of the trail that was under water. You could see the orange blazes marking the underwater trail. Into the water we go quickly it gets over my boots and up to my knees, not too bad but now I have soaking wet boots and socks. Shortly after walking across a little dry land we come to another water crossing this one looks like an underwater ditch I poke around with my bamboo walking stick and realize it quickly gets over three feet deep. I start heading in as the water reaches my waist and camera bag I turn around back to the dry land. Is this normal? Is it even passable? I can see the other side its only twenty maybe thirty feet away. I don’t mind swimming when dressed for it but usually I would much prefer to stay dry. I don’t even care to walk to my truck in the rain. This was not the way I wanted the day to go, I knew water slogging was part of the trip but I wasn’t ready for it today. I go over all possibilities in my head. What do I do now? I have no clue how bad the trail is ahead, if this is supposed to be a little stream under normal conditions with waist deep water slogging ahead?? I just imagine the update on the Florida Trail right now “Trail Closed South of Blackwater River Due To Extremely High Water”

Green Tunnel

In I go as the water reached my waist I had had to pick my camera bag off my chest to keep it above the water. Diego was swimming right along side me with his packs and all he was doing great untill we reached the other side he got in a hurry and tripped me up knocking me down into about a foot of water getting my camera bag wet. After about another 100ft we came across another underwater section this one went on out of sight the orange blazes and their reflection in the water zig zaging through the woods marking the underwater path. (If I was with it a little more I would have taken a Photograph here and what a beautiful image it would have been.) This one was even deeper as I sank in all the way up to my chest holding my camera bag out of the water, and Diego swimming along side me like a champ as we weaved through the underwater forest. So on we go in and out of the water till we come to some land that climbs uphill hopefully leading to dry land for the rest of the day.

Diego after Water Slogging

We head down the trail a little further until I realize we are heading downhill again, thoughts of more underwater forest are discouraging, but then I see a boardwalk hop up on it and realize its over 6 inches of water, why a boardwalk over 6 inches of water after water slogging through chest deep water?

Camp at Blackwater River

We eventually reach the campsite for the night it is at the end of some dirt roads at the edge of the Blackwater River. Blackwater River is very high and only about 6 inches below my tent so I put a stick at the edge of the water to see if its rising or receding. After getting a campfire going and hanging my clothes to dry my mind starts to wonder about all of the difficulties I am going through, not the water slogging but the extremely heavy packs, the risks I am taking with my electronic gear, I can feel the toll on my waist its a different pain not just sore muscles. I just chalk it up to a rough day and head on into the tent for a very needed night of sleep.

When I got up Greg (my neighbor) was already packing his campsite up. Greg told me the storm was coming pretty fast and it would be raining in a couple of hours. Greg offered to bring me into town to a hotel and bring me back as soon as the weather cleared up. I called my parents to let them know I made it through the night, they also were very concerned about the weather and they thought it would be a good idea to go to a hotel.

Hurricane Lake

I packed up and took the ride into town with Greg. Greg’s daughter was kind enough to call around and find me a hotel in town that would take me and Diego. They brought me to Milton Florida to a small single story hotel with tile floors and a mildew smell. I took Diego out for a walk before the rain came and found a ten dollar bill woohoo.

Day 4

I awoke in my stinky little hotel room and checked the weather channel to see what the day was looking like. Looks like the worst had passed. It was a light sprinkle outside but still overcast and nasty, I think we were in what was the eye of the storm that was now diminishing and moving on.

At about 9:30 I called Greg to see what the plans were he said he was going to call Jimmy (the campsite host at Hurricane Lake) to see how the roads were. Greg called me back to let me know the roads were good and we would head back in about an hour.

When we got back to the campsite it was still raining so I set up my tent as quick as possible to get me and my stuff out of the rain. Here I laid in my tent at two in the afternoon I tried to stay awake as much as possible but a nap was inevitable. The rain stopped just after dark and my thoughts were on the trail, would they be too wet or even impassable?

It was a long night, Diego got upset a few times about something outside, his low rumbling growl growing to a snarl and then he let out a few nasty barks. Whats out there? Then a crash in the bushes within 100ft, it sounded big. I listened closely for a minute but not so much as a leaf crackle. I got up put on my sandals and with Diego by my side we went outside to investigate. I shined my flashlight every direction looking for the reflection of eyes or any hint of a wild beast lurking in the forest. I realized that if it were to be a bear I was supposed to be talking and making noise to let it know I was a human. I started talking loud… HELLO, WHO’S OUT THERE?, ITS JUST ME AND MY DOG DIEGO. I don’t know what to say. Then I started feeling kind of silly standing out there in my underwear and sandals talking to an imaginary bear.

