Beach fishing

[Gaza]

Hi,
I will be visiting the Venice area ( from the UK) at the start of April, any advice on good beach fishing locations, bait , tactics etc would be gratefuly recieved.

Many thanks in advance.

Gary

[E-Glades]

As you may already know -
Dawn and dusk are the best times for true beach fishing. I have caught MOST of my memorable fish within 20 minutes either side of sunrise. I prefer dawn to dusk. incoming tide also seemed to work best for me in FL -
but i don't keep a journal to prove it.
At a regular old sandy beach with little to no structure - You should hope to have some shore break - that is wave action to put a little crust on the water. Fishing gin clear water over sand can be beyond challenging.
Hopefully you will have some discernable tidal current moving subtly by in one direction or the other if there is a small channel near the shore. Aslo look for rip tide areas - these often attract fish. If you can fish an Inlet - Do - and fish either moving tide. Get polarized sunglasses and keep an eye open for Snook cruising a few feet from shore in the early moring.
If you do intend on using bait - a small bit of frozen squid works great for snappers, Jack Crevalle, small sharks etc. A Jack Crevalle is a VERY memorable fish if you hook one - they fight a little harder than your average Barbel in England !!
Squid works possibly better than shrimp. BUT - using squid can result in catching
huge southern stingrays - a major pain. Even if you are using bait - I would keep a 10lb.test and maybe 7' or 8' or longer rod rigged with a small heavy silver spoon, a johnson spoon -
or krocodile spoon, a deadly dick type lure. Bluefish and Spanish Mackeral run along the beaches in deeper water and can be caught if you can cast to them. They will also hit any good sliver minnow plug - Rapala Mullet in the 4-5"size or a Yo-zuri crystal minnow. If you can get it front of them. I also always keep a Gotcha mackeral plug in my beach arsenal
and they work great when you know your quarry is mackeral.

Anyway - I am rather jealous - as I'm working in New York City for the next few months.

[Gaza]

Many thanks for the info,
I should have stated in my original posting that I intend to bring both fly tackle, ( 7-8 weight rod and a w/f floating line), as on our last visit to Nokomis beach I noted schools of what I thought were snook ( 3-5lbs) that I thought would be good sport! any advice on flys/lures etc would be helpfull.
I will also be bringing a 13ft beach caster ( casting weight 6-8 oz) and capable of casting 100-120 yds with 20lb line, will this reach deep enough water for the bigger speices?

Thanks again for your help and advice.

Gary

[flyaddict]

You'll want plenty of small clouser minnows, all white, all black, olive and chartruese over white.
I usually go down with a suitcase full of different flies but this is the goto fly.
Last outing on the Gulf Beaches of Tampa I caught a jack Crevalle , spanish mackerel, ladyfish and my first ever snook all on clousers.
Size 4-1 hooks.

I experimented with polar fiber minnows, sand crab/mole patterns, small white poppers.

THe advice given above is on the money.

Also don't get your feet wet. THe action is in the wash.
I would suggest casting slightly diagonally and almost parallel to the shoreline if possible.
Good luck and be sure to post your results.

[Gaza]

Thanks once more,
I am deeply gratefull for all the help and advice , I clearly loged on the the right site !!,
I have found a number of takle supliers in the Venice areas so I will print off you suggestions regarding fly patterns etc and buy when I am over your side of the pond.
My family and I love the gulf coast of florida we have had some fantastic vacations and have always found every one so helpful and friendly.

I also plan to visit some of the state parks, Myakka etc, what's the fresh water fishing like ?

Gary