Rookie saltwater fisherman; I could really use some help!

tenspeedbassist · #1 02-08-10, 03:37 PM

Hello everyone! For starters, I'm from Pennsylvania and fish fresh water almost exclusively, mostly for bass and trout. I've only fished in the salt once. That happened to be off of a pier with live bait, which is not the type of fishing I'm into. I will be staying with relatives in Sarasota, Florida for spring break, which is from March 6th to the 12th. I really want to do some fishing, but I'm not sure where to start. I want to catch redfish, seatrout, and pretty much anything else. I know plastic grubs & shrimp are good to use, along with gold spoons and spinner baits an possibly topwater baits. I'll be using a 7 foot medium action spinning rod with 8-12lb line, whatever is best. Other than that, I have no idea what to do. I don't have access to a boat, but I may be able to kayak. I have good wading shoes that I'm planning on bringing with me also. Any advice as to where to fish in the Sarasota area (or close nearby), what lures are good to use, how to fish (i.e. wade and cast, look for structure, sight fish, etc.) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
-M-

bigredfish · #2 02-08-10, 04:02 PM

Hopefully some of the West Coats guys will weigh in with better info, but when visiting over there, I work the passes between Anna Maria Island and Lido Key. Gear and bait sounds right, floating live whitebait helps if there is any. Tides play an important role..

tenspeedbassist · #3 02-09-10, 01:58 AM

Thanks bigredfish! Is it possible to get to fish without a boat or kayak? Also, I realize tides play a big role in where to find fish, but I don't know the specifics. Do you know of any books or websites that have any information?

-M-

Seth · #4 02-09-10, 10:53 AM

Here is some info that was posted several months ago about fishing Anna Maria Island, which is very near Sarasota. This should give you a head start, as the fishing will be very similar.

http://forums.marlinmag.com/showthread.php?t=563386

tenspeedbassist · #5 03-01-10, 12:06 PM

Thanks Seth! I've been pretty busy with school, but vacation is next week and I'm starting to get things ready. As it worked out, I'll be in Sarasota for a day and in Ft. Meyers the rest of the trip. I'll hopefully be able to fish Esetero Bay State Park, Lover's Key State Park, Barefoot Beach State Park, and possibly JN Darling National Wildlife Refuge. I've got the tackle and lures. I'll be renting a kayak the day in Sarasota, but the rest of the time I'll be wading. Is it honestly possible to catch fish while wading, or are the shorelines just too thick and grown in?
As far as where to look for fish, I'm planning on fishing structure almost like I would fish for bass up here in PA. Potholes, grass beds, oyster bars, reefs, manmade structure, etc. I'll use spinners, spoons, and soft jerkbaits to locate fish. Any other tips?
Lastly, as long as the fish are in season and within the slot limit, I'd like to cook them for my girlfriend and I. Any secret recipes out there?

Thanks for all your help guys!