First Camp Morning Light

The morning light was coming through the trees with a reddish orange glow. I got up packed up camp and we were back on our way. The packs were still heavy but somehow felt a little better. We passed a couple of forest roads I believe were North Hurricane Lake Rd. I could then see a shimmering silvery glow through the trees, there it was Hurricane Lake becoming clearer as the trail curved us into a great view through the tall pine trees.

First View Hurricane Lake

A few minutes later we arrived at the entrance to North Hurricane Lake Campground where we would rest for the day. There was several campsites front row on the lake and several more spread out through the campsite I chose one right on the water. As I was setting up camp I met my neighbors, my “Camp Angels”, Greg, Amber and their son Sean, while Diego met their dogs OhGee and Ricky, two Australian Shepherds. After I got all set up Diego and I went down to the lakeside to a bench under a young tree relaxed and took in the view.

OhGee and Ricky

My neighbors invited me over for a sandwich, definitely a welcomed offer, roasted chicken with lettuce, tomato, cheese and mayo things that would be tough for me to pack-in. After lunch and a short nap I was able to wrangle some thoughts down on paper.

Later that evening I was again invited over for some lasagna cooked over the campfire and apple crisp also cooked over the campfire for desert they even had ice cream, wow they really know how to camp. As we were enjoying dinner and listening to some jazz on their radio that was often interrupted with updates on Hurricane Ida headed straight for us. The conversation switched to my plans which had not changed I was still going to get up hike to the next campsite and wait out the rain.

I finished my evening off in front of the fire writing in my notebook and taking a mental inventory of everything I was carrying and what could be left behind.

As I laid in my tent I was wondering what sights and adventures the next day would bring, what kind of weather I would be subjected to, but much more optimistic and ready for the journey.

Diego and I at the beginning of the Florida Trail Nov. 7th 2009

I heaved my heavy packs on and we said our good-byes and was on my way, within 100ft I came to a”T” intersection in the dirt road and looked closely for the next orange blaze with none in site I took a right and hoped to see another one soon, no luck, so I turned around headed back across the intersection, as I was passing I got a glimpse of the white Suburban as it fired up and started its way back up the forest road. What a strange feeling, I’ve never been dropped off in the middle of no-where. I started running toward the Suburban as it sloshed through another wet spot splashing more red clay on the white paint. I was yelling “Stop, Wait, Never Mind I don’t want to anymore I’ve changed my mind come back take me home”… I imagined, for a second, but shook my head and started once again searching for the next orange blaze, there it was off to the right and to the left was a kiosk with a mail box and a bench marking the official terminus of the Florida Trail and the Alabama Trail.

I removed my packs to re-situate the load and sign the log book, a small spiral note book, I signed Marcus Adkins Thru-Hiking the Florida Trail November 7th 2009, and also Diego Rivera my dogs full name  after the famous Mexican artist married to Frida Kahlo. After signing the log I took the first picture of the journey of Diego and I clean and ready to go.

I looked at my packs hearing my brothers voice echo in my head “Those packs are way too heavy” I knew they were but I was hoping my will power would carry some of the weight. I had way too much food to begin with and was carrying things no long distance hiker would consider bringing on such a journey. I re-situated my packs and heaved the heavy load on my back, and strapped to the shoulder straps was my camera bag with my camera and laptop resting on my chest.

I only made it 3 tenths of a mile before the heavy load brought me to my knees the camera bag was weighing down my shoulder straps to a painful pinch on my collar bone. I rested for a moment and came up with a solution to strap my tri-pod to the backpack relieving some of the load off of my collar bone. With the weight re-distributed I started off once again feeling like I could go on, but that feeling was short lived. The weight of the packs was torturous and shortly brought me back to my knees. I sat there for a moment trying to come up with solutions made a few adjustments and then checked my GPS to discover I had only moved another 1/2 mile, getting up was getting harder but I pressed on hoping for a full mile before I would need another break, as I walked the thoughts of giving up were trying to make a stand, but I shrugged them off to push on a few more steps only to again be defeated by the weight and now the the mental struggle making a strong presence. Here I am a little over a mile in and already entertaining thoughts of calling it off. Do I not have what it takes to accomplish such a long journey?

