# Sanibel snook from beach question



## krash (Jan 9, 2007)

I get up, have coffee, head to the beach just b4 sunrise, very few people on the beach at that tie mostly hard core shellers, decide right or left, and start walking and casting ahead on myself.. 1st cast parallel and just off the wash at the shore line if there is any wave action, if no wave action a couple feet off the shoreline.. then a few cast progressively out further from shore out to abut 45 degree's... and continue walking and casting til tired, no-seeums have and/or skeeters have taken their toll.

I usually throw a white/yellow soft plastic jerk bait, but if its rougher/windy I'll throw a MiroDine.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Thanks for the tip. Flats fishing gear enough, with maybe a heavier flouro leader than used in the flats?


----------



## timogleason (Jul 27, 2013)

Flats gear is adequate - maybe 10 lb braid and 30 lb leader


----------



## krash (Jan 9, 2007)

I use the same spinning setup on the baech as I do the flats.. 3000 series Shimano, 7' rod, 10# braid 15-25# fluro leader, loop knot on the weedless hook.


----------



## EasternGlow (Nov 6, 2015)

on spin, you're best chance would be low light hours. Not necessarily because of the feeding times, but because 1- there will be much fewer people on the beach and, as someone stated, the fish generally hold pretty close to the beach in the trough. And 2- the fish will see pretty well in the middle of the day. That's when a small white fly is the weapon of choice. Good luