Beach questions

dkickmurphys526 · Rookie Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 15

Hey all! I'm new to the forum and am finally glad to find a message board with some locals on it. I do a lot of pier fishing...most recently in Fort DeSoto...and usually just net some sardines and catch me some snook. My girlfriend has a condo on sand key about 1 mile south of the sand key bridge (Clearwater Pass). My question is what it the best way to fish for some early morning snook off of the beach?

pierfish · Posted: Sun Aug 20, 2006 7:44 pm Post subject: Hello and welcome!

We are glad to have you, we are always looking for local anglers Wink

to answer your question, I am going to go by my personal experiences. I have found that early in the morning the best bait for snook, is medium to small grunts free lined. I will usually use 40 to 60 lb flourocarbon leader with 20 to 30 lb power pro as the main line. If you like using artificial, I would suggest the redheaded casting plug.

dkickmurphys526 · Rookie Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 15

Thanks! I was actually thinking about waking up earlier (a couple of hours before daylight) to go net some sardines at the sand key fishing piers. How would those compare to the grunts? And how far out do I need to cast (any wading required)?

pierfish · Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 7:51 am Post subject: Snookin

Sardines should work fine, if that is whats plentiful, that is probably what they are feeding on anyway. I usually try and find a good sand bar and fish along the sand bar, you may have to wade a little. The fish use the sand bar as a ambush tool. You want to try and cast ahead of the sand bar and let the bait gradually and naturaly drift back. Hope this help Wink

be sure to let us know how it went and were are you fishing?

dkickmurphys526 · Rookie Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 15

We are going out behind my girlfriend's beach condo on Sand Key. It is about 1 mile south of the actual Sand Key Park. One thing I noticed last time we were there was that there was a sand bar about 35 yards out on a sort of in-between tide...so I guess we'll give that a shot. Thanks a lot for your help man. We're going out Saturday (or Sunday...not sure) morning so I'll let you know how we do. What area are you from? Maybe we could get together sometime and do some fishing...you could maybe teach us a thing or two.

pierfish · Posted: Mon Aug 21, 2006 12:55 pm Post subject: Sounds good

Well that sounds good, I am in Tampa...but don't mind a little travel for good fishing. Let us know how you do. Do you ever fish the skyway? We have a group of guys and a few gals that fish the pier quite often. I am up for any type of fishing as long as it's fishing.

dkickmurphys526 · Rookie Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 15

Sorry it took so long to reply. We use to fish the skyway very often. Lately we've been trying to catch some snook and reds so we have been going to Fort DeSoto, John's Pass, and Pass-a-Grille. We seem to have the best luck at Fort Desoto though. I wouldn't mind going to Skyway again sometime fairly soon...I heard the tarpon action is pretty hot and the snook are starting to move in over there. I wouldn't mind hooking up with a decent sized shark either.

pierfish · Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 1:53 pm Post subject: Let us know ;)

Let us know and maybe we can all meet up out there, me and fishahollic are always at the bridge, sleepy works alot so he would have to tell you when he could make it.

SLEEPY · Posted: Wed Aug 23, 2006 10:24 pm Post subject:

Picked up on a hot snook spot at the gandy bridge today, the word is that these are some monster snook, and you better go in there with your grouper pole to pull them out, I was shown the spot so I will have to find some time to go and test it out to verify the integrity of the fishin hole. I will try to let you guys know when I'm going if any body wants to try and join me.

dkickmurphys526 · Rookie Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 15

Sounds good. Definately let me know and if I can I'll meet you. You just have to let me know what you're driving so I know who to look for.

SLEEPY · Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 1:28 pm Post subject:

I might try to check it out Sunday if I don't have to work. Might hit the spot back here around macdill in the morning or maybe the evening and then run down to Gandy and hit the snook hole to see if the rumor holds true. You still down for it Josh, if so let me know. I'm trying to see what I have free this weekend.

pierfish · Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 2:43 pm Post subject: Fishing on Sunday

If you can do it let me know, I am up for some good wade fishing Wink

SLEEPY · Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 3:23 pm Post subject:

Behind the base will bo on the flats, and down by the bridge will probably be on the land drifting some bigg shrimp down the seawall.

SLEEPY · Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 3:26 pm Post subject:

I will be on here later tonight around 12 midnight when I get off work, let me know what you guys would like to do, and if we can check the tides and weather, and I will see what we got, and also if I'm going to be off work or not. Also got to check with the boss lady becuase my time off is limited lately so got to make sure she is happy. ANyway, so I will see if i can find more out about the snook hole and also if I'm off work Sunday. Ok, well I'm leaving work now to go to my other job... Laters ALL

dkickmurphys526 · Rookie Joined: 20 Aug 2006 Posts: 15

Just got back from a weekend at the beach. Our charter got cancelled on friday due to weather. Finally Saturday afternoon it cleared up and we decided to fish the beach. Netted some sardines with no problem and started fishing. It was pretty good! Plenty of ladyfish and two snook (one about 10-12 pounds and the other 5-6 pounds). All in all a great trip.