I was able to get out one night this week with snook squarely in my crosshairs.

I didn’t get a ton of time on the water this week, so instead of a play-by-play report, here’s something that’ll help you put more sheepshead in the boat.

I managed to get out a few times this week, and the pattern was pretty clear. The week started out strong, but as the days went on, things definitely began to taper off. Water temperatures are falling, and you can feel the fish getting a little less comfortable compared to the past couple of weeks. That said, they’re still around, and they still have to eat.

I only made it out a few times this week, but it was still a productive one. I landed a nice snook and a fairly large winter backwater tarpon.

This week on the water was a little slow but had some solid moments. I managed to land a few good snook and saw plenty of redfish cruising around.

This past week was a tough one on the Space Coast and there is really no way around it. The recent cold front put a noticeable damper on the bite across the board.

Not much has changed since last week’s report, with most patterns remaining consistent across the lagoon systems. That said, the bite has slowed slightly compared to the previous week, and anglers are having to work a bit harder for quality fish.

This week’s focus has been the mangroves, targeting snook on mostly artificial presentations. The bite has been somewhat slow overall, but the opportunities have definitely been there, especially for anglers willing to put in the time.

Recent trips produced both a bull redfish and several quality snook by focusing on shallow mangrove edges in roughly 2 feet of water and paddle tail soft plastics.

This week, the mangroves and docks lit up early mornings and after sunset, with snook feeding best during those hours. Paddle tails and artificial shrimp worked well along the edges, especially where subtle surface activity gave their location away.