Shore Fishing

A little north of here is a productive spot we have fished for years. Getting there “in season” can be discouraging due to the traffic and the trip around St. Armands Circle that seems to take forever. Now that the season is beginning to ease up a bit, we thought this would be a good place to recommend. It’s about 35 miles on US 41 or about an hour from Englewood to South Lido Park on Big Sarasota Pass. From St. Armands Circle drive west to Lido Beach, then south to the end of the road. 

This park is big and shady and puts you right on the north shore of Big Sarasota Pass. This pass moves a lot of water in and out of Sarasota Bay attracting hungry fish to this bait rich environment. The shore here drops rapidly off into deeper water just past a line of seagrass. On a moving tide, the outside edge of this grass is a good place to drift a shrimp or imitation, either free lined or under a float.

One thing that will be immediately obvious to folks used to fishing Lemon Bay and Charlotte Harbor is the water clarity in Sarasota Bay. There are no big freshwater rivers like the Myakka and Peace Rivers entering Sarasota Bay. This also leads to higher salinity levels year around. This clarity makes fluorocarbon leaders well worth the investment even when these normally clear waters get stirred up from wave action. Even under these conditions the northern side of the pass will stay pretty clear. 

Big Pass shady parking and picnic area.

 

So, if nothing is biting near the parking area, you have two choices; to fish west to the beach or north along the shoreline of Big Sarasota Pass. To fish on the beach, walk southwest about 400 yards to the corner where the pass meets the beach. Like most passes in southwest Florida, this is a great spot whether the tide is rising or falling. There will always be a beach current flowing south into the pass. Where these currents meet is a prime spot to find gamefish feasting on the goodies swept off the beach and into the pass. Baitfish, crabs, sand fleas, shrimp and assorted mollusks are featured on this buffet. Suspend or put bait on the bottom to see what is biting. If you use a sliding sinker rig, use a weight light enough that it’ll roll along the bottom with the current. Everything in this flow is moving with the current and if your weight is too heavy your bait will spin downstream from the weight and won’t look convincing.  The current can be treacherous. If you wade into it and lose your footing, you’ll be swept away from shore and out to sea on a falling tide. Be careful, particularly if you have kids with you. This corner usually has a bunch of whiting willing to participate in a fish fry if you offer them pieces of shrimp on small 1-1/0 hooks.  Also expect flounder, snook and various seasonal visitors including bluefish and Spanish mackerel.

If you fish north along the shoreline of Big Sarasota Pass, the pattern of offshore grass lines continues for about 1,000 yards and is productive and accessible. The beach ends at a point where tidal flow fills or drains a shallow mangrove lined bay. If you kayak in this area, you’ll recognize the “mangrove tunnels” so popular from a nearby launch. The falling tide brings bait out as it merges with Big Sarasota Pass.  We have been successful here using shrimp or artificials to catch trout, sheepshead, snook and other gamefish feeding in this drainage. There is an area of hard sand bottom heading northeast from this point that makes a good spot to wade and fish in a little deeper water. 

Next time you’re ready to get out of your rut and try somewhere different, consider Big Sarasota Pass. It is one of 30 favorite spots featured in our WATERPROOF pocket guide for shore fishing. Our books help you to explore new areas with confidence. They really are “Like Having a Professional Guide in Your Pocket”. 

GPS= 27.300105, -82.567022

Kimball and Les Beery, authors of Angler’s Guide to Shore and KAYAK Fishing Southwest Florida, contribute these excerpts from both Waterproof books to promote the excellent fishing available in the Englewood area. They are available locally at Old Florida Gallery on West Dearborn, and for download at www.anglerpocketguides.com &  amazon.com.