?'s about salt water fishing

[rsw21282]

I am fairly new to salt water fishing. I live in the bradenton/sarasota, fl area and was wondering if anyone had any good sites to check out for fishing reports/advice/locations. I am also not very knowledgable about what the patterns of various species of fish are such as what fish likes what bait, what environment and at what time of year so if anyone knows of any good books or sources of info i could read, or any tips they have i would be appreciative. I do have a boat (small), so i can do inshore and limited off shore no more that 3 or 4 miles.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

Dude, you are in one of the premier fishing grounds in the state of Florida. All those grass flats off the Ringling museum will be full of trout, reds and snook in the coming months. Find yourself a good local bait shop..drop in from time to time and talk to those folks. Buy some gear and some live bait from them.
Also, you need to learn how to toss a cast net. Using greenbacks on those flats and you will slay the fish. Unfortunately greenbacks don't do well in captivity, so the bait shops probably wont have them
You can also use artificials...DOA shrimp, Gulp baits, rapalas, Heddon zara spook..all great lures.
Use lightweight tackle. Avoid buying rods and reels from WalMart. Just for kids...
Alos ask the baitshops about rigging (weights, leaders) that will help you.
Finally, take a charter. Those same shops have guides that fish out of there and just one day with one and paying attention will be worth whatever they charge.
Good luck, I fished about ten years down there and had a ball!

 

[dlindeblad]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

My immediate thought was answered above. The local bait shops are the best to pillage for knowledge. Cast nets are great. For bait Menhaden work, but do not do well. Small mullet hold up to intense casting. Live shrimp are great for sheepshead and redfish Good luck and watch your slot size for reds.

 

[rsw21282]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

i have stopped into a few bait shops and asked for recommendations its hit or miss. One more question, i have heard that greenbacks are good before but what type of environment do they live in/ where do i catch them?

 

[dlindeblad]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

Here is a link for pilchard herring (greenbacks); 2nd paragraph down. Good luck.

http://www.sptimes.com/2002/07/13/Pasco/Greenback_well_worth_.shtml

 

[triumphrick]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

Greenbacks are everywhere this time of year, but starting to head south. Get yourself a 6' cast net 3/8 mesh from WalMart. $25 or so. Go to the beach early, and you will find huge schools of them just cruising up and down just a few feet off the beach. Early enough and you may be seeing some snook chasing them. Practice tossing your net..lots of places on line, as well as some of the nets come with a CD.
Once you get good and learn what not to throw your net on, you can move up to a Cracker or Calusa, 10' to 12' that will last you for a long time if taken care of.
Once you get this action down, you will need to learn to do this from your boat, as the bait needs to go directly into a livewell or it will die.
This bait is everywhere right now..at the passes, boat ramps and on the beaches. Practice tossing and make sure you have a bucket or baitwell to get them into. Good luck!

 

[Les Robb]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

The great thing about the gulf, you normally will find a lot of great fishing just offshore. Like from the surf to 100-200 yds or so. Except for artificial reefs your small boat wouldn't get you out to the offshore fishing areas which can stretch out to 40 plus miles or so. So far you have gotten excellent advise on baits of choice but I would add you might want to look into baitfish rigs for those times the bait hangs off in deeper water and you can't get them with a cast net. ( They work well with greenbacks ) Just cast ahead of school let sink about 10-15' and slowly work in allowing to sink back once in a while. You can catch up to 5 at a time but a lot will shake off the tiny hooks.

Good fishing ya'll

 

[triumphrick]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

The great thing about the gulf, you normally will find a lot of great fishing just offshore. Like from the surf to 100-200 yds or so. Except for artificial reefs your small boat wouldn't get you out to the offshore fishing areas which can stretch out to 40 plus miles or so. So far you have gotten excellent advise on baits of choice but I would add you might want to look into baitfish rigs for those times the bait hangs off in deeper water and you can't get them with a cast net. ( They work well with greenbacks ) Just cast ahead of school let sink about 10-15' and slowly work in allowing to sink back once in a while. You can catch up to 5 at a time but a lot will shake off the tiny hooks.

Good fishing ya'll

This is good info. He is talking about "sabiki rigs" which will also do the same as netting...catch bait!

 

[rsw21282]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

Im not quite grasping what he is talking about triumphrik. Can you explain? Also i have gps locations for some artificial reefs at anwhere from 300yrds to 7 mi out the only ones i have gone to are 300yds and 1mi out but they are also at 3,5,and 7miles out from what i have got online. Just gotta get the boat n motor i would trust to get me there and back.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

If you mean the Sabiki rig..

It basically like a ganion..a multiple hook leader with a weight at the end for catching multiple baitfish

 

[jonesg]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

sabiki rig, sounds like another fancy name for what we always called xmas trees.

 

[CheapboatKev]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

Christmas trees? lol

Just another fancy name for what we in SoCal called Ganions..lol

I guess they are all M.B.R.D's (if you are a military speak person)

Multiple
Bait
Retrieval
Device

I need some MBRD's on that greenback sector NOW soldier!

 

[triumphrick]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

Christmas trees? lol

Just another fancy name for what we in SoCal called Ganions..lol

I guess they are all M.B.R.D's (if you are a military speak person)

Multiple
Bait
Retrieval
Device

I need some MBRD's on that greenback sector NOW soldier!

 

[Les Robb]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

Years back before the bait fish rig's were available at the store we used simple gold hook rigs with #10-#14 bare Eagle claw hooks. Just tie small drop loops in a series with a loop for a 1oz or so lead at the bottome. These rigs may or not be as good as the store bought, but they sure do cost a lot less money. (By the way you can loose a rig real quick if there are barracuda in the area), those struggling bait fish are like candy to a baby.

The diagram by cheapboat kev shows the rig perfectly.

Good luck ya'll

 

[waynehol]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

Here is a great website for Florida saltwater fishing.



http://www.capmel.com

 

[mdlee]

Re: ?'s about salt water fishing

If u live in Fla and want to lern to fish. Get a scrip. to Florida Sportsman mag... The mag will teach u to fish... I am a 6th gen Floridian and have fished my whole life, and still lern new tricks from the mag..
Good luck