Siesta Key vacation-i’d like 2 sneak away mornings

[p.j. petiniot]

We have a condo on the Beach in Siesta Key this month—

I plan on being a slug as this is a much needed beach vacation with the family.

I am taking a rod along for kicks and giggles, but have no plans on a major excursion but I would like to be on the beach in the mornings before the swimmers do their thing

---

Any advice would be appreciated–I frankly do not care what I fish for as I just want to do some casting every day and maybe allow my two youngest to catch a fish in the ocean, on a fly—

Thanks in advance—P.J. 😎

[anonymous]

That’s the right attitude.

There is no shortage of Cudas.

[Bob Riggins]

You are in major snook country.  You should be able to hit the beach early in the morning, just after dawn and fish until the crowds arrive.  You may find them any time of the day, but it is hard to fish for them when the beach is crowded.

You need a good pair of polarized sunglasses since once the sun is up this is sight fishing.  The snook will be close to the waterline, sometimes within a couple of feet.  You will probably see the shadow on the bottom before you see the fish.  I would also recommend a stripping basket since you will be walking the beach with the line ready to cast.  You don’t need long casts unless you see a school of jacks or macs out further.

Walk the beach about 10 to 15 feet up from the water line.  Watch in front of you as you walk at about a 45 degree angle.  This will keep your shadow from falling over the fish.  Once you locate a fish, see which way he is swimming and cast a few feet in front of him and strip slowly.  If it is swimming away from you, you will likely have to get around in front of him since you want to be stripping away from the fish, not toward it.

I use white schminnows or DT specials.  Clousers will work also, but white is the best color.  Since there is no structure around and the wind would normally be at your back in the morning, a 6wt will do, although I prefer an 8wt.  Make sure you use a 12″ bite tippet of at least 25# fluorocarbon.  Snook have sandpaper teeth, but also have a very sharp gill plate that can cut the line.

When you catch one, lip it like you would a bass.  Once you get your thumb in his mouth you can control him.  DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT grab one by the gill plate unless you want to lose a finger.

As you walk, also look for diving birds and agitated bait fish schools.  You can blind cast into these and see what you get.  It could be anything from a ladyfish to a shark.

There will normally be a swash channel running along the beach and a sand bar 20 to 40 feet further out.  Also watch for dark shapes over the sand bar.  You will sometimes run up on a shark or redfish cruising along the beach.  If you consistently see sharks, rig up an 8wt with a wire bite tippet.

[brian dunigan]

Also, give some thought before wading out into the water to get better shots at snook on outgoing tide.

[p.j. petiniot]

Thanks guys—This is the sort of info I was looking for–Just an idea of what to expect.

Brian, I have already given much thought to putting myself or others at risk during low light conditions when it comes to sharks–

I am really not one for luring sharks into swimming areas, so I will not be fishing once people start showing up ti swim–

I do not have a 7 or 8wt travel rod so I am limited to my 691- 4 XP and my 990- 4 Xi2 or my RPLX 1190—I believe I can leave the 11 weight at home;) might take both, might just take the 990 just to make it simple–

[Bob Riggins]

The 691 XP and the 990 Xi2 will be perfect.  Like you surmise, the 11wt would not be useful off the beach.

As far as sharks, if people really new how many sharks they are swimming round all the time, they would be shocked.  I have chased sharks down the beach many times and as they swam by tourists I would have to stop casting at them.  The tourists never saw them.

Sharks are not interested in people.  Occasionally they will mistake a surfer for food, or bite at someone who is standing in a school of bait fish. Shark attacks are rare on the Gulf Coast.  Most serious “attacks” in Florida occur when someone jumps on them from a boat or dock and they defend themselves.  I wade and kayak around sharks all the time.

[p.j. petiniot]

Bob,

I have never really fished from a beach in the gulf–

I have fished from boats, flats boats, jettys, sea walls docks ect, but never just walk along the beach casting to whatever happens to be ther.

My wife and I have been talking about relocating to the Gulf Coast and we have been hanging around that area a lot the past couple years-

Although I am gainfully employed, I have been seriously considering a career change—and relocation–I am ready to completely re-invent myself–

Today is my 47th birthday and I still have two kids at home–Working in my current career for another 15 or 20 years does not appeal to me–

Beach/Tarpon bum is the job I am after, but I hear the pay sucks– 😀

[Bob Riggins]

In a way, I love living in Florida, but there are a lot of things that suck.  Right now, unemployment is high and wages are low.  It is also hard to get quality work out of people.  It is a more transient society than you would find in Indiana.

On the up side, the sunshine is free and the fish are abundant. 😎

[brian dunigan]

P.J., don’t worry about luring sharks into swimming areas.

[Anonymous]

Although I am gainfully employed, I have been seriously considering a career change—and relocation–I am ready to completely re-invent myself–

Today is my 47th birthday and I still have two kids at home–Working in my current career for another 15 or 20 years does not appeal to me–

What do you do?

[p.j. petiniot]

Tim,

I work for a very large, electric utility company—(One of the biggest, and we are about to get bigger)

I hired on with my current employer about 4 names ago, lol—

I hired on as a lineman, was already in this field back in 90, then I eventually transferred to the substation maintenance group–3 years ago, I accepted a position within out training organization and left the field.

Working for a fortune 500 company is just not my thing anymore. We are about to become the largest invester owned electric utility company in the nation with this latest merger—Frankly, I see nothing good coming from it, other than meybe my stock will become a little more valuable. But from a “how is this good for P.J. stance, I don’t see it being of any value for me, or our customers, imo”

The bigger we get, the dumber we get it seems–A complete lack of good sense at times—Sort of like working for the Federal Government–

I am ready to slow down and get away from the BS–or at least discover a new set of BS and problems–

HArd work, both mental and physical have never been something I shy away from, long hours, not a problem, I am just ready to control my own destiny again—which I do not these days—

I am currently in the brain storming phase right now—-

[Mike Livingstone]

Interesting thread. I fished from the beach off Anna Marie island two summers ago. I got pointed the right direction on snook fishing and had a ball. The next winter brought the big southern cold snaps and the snook population took a hit. The game and fish folks said “no problem” come on down the fishing should be fine. Well, it was’nt, at least not off the beaches. The shops down there said that certain classes of snook were down by seventy percent or so. We aren’t going this year, but next year I would like to get back that way. My question is, how long will it take for a good recovery of numbers. Hope someone is in the know here on the forum. Thanks?

[Author]

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