The pain of lugging the heavy load was stealing the enjoyment of the beauty that was surrounding me, diminishing all thoughts of actually taking a Photograph, narrowing my vision to nothing but the path in front of me and searching for the next orange blaze one torturous step after the other. Three and a half  miles in and I was already defeated, trying to come up with scenarios and excuses to “save face” with all of the people I had told of my journey to Thru-Hike the Florida Trail. Most of all the “nay-sayers” the ones who would have the most “I told you so’s”. The thought of years from now the comments of “Remember when you thought you were going to Hike the Florida Trail?” – “What a Dumb-Ass!” So it went on and on, torture, physically and mentally, half a mile, rest then push on, four tenths of a mile, rest then push on. What the hell am I doing out here?

4.8 Miles in, where the hell is this damn Beaver Creek Rd I was supposed to be crossing at 4.1 miles? I checked my map and my GPS, with no “transport button” I had to don the backpacks again and try to walk a little further with my mind and body protesting every step. 5.3 miles finally Beaver Creek Rd which, by the way, was the mileage I was supposed to be crossing North Hurricane Lake Campground Rd for the second time! By 6 miles in the sun was starting its descent faster and faster as I searched the landscape for any possible campsite. As I rounded a corner and passed through a fallen tree with a section cut out the width of the trail, I found a spot that at the time looked as good as any campsite. I stomped around back and forth  trying to make a flat spot to set up my tent, then I laid down my tarp and continued to stomp it down as flat as possible, set up my tent and hung my food in a tree just out of the reach of bears. I called my parents to let them know where I was at and how things were going, almost hoping for them to ask me if I wanted them to come get me.

I climbed in to my tent ready for a very needed rest. Reflecting on the day and how torturous it had become with the few extra pounds I was not used to carrying. I was wondering if I had what it would take to push on and make another day let alone complete the 1100 mile journey. I decided that in the morning I would hike the almost 2 miles to North Hurricane Lake Campground and rest for the day. Hopefully after a day of rest and a trash can to throw away any unnecessary weight I would be able to move on with lightened packs and hopefully a lift in my optimism.

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November 7th I will begin my Thru-Hike of the Florida Trail, with my dog Diego, this is approximately an 1100mile hike from the Alabama – Florida state line in The Blackwater State Forest to Big Cypress Preserve at the edge of the Florida Everglades that will take around four months to complete. I will be posting here along the way about my adventure as often as possible, you can also follow me on twitter (@MarcusAdkins) where I will be tweeting in real time (depending on my phone batteries and signal)

Fernandina Beach

This has taken a lot of planning, from proper gear to permits. I became a member of The Florida Trail Association, a requirement to hike certain areas of the Florida Trail, and highly recommended, they are very helpful with information and they arrange the permits for Eglin Air Force Base, Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation, and inform other private land owners of your plans to cross their land. They also have the most up to date maps of the complete  Florida Trail. I have also purchased annual passes for Florida Parks and National Parks. I have also subscribed to Florida Hikes not a requirement but @SandraFriend (follow her on Twitter) has been very helpful with questions I have had and her website is one of the most informative sources on Florida Hikes and Florida Trails all over the state of Florida with down-loadable .gpx and .kml files.

Florida Caverns State Park

I upgraded some of my gear with some very helpful advice from @KevinMims and @TravelCountry (follow them on Twitter) where I got my new @OspreyPacks backpack, my @Hardwear sleeping bag, my Kelty tent and a few other necessities for my Thru-Hike of The Florida Trail. The list of gear that could be obtained to make my pack lighter and make the journey more comfortable is unlimited, just like the amount of money that could be spent, unlike my bank account.

Raccoon at Fort De Soto

I have had mixed experiences with family and friends about this journey, most are very supportive, and some have some fears they project on me like what about the snakes and alligators and bears (oh my!) I should be so lucky to get a glimpse of some of these animals and a Photograph to share with everyone, i will be keeping my eyes open for Florida’s very rare and elusive super fauna the Florida Panther.

Be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed so you can follow along on my Thru-Hike of The Florida Trail!

Please leave a comment to share your thoughts, advise or tips, Thanks.

GhostOrchid - The rare and exquisite ghost orchid photographed just after dawn in the Fakahatchee Strand.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Rich Leighton – I’m a native Floridian from Bradenton Florida. I currently live in Tallahassee with my wife and two boys. I’ve always been and outdoors-man, and always had an interest in biology, even from a very young age.

