Description
Four days of saltwater shore fishing Sarasota Florida turned into an adventure I didn't expect! I started out targeting snook around seawalls, bridges and Lido Beach, but instead kept finding gag grouper. Along the way I stumbled across blue crabs, collected my own fiddler crabs and mud crabs for bait, and finally ended the adventure catching keeper sheepshead for a Florida catch and cook.
The first three days were spent fishing heavy structure around Sarasota. I fished the Twin Bridges, where I caught gag grouper but none large enough to keep, worked seawalls along the Intracoastal Waterway, and fished the surf at Lido Beach looking for snook. For the heavier seawall and bridge fishing, I used an 8' extra-heavy rod with a 400-size baitcaster spooled with 50 lb braid and an 80 lb mono leader. The artificial lures I used were the 4" Yo-Zuri Inshore Fingerling SP 100 and the LIVETARGET Mullet.
While walking Lido Beach, I discovered blue crabs in a saltwater lake that had formed where high-tide water washed over the beach sand. I grabbed some chicken wings, string and a net and came back to catch them the old-fashioned way! I caught six blue crabs, with two large enough to keep.
On the fourth day I switched gears. During an early morning walk at Marina Jack, also known as Bayfront Park, I had spotted sheepshead around the structure. I returned a couple of days later prepared to target them, first flipping barnacle- and oyster-covered rocks to find mud crabs and then digging for fiddler crabs to use as bait.
The natural bait worked! I caught three sheepshead using the fiddler crabs and mud crabs, with two keepers. After four days of fishing, I finished the adventure with a sheepshead clean and cook at City Island near the New Pass Bridge in Sarasota.
All of the fishing in this adventure was done from shore around major seawalls and bridges, except for the segment surf fishing Lido Beach for snook. From snook fishing and unexpected gag grouper to catching blue crabs, gathering my own bait and finally finding keeper sheepshead, this turned into a true Southwest Florida saltwater fishing adventure.
If you enjoy Florida saltwater shore fishing, bridge fishing, sheepshead fishing, snook fishing, catching your own bait and catch-and-cook fishing adventures, thanks for coming along!
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