Angler tries to use cooler trick to sneak snook by wildlife official, FWC says

A tip from a concerned citizen led law enforcement to discover an individual illegally catching snook and putting them in a cooler. (Provided by FWC)

An angler tried to outsmart wildlife officials with a tricky cooler to hide illegally caught snook, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said.

It didn’t work.

Recommended Videos



According to the FWC, a concerned citizen’s tip led an officer to someone illegally catching snook and putting them in a cooler. In Florida, depending on where you are, snook are catch and release only. (For details on current regulations, click here.)

When the officer first opened the lid of the cooler, the only thing visible was groceries, but he quickly discovered the cooler had a false insert sized to fit.

When the insert was lifted out, seven snook were found in a sneaky hiding place, FWC said.

The angler was issued “numerous criminal citations for the violations,” FWC said.

The fish were tossed back in to become food for other marine life.


About the Author:

A Jacksonville native and proud University of North Florida alum, Francine Frazier has been with News4Jax since 2014 after spending nine years at The Florida Times-Union.