Bonita Beach – An intensely dramatic sky over Barefoot Beach in Bonita Springs, Florida.

When did you first become interested in Photography?

Rich Leighton – My Father was a big Photography buff. He learned to shoot lots of different types of cameras in the military, and they were always a big part of our family life. I was given my first 35mm SLR when I was a teenager, and never really took it seriously until I was in my 30’s.

Sanibel Lighthouse – Dawn on Sanibel Island on Lighthouse Point.

How did you get started in the business of Florida Nature Photography?

Rich Leighton – I got my start in Florida Nature Photography in a very common way. I’ve been in the habit all my life of taking long and extended hikes into the Florida Wilderness. I usually brought a camera along with me. Soon general interest led to a website and then some sales. The rest is history. Not very exciting or glamorous, but these things seldom are.

WhiteEgret100 - A great egret in silhouette on a quiet evening in Homosassa Springs.

What kind of gear do you pack when you’re in the field?

Rich Leighton – I am a Nikon shooter. In the field, I always have my D2X and D50, a couple of different flashes (especially my ring flash) and a variety of lenses. Since I do not spend a lot of time Photographing birds, I don’t have to carry around a lot of heavy zoom lenses, so I am usually carrying a simple wide angle lens, my 50mm prime lens and a 55mm-200mm VR. I like and use a lot of filters, so I generally have about four or five different ones with me as well as my old trusty Bogen Tripod. Most of my subjects are stationary, so higher end and faster lenses are not taken with me unless I’m after something in particular. Also – I’m in wet and damp places very often – too risky for the expensive gear!

GreenLynxSpider105 – A green Lynx spider ambushes a honey bee in the Withlacoochee State Forest.

What are some of your favorite photography locations?

Rich Leighton – I absolutely love the Big Cypress National Preserve in Collier County. It’s so big and has such an extreme variety in landscape, terrain and wildlife that it never becomes tedious. And every season brings a whole new range of photography possibilities! Other places that I really enjoy would be the entire Apalachicola River area – from the bluffs and ravines to the north, all the way to the river mouth and the islands there, such as St. George Island. Beautiful and wild scenery!

ApalachicolaRavines - A nameless creek meandering through the Apalachicola National Forest.

Do you have a favorite photograph from your collection?

Rich Leighton – My favorite photo from my collection is constantly changing. It’s usually one of my most recent at the time. This is usually based on some technique or style I’m trying to accomplish and finally get right after a long period of frustration and many little tweaks and adjustments. An example would be a recent photo I took of a small creek in the Apalachicola National Forest. It was such an amazing scene, yet it never looked like I wanted to on camera until I used an exposure blend to pull all the extreme highlights and shadows together into a well-balanced image. That took almost a year to get right.

I’m also quite fond of several of my Florida native orchid photos – especially when it takes me years to find them for a photograph.

StGeorgeIslandSunset1 - A tangerine sunset over the salt marshes of St. George Island, near Apalachicola, Florida.

Who has inspired you the most when it comes to your Photography?

Rich Leighton – I would have to say Rick Sammon. I love his approach photography as something fun and totally unrestrained. He calls himself “not a specialist in anything” but tries a little bit of everything. Here is how it applies to me. I could be deep in the Everglades in the water with no boat – miles from my car photographing a beautiful wild and rare orchid, and the light hits the petals in such a way, that I try a new technique I’ve never tried before, and make it up on the spot. I may try this same technique or setting a week later when shooting an outdoor wedding and the same technique might work perfectly on catching the sunlight in the bride’s hair. In essence, I don’t think of myself as a specialist either. Maybe more like a constant experimenter. It’s all in the tiny details – of which I am most interested.

StormyLotus1 – An American lotus with approaching storm Lake Jackson in Tallahassee.

What are the most important qualities that a Nature Photographer needs to succeed?

Rich Leighton – I would have to say the first rule of thumb when it comes to being a nature photographer is to KNOW YOUR SUBJECT! You will never be able to really appreciate what you are photographing unless you know why it is so special, and why it deserves to be photographed in the first place. Pretty, interesting, or unusual is never enough.

Tenacity is also very important. If you don’t do the hard work of getting into the world of your subject, you are missing the point. The “uniqueness” of the famous ghost orchid, for example, is where it grows deep in the watery darkness of the deep swamps. Finding and getting to
the location are all part of being a nature photographer. It took me three and a half years to find my first ghost in flower.

