The crowd begins to thin about an hour after dark. Visitors and residents alike love Clearwater’s Pier 60 because it offers a prime place on Florida’s west coast to watch the sun melt into the Gulf of Mexico.

But on this warm summer evening, my 5-year-old son and I have come for a different thrill.

“Are there sting rays out there?” he asks, pointing to the water below.

“Yes,” I respond. “But we’re looking for Mr. Snook.” Anglers call this famed fighter “the mighty linesider” because of the dark line that runs along the side of its body.

Most Florida fishing piers – and there are many around the state – are known for at least one species. Here on Pier 60, the quarry of choice is Centropomus undecimalis, the common snook.

Though it’s often noted as one of the finest tasting fish in the world, snook can’t be bought or sold commercially in Florida. During the summer months, when the fish are spawning, and for one month in winter, snook are also protected from recreational harvest.

But anglers may still catch and release as many as they like during the closed season. On a typical summer evening out here on the pier, as many as 20 or 30 of the big sportfish may be brought over the rail in one night.

My reel screams as the snook tries to run for the safety of the pilings. I lift hard on the rod tip, hoping to turn the fish, but I’m one second too slow.

Snook are said to feed on anything that swims. Shrimp, scaled sardines and ladyfish are just a few of its favorite treats. We’ve brought along a bucket of pinfish for bait and my son quickly learns how these small baitfish earned their nickname.

“Ouch!” he yells, holding his finger.

“Be careful,” I say. “They might poke you, but to a snook they taste just like a candy bar.”

I hook the pinfish and then drop it over the side of the pier where it dangles beneath a large, orange float. Now comes the hard part – waiting.

“Where’s Mr. Snook?” my son asks.

“He’ll be here soon,” I say, quickly switching the subject to pirates and shooting stars. This keeps him occupied for 10 minutes, until he figures out that those lights streaking across the sky are not meteorites, but airplanes bound for Tampa International Airport.

Then, just when I thought I’d have a mutiny to quell, the float disappears. My reel screams as the snook tries to run for the safety of the pilings. I lift hard on the rod tip, hoping to turn the fish, but I’m one second too slow.

“What happened, dad?” he asks.
“I lost it,” I say. He frowns and asks if we can try again.
“Sure, son,” I answer. “We’ve got all night.”

• Visit www.fishingcapital.com for safety tips and to order a brochure

 
Travel File

Angle all night at these Florida piers. In many cases, a blanket license covers visiting fishers, but contact ahead to confirm. Note too that while the fishing continues, most concessions with rentals and bait will eventually call it a night.

Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier: At 1,471 feet, this pier is the longest in the Gulf of Mexico.

 Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier, Fort Walton Beach: A 1,262-foot pier lit for nighttime fishing. Open 24/7 mid-March through April.

Skyway Fishing Piers, St. Petersburg: Artificial reefs off the two piers are drawing more diverse catches than ever.

Charlotte Harbor area: Several piers are open all night, including Ainger Creek Park in Englewood and El Jobean Park.

 Fort Myers Beach Pier: Rent a rod, hit the bait shop and cast into the waters known as the “tarpon capital of the world.”
 
 Naples Pier: Built as a freight and passenger dock in 1888, this pier is now a historic landmark.
 
Anglin’s Fishing Pier, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea: A fishing haven for 40 years with a tackle depot and coffee shop open for breakfast and lunch.
 
Dania Pier, Dania Beach: Lighted fishing pier is ideal for anglers who want to “sight cast” to fish. At press time, bait shop under renovation.