Lucky young snook rescued by freediver after fishing line snagged on bridge rubble

[Chad Carney]

I had my first catch-and-release snook Thursday while freediving over remnants of the original John's Pass bridge between Treasure Island and Madeira Beach. A small snook had broken off an angler's line and become entangled on a submerged railing about 400 feet east of the new bridge. The fish offered little resistance as I grabbed it and cut the line, then surfaced under my kayak. A bird's nest of line at the hook in the snook's mouth, evidence of the earlier hard fight, also was carefully removed with my dive knife.

Swimming to the shore 25 feet away started energizing the fish, so I took a moment to dry my hands and took the photos below. Holding and moving the fish forward underwater furthered it's revival, then after releasing, it swam around my feet twice before quickly swimming deep.

My being an avid spearfisherman adds a little irony to the rescue, as taking snook is only allowed on hook & line. In the Gulf of Mexico they have a slot size of 28" to 33" and open on Sept 1st. This little guy was about 16".

Chad

 

[Orlando Eric]

That is mighty cool! With that good karma a nice cobia is going to swim up to you with blind fold and last blue runner in it's mouth next spear trip.

 

[Chad Carney]

Thanks Eric, I could use some good karma about now!

This seemed funny to me because I never fish with a hook & line.

However it was not my first release of marine life underwater. I cut a 4' nurse shark out of a snagged shrimp boat net once. Also freed a seahorse and numerous stone crabs from cast nets over the years.

Chad