WoodStork - An endangered wood stork catches a crab in a Sanibel Island estuary.

What advice would you give to aspiring Photographers?

Rich Leighton – I love this question, and it is the most often ignored. Here is my answer. Do not listen to other nature photographers. The world is full of nature photographers with brand new expensive cameras who know every technical detail their cameras can do. This doesn’t mean they can take or make a good photograph. The good nature photographers are out in the field working and experimenting, not comparing equipment or megapixels. Develop your own unique style, cultivate it, let it mature, and then every outing a mental workout. Try out new ideas, push yourself and push hard, and most of all – respect your art. Soon those little lights will come on with the accompanying “a-ha!” – the little things that make the art of nature photography so wonderfully fulfilling on a personal level.

MashesSands1a-2 – An incoming storm in the early evening at Mashes Sands on the Florida Panhandle.

GreenAnole100 - Intensely colorful green anole showing off his red delwap on Key Largo.

Gator1 - Cheerful alligator near the St. Marks River in North Florida.

My journey started at about midnight I drove from Orlando Florida to Hobe Sound Florida onto Jupiter Island about a two and a half hour drive. Chillin to tunes by Q-Burns Abstract Message.

Sunrise at Blowing Rocks Preserve by Marcus Adkins Photography copyright

Blowing Rocks Preserve does not open till 9am so I was headed to Corral Cove Park, about a mile south of Blowing Rocks Preserve. I was planning on parking outside Corral Cove Park and walking up the beach to look for Sea Turtles hatching and making their way to the Atlantic Ocean, and some good sunrise Photographs at Blowing Rocks Preserve. When I arrived at Corral Cove Park the gates were open and a police officer was sitting in his cruiser in the parking lot so I had no choice but to seek permission to walk out on the beach at 3:00 in the morning (not very likely) so I approached the officer and stated my business his reply was “Parks closed.” I had only one card to play at that moment so I explained to him, I work for an online magazine about Florida and was hoping to get some Photographs of Sea Turtles hatching, he  asked if I had any I.D. so I handed him my license and my card, he looked them over, handed them back to me and said “go ahead”. I couldn’t believe it!

Sunrise Blowing Rocks Preserve II by Marcus Adkins Photography copyright

Still in disbelief I parked my truck and got my gear ready for the hike. Let me tell you something walking down to the beach is one thing but hiking a mile up the beach with a camera bag , tripod, and a towel is no picnic, the sand there is soft and the beach is at quite an angle only adding to the experience. (Enough complaining) Being on the beach by yourself in the middle of the night is a unique experience, it’s a little eerie, with the black ocean pushing itself up onto the beach and the stars in the sky offering little light you are very alert and aware of your surroundings all you can hear is the waves crashing on shore which seem to be louder than usual.

Sunrise Blowing Rocks Preserve IIII by Marcus Adkins Photography copyright

I put on my LED headlamp with the red light so I could still see a little beyond the light. I started scanning the beach for any sign of a baby Sea Turtle sliding its way down to the Atlantic Ocean . It was very exciting thinking I could actually walk up on such a wonder of nature. The image kept me going  all the way up the beach to Blowing Rocks Preserve, a good hour hike, and I hiked another 45min up the coast past Blowing Rocks Preserve only to find a lot of Sea Turtle egg shells but no baby Sea Turtles heading to the Atlantic Ocean. I walked back to Blowing Rocks Preserve exhausted from lugging my equipment for the last two and half hours. I found a somewhat flat and actually comfortable rock to relax on I spread my towel out and used my camera bag as a pillow. It was very relaxing watching the stars and listening to the Atlantic Ocean crash into the rocks, a little too relaxing, I fell asleep and was woke up by a large wave that crashed past the rocks and all over me and my equipment. Great, now I’m soaking wet! Luckily I shielded the water from half of my towel and my camera bag was under the towel.

Sunrise Blowing Rocks Preserve III by Marcus Adkins Photography copyright

After transferring as much water from my clothes to my towel as I could, I realized the sky was starting to light up a little. I walked over to the steps from Blowing Rocks Preserve. The waves were getting more intense and crashing off the rocks higher into the air and through a “blow hole” in front of me. The sight actually made me giggle out loud, it was quite an experience. I got my camera out and ready for the sunrise. What a beautiful sight! There was a storm to the south that was keeping the Atlantic Ocean dark and just enough light coming through to light the waves as they splashed off the rocks and through the blow holes. The Atlantic Ocean conducted this show up an down the rocky coast through several blow holes.

