# Siesta Key Surf fishing



## waynewv

Going to be down at Siesta Key first week of Oct. wanting to do some surf fishing. Can anyone give me some ideas where near Siesta Key I can surf fish and what species I could be targeting that time of year in the gulf surf. I have never been surf fishing in Fl. Thanks


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## Raymo

walk the beaches in the early morning and late afternoon with a medium weight setup. pitch plugs, bucktails, soft plastics in the trough right at the shore and work back parallel to the beach. also, there are a ton of greenbacks on the beach. castnet them, and rig them under a cajun thunder float rig. either technique will net you fish.


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## smacks fanatic

Target spanish mackerel from the beach with a hopkins or a stingsilver lure. In the surf, and inshore ladyfish will be all around you, so shrimp on the bottom, or that same hopkins/stingsilver will get them to bite. Snook will probably be moving inshore from the beaches so if you happen to be at Big Sarasota Pass throw a finger mullet on a carolina rig in there and you will probably hook up. If you happen to go inshore, trouts and reds will be on the flats as usual, probably taking a small live bait in the day, or topwater plugs in the morning. Theres a couple of piers near you such as venice fishing pier, and redington long( redington long is a bit farther away). From the piers you can target the spanish, kings and maybe a few tarpon. If you are familiar with pin rigging, thats how they fish for the kings and tarpon down there. Looks like you'll probably have a good trip with all the mackerel running back. Hope you catch em up!:fishing:


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## solid7

If you are going to Siesta Key, look up "Point of Rocks". Use whatever bait is available. (white bait, greenies, threadfin, etc)

You'll be able to catch flounder, snook, snapper, trout, and spanish.

That is my absolute favorite place to fish on the Gulf. We usually fish it in the mornings and evenings, and dive the rocks for spearfishing in the daylight hours.

Good luck!


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## waynewv

Thanks for all the information, can you surf fish anywhere along the beach or is there only designiated areas to fish?


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## solid7

riverridge said:


> Thanks for all the information, can you surf fish anywhere along the beach or is there only designiated areas to fish?


Good question, and a good thing you asked. You have to be respectful of access. Unfortunately, in Sarasota, property ownership begins at the high tide line. You will be fairly limited in where you can access, but there is a public beach not too far to the north of where I referred you. Additionally, there are tons of private beaches, so while you may pass through them, you won't be able to plop down and start working a spot.

Just to be clear... "Surf" fishing on the Gulf Coast, is not the same as surf fishing anywhere else. There are no big waves, no deep troughs, and there are some irregular tidal patterns over there. (not like most of the East Coast that has a 6 hour oscillation between high and low tide) Get as much info as you can before you go. There is a local bait and tackle shop right just across the draw bridge before you get to Midnight Pass Rd. Suggest calling them and seeing what they can tell you... They get a lot of tourists, so they'll be able to help you, accordingly.


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## waynewv

Thanks for the information, it is great help, if I can only take one rod what would you take my 10' 1-4 rating spanish rod or 11' 3-7 rating bottom fishing rod?


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## SnookMook

Riverridge--Classic big surf rods that are used on the Atlantic side are overkill on Florida's central and southwest Gulf beaches. I fish from Naples all the way up to Clearwater and everywhere in-between and I never use a rod longer than my 7', 6" rods. Even when I fish for pompano on the Gulf side I use a medium action 7' to 7', 6'' foot rod while casting a 1/2 oz. Doc's Goofy Jig/teaser.

It's completely different than heaving in the big wave surf of the Atlantic. Once you see the waves and water you'll understand.

Do yourself a favor and pick up some Doc's Goofy Jigs with the separate teasers and tie them just like this. 



Bounce them along the bottom. If there's any pompano around, you'll catch them. Plus, they catch just about everything else that swims in the Gulf. Spanish mackerel and founder (two of your other target Gulf surf species) will hit them as well.



Also live scaled sardines or a MirrOlure MirrOdine sardine imitation lure is a go to bait as well.


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## NC KingFisher

Take the Spanish rod


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