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Palm
Bay Bait and Tackle |
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May
24, 2003 SEBASTIAN -- Beth Laburda of Palm Bay shakes her head and laughs when she
describes the way she caught an estimated 32-pound snook at the mouth of
Sebastian River last week. As trophy snook go, few in the Sebastian area get
larger than this 44-inch pre-spawn female.
Just the enormity of the fish was a milestone for Laburda, who fishes for
snook avidly at Sebastian Inlet where other anglers call her the Snook Queen.
"I've been fishing seriously for 10 years, and without question, it's
the biggest snook I ever caught, and probably the biggest snook I ever
hooked," Laburda said.
"No, that's not right," Laburda interjected quickly. "I never
really hooked this snook. Basically, I lassoed the fish."
Laburda, a 40-year-old technical supervisor for Bright House Networks, and
fellow worker Jack Krause of Palm Bay, were wading in 2 feet of water at the
mouth of the Sebastian River which empties into the Indian River at the
Brevard-Indian River county line. Dawn was just breaking, and they were using
8-inch mullet for bait.
Each spring, the Sebastian River area is notorious for holding snook,
including huge egg-laden females. They move into the area to feed on spring
mullet in what experts feel is a pre-spawn feeding spree. The giant snook spawn
during the summer months, usually in inlets like Sebastian Inlet on the opposite
side of the river.
"My mullet had been floundering around on top of the water for 20
minutes," Laburda said. "I was facing east, watching it.
"Out of the blue, the snook hit the mullet, and within seconds (the
snook) came flying (swimming) toward me. I thought it was going to hit me. I saw
her as she went past, and I knew she was huge."
When the snook reached shallow water, it made a 180-degree turn and headed
for the open river and deeper water.
Laburda said she felt helpless in trying to stop the snook.
"It had to run 150 yards," Laburda said. "I was watching the
line peel off the reel, so I tightened up on the drag and started running."
Laburda was concerned that the fish would turn toward several PVC pipes in
the water, and the barnacles would instantly cut her 14-pound test Triple Fish
camo line. For leader she had a couple feet of 60-pound Triple Fish. Her reel
was a Okuma Epixor EB-50, and the rod was a 6-foot-6 Star nickel-series.
But before the snook reached the pipes, it turned toward the U.S. 1 bridge,
which spans the river. Cars and trucks rumbled past.
In the latter stages of the fight, Laburda noticed the snook wasn't showing
the typical doggedness and strength of a large snook.
"It was like she'd given up, and when Jack and I waded over to her, she
was belly up," Laburda said. "I thought to myself, 'oh my, she's died
on me.' The last thing I wanted to do was kill her."
The snook wasn't dead. It simply was immobilized. Laburda's leader was
wrapped around both of its pectoral fins, the fins on either side of the fish's
body just behind the gills. The mullet was still dangling from the 3-O circle
hook.
Upon closer examination, Laburda discovered that the snook had expelled the
mullet through its gills, probably during that first frantic run. The line had
fed through the gills and became wrapped around the two pectorals.
"That's how I caught the fish. She was really never hooked. She was
lassoed," Laburda smiled.
Carefully, Laburda and Krause untangled the fish and cut the line. She was
measured, showing a 25-inch girth, and photographed. Then she was released.
"She took off when we let her go. She was in good shape," Laburda
said.
A formula using the snook's girth, and its length to the fork of its tail,
gave the estimated weight.
"It came out to 32 pounds. But you know, she looked even bigger to
me" Laburda smiled.
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Last modified:
June 23, 2007
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