Although I didn’t get to see any baby Sea Turtles making their way to the Atlantic Ocean I did get to witness and Photograph a beautiful sunrise over the amazing scene the Atlantic Ocean had orchestrated against the Anastasia Limestone outcroppings at Blowing Rocks Preserve.

He’s known from Seminole Point to Bathtub Reef simply as “the guy with two rods,” so dubbed for the spare rig he routinely totes in a make-shift waist harness along the beach.  His real name is O. J. “Bud” Pettingill and over the past 25 years, he’s caught and released more North Palm Beach County snook on artificial lures than anyone.

With snook season in full swing, I caught-up with Pettingill recently in the surf along Jupiter Island, and sought his opinion on the most productive artificial snook lures for visitors and locals alike:

O. J. Bud Pettingill The Man With Two Rods

#5: Johnny Rattler by Luhr-Jensen – Over the years, I’ve caught more snook and jumped more tarpon on the silver/black (0940) and silver/blue (0949) “Mr. Johnny” than any single lure.  As all topwater enthusiasts know, these baits are effective only in extremely low light.  A snook’s eyes are acutely sensitive to sunlight.  Once the sun is high in the sky, a snook rarely will cast his gaze toward the surface again until dusk.  Still, for pre-dawn, overcast, and late evening topwater action, nothing I’ve found can match the action and excitement of Luhr-Jensen’s magic Johnny Rattler.

#4: Yozuri’s Crystal Minnow Floating 5 ¼” Twitch Bait – Since its introduction, the Crystal Minnow has become a classic bait for surf snooking in SoFla.  Here’s a little tip to make this and similar twitch baits by Rapala, XCalibur, and others more effective, and save a bunch of money over a long snooking career: sand down the lip! A belt sander works best, but even a common file will do.  Simply reduce the size of the lip by about a third, maintaining the shape and angle as you go.  This modified lip produces a dive of about 4”- 6” on a jerk, and holds the bait at 10”– 12” below the surface on a fast retrieve, keeping it from snagging on the rocks.  At 7-10 bucks a crack, what snook angler hasn’t experienced that bit of morning misery?

#3: MirrOdines by MirrOlure – Nothing I’ve used mimics a “greenie” more realistically than this new line of MirrOlures.  The bait features a luminescent inset, fish calling rattles, and natural 3-D eyes to enhance its realism.  Best of all, the MirrOdine is designed to suspend in 12” – 14” of water, making it the practically perfect artificial for hovering just above the myriad rock formations that line our beaches from Stuart to Juno where snook love to hide and ambush passing prey.  My personal favorite is the Silver Luminescence XL-27, but all will call and catch snook, even at high sun.

#2: Strike King’s new Redfish Magic Glass Minnow – Developed exclusively for Strike King by Cpts. Ray Van Horn and C.A. Richardson of Flats Class TV, this soft plastic bait originally was designed to mimic the forage of trout and redfish in the Louisiana Delta.  In fact, it is the closest bait ever made, and the first soft plastic I’ve seen, that perfectly mimics the shoals of glass minnows on which snook gorge in July and August prior to the mullet run. The new composite material is vastly more durable than the average soft plastic bait, and is nicely priced at $3.79 for a 5-pack at Bass Pro Shops.  Fished best Texas rigged with a lead head (1/16^th to ¼ oz depending on wind and waves) in the following colors: blue glimmer (27), glo chartreuse (70), and pearl (84).

#1: The trusty Spoon – From old stand-by classics like the Johnson Sprite and Krocodile spoons to the latest line of “wobblers” by companies like Badger Tackle, the spoon has long been the go-to bait of choice for seasoned snook anglers.  A neat trick is to swap-out the treble hook for a #3 or #4 Nautilus circle hook in blood red by Gamakatsu.  The circle hook allows anglers to bounce the spoon off the rocks with little or no fear of getting snagged.  The only 30+ lb. snook I personally have witnessed hauled from the beach both were caught by the same guy -– the legendary Ken Stone – both at Blowing Rocks Preserve, both on gold Johnson spoons, a year apart in the late 90s.

And, finally, with these and all artificials I strongly recommend one of the new 15 lb. test braids like Power Pro for maximum casting, and 20 lb. fluorocarbon leader like YoZuri’s Invisible Pink affixed by an Albright knot.