Siesta Key/Turtle Beach

Posted: Sat May 01, 2010 8:34 pm Post subject: Siesta Key/Turtle Beach

Spending about a week with the Fam down here in Sarasota. Went out to Turtle Beach this AM to wrangle in the surf. In about 90 minutes, I nabbed 8 whiting/sea mullet/southern kingfish (whatever y'all call 'em down here), 1 salt water cat and a shark (18", not sure what kind, not a blacktip, not a bonnet/hammer head, had teeth, greyish eyes).

Mom and Dad caught a few other whitings, 1 cat, and 1 juvy flounder. We kept 5 whiting overall, made for a good lunch. Several other people fishing around has had similar luck, but I think they had more sharks mixed in (they're were casting out further....past all the whiting in the wash).

Will head back out tomorrow. Would like a little more variety, but hard to complain when catching fish.

Site Admin Joined: Mar 07, 2008 Posts: 1636

Cool! Hope the sun is shining over there!! Smile

Posted: Sun May 02, 2010 11:09 pm Post subject:

surf was much tougher today. Couldn't hold with 3 oz so we called it quits after about 45 min. I lucked into one whiting that we ended up feeding to a heron, but that was it. Current was ripping from S to N. Hope this wind calms down and we can get back at it in the morning. Sitting out by the canal at 11 PM, feels reasonably calm.

Posted: Mon May 03, 2010 6:04 pm Post subject:

had to move up to north siesta at beach access pt # 8 today. Tried turtle again but current still too strong.

I nabbed 5 whiting (4 keepers) one jack crevalle, and a mondo catfish. Papa Bear nabbed two whiting and a catfish of his own.

Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 1:06 pm Post subject:

today up at beach access pt# 8 we got a snook, a ladyfish, a few whiting, and a couple catfish.

First snook for Papa Harris, said he'd been trying to catch one for 40 years, he felt a little cheated that he caught it about 10' away in ankle deep water. He was about 3-4 lbs, we have no idea what the regs are, so I let him latch onto my thumb and revived him in the surf and it swam away.

Posted: Tue May 04, 2010 9:51 pm Post subject:

snook pic attached.

Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 10:54 am Post subject:

hit beach access #7 today, thought it would be a shorter walk (it was). Found a snotty looking surf, but tried it anyway (it's my last day). Both dad and I nabbed a whiting rather quickly, but the sea grass was a bit problematic. Called for the ride home, and 5 minutes later I stumbled into a 14" inch spanish mackerel that bit a piece of cut shrimp in no more than 3' of water.

That's why we like florida surf fishing. Every once in a while you stumble into something stoopid that you really have no business catching, be it a snook, a mackerel, baby cobia, ladyfish, speckled trout.....
we fish light tackle in the surf with small hooks and small pieces of shrimp for bait. Our aim is to get a few whiting/pompano/blues for lunch and anything else is bonus. This week we've been bonused with a mackerel, a snook, a ladyfish, and a couple small jacks. (catfish are NOT a bonus..)

Site Admin Joined: Mar 07, 2008 Posts: 1636

It sounds like you had a nice SUNNY, FISHY week in Florida Bilzo.... Cool

Thanks for posting ur adventures on this site!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can I put the pic on the homepage for a few days?

Posted: Wed May 05, 2010 7:12 pm Post subject:

sure....give papa harris a little fame Wink


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