What's the best way to catch fish off the beach in the Florida Gulf Coast?

Question

I can only catch sand sharks, lady fish, and some kind of white-fish. any suggestions?

Answer 1

All the regular's on YAnswer's fishing area has heard me say this already.

Inshore lures

1. Jig's & Berkley "Gulp" product's.
2. Rapala, Yozuri, & Mirrolure, floating/diving hard plastic lures in Chartruese/Pogey/Mullet.
3. Big spinnerbait's like the "Redfish Magic".
4. Spoon's with a good "wobble" like the Nemire "Red Ripper" or Bagley "Chat'R B".
5. Soft Jerk-Bait's like Berkley saltwater "Gulp" Jerkshad.

Surf-fishing on the beach:

Gulf coast beach fishing can vary greatly depending upon WHERE you are and what you WANT to catch.

In Pensacola, I like to catch Spanish Mac's, Pomp's, Flounder, "Sand Trout", and Sheephead. Wade & cast Jig's & Lures for the Spanish, Flounder, Sand Trout. Use dead shrimp, sand fleas, & small pieces of cut squid for the Pompano's, Sheephead's, Whiting, Drum, & Croaker.

Near Sanibel Island I like to wade for Snook, Red's, Trout, Weak-Fish, Etc, using lures & Jig's. Because the Tidal influence/wave action near Sanibel isn't much (1-3 FT waves/1-3 FT tides), you CAN use a popping cork and live bait. I like to "cast-net" a pod of Pogey's/Mud Minnows/Finger Mullet and use them as bait. Or you can use old reliable, Live Shrimp!

If you can "float" something LIVE, you will always get better fish, PERIOD.

Understand that WHERE you fish is VERY important , (esp when you want to catch "good eating" gamefish like Red's, Spec-Trout, Flounder, Sand-Trout, Snook, Etc). If you just walk out & fish on the beach behind your Condo or Beach House OR drive-up & park at some "spot" on the beach, the odds that you will catch anything "decent" are slim to none! Even if you live near a Pier and fish there, your odds improve a "little bit", but not much!

You have to find "run-off's", "drop-off's" & structure ,(or pods of baitfish), to become succesful at Surf-fishing. "Coquina" ,(crushed up pieces of shell), is also a good "clue" for finding decent fishing. Surf-Beach fishing is one of the toughest fishing to figure out, because you have to learn how to "read" & recognize "tidal influences", "run-off's", "rip's", Etc. You have to do "scouting" at low tide & know what your looking for!

Here is an easier approach: Go find an "inlet", or "bridge" to fish around. Your odds will GO up if you are fishing an area near moving water that "floods" out of a marsh or swamp. Baitfish & bait, (Grass-shrimp, Shrimp, Crabs, Oyster's, Pogeys, Mullet, Pinfish, Snails, Etc.), LIVE in coastal marshes & estuary's. They move with the Tide. Find a "Jetty" or "Inlet" that "pushes" these bait's in and out of the ocean and your odds on catching something "decent" dramatically improve.

In other words, don't expect to "smoke" the Game-fish on some obscure beach that has no baitfish, no bottom structure, no major tidal influence.

Personally, If I was you, I would go find some "wade-able" flats or Mangrove swamp's to fish. Snook, Red's, Trout, Flounder, Sheephead, Drum, Etc, LOVE the Mangroves!

Check my "Starred Question's" for further info.

Good luck!

Answer 2

The white fish you're catching may be whiting. Popping cork may work if not too rough. Try fishing on bottom with pinfish or live shrimp, hook through head above black spot. Most people make the mistake of casting out too far. Off the beach past the first sandbar is a trough, that's where the fish are. Those ladyfish you're catching are good cut bait for reds and snook.

Answer 3

The best time to fish in the Gulf during the summer is 6pm - 9am. It is to hot for the fish during the day and they mostly stop eating. Where you are fishing on the Gulf Coast will make all of the difference in the world as for what is biting, what bait to use, etc. Check out my blog at http://flafin.blogspot.com to get all of the information you need to improve your fishing skills. I put in fishing reports every day from bait shops and fishing guides all around Florida.

Answer 4

Try using some live shrimp with a real small treble hook and a popping cork. Wade out about waste deep and cast out for specks early in the morning. Hook the shrimp through it's horn so not to kill it. Pop your cork every now and then and wait for a speckled trout to jump on it. Keeping off the bottom will help on the sand shark situation.

Answer 5

If you like to fish with artificial lures, try a 6-inch black and white Rapalla crank bait, yellow lead headed jigs, or just a plain silver spoon. I use to catch a lot of crevalles, barracuda and snook with just those three, mostlly with the Rapalla and the jigs.

Answer 6

catch fish beach florida gulf coast: https://bitly.im/c18/what-s-the-best-way-to-catch-fish-off-the-beach-in-the-florida-gulf-coast

Answer 7

go to FREEPORT,FLA, on the northeastern side of choctawhatchee bay, find THE OUTPOST on BLACK CREEK.
there you will be able to contact locals who can tell you all you need to know.
while youre there be sure to buy some beer and a t-shirt and sit on the deck for a while and look for the local alligator and watch the people come and go and relax in the breeze while sitting on the deck and pretty much just enjoy the fact that you are in company of others just like you.
as a favor to me, please tell ron p. and ron b. that i said hello.

Answer 8

Believe it or not I take my husbands dirtiest pair of underwear and wrap them around a piece of summer sausage. Put the biggest hook you can find through the contraption and cast until your hearts content!

Answer 9

find a dock or pier, that's where the fish are! (under it)

Answer 10

Was searching for a good answer on this too