Most successful snook fishermen anchor their boats well away from the area they are going to fish, and then wade in. The big hazard here is not sharks or alligators, but stingrays. They are benign creatures unless you step on them. Then they strike with their barbed tails with enough force to drive the barb through a wooden plank. There is venom in the barb that causes intense pain, but fortunately the pain subsides when the wound can be got into very hot water.
Most anglers simply shuffle their feet to avoid stingrays.
Spinning or baitcasting tackle is favored, but this is also a good opportunity to throw a fly at fish you can see. And flyfishing also adds the advantage of stealth. A skilled flycaster can drop a streamer fly in close proximity to a snook without spooking it - hard to do that with a plug or spoon. Here, spin fishermen have discovered the advantages of soft plastic baits. They look very life-like in the water, cast well enough, and are less obtrusive than plugs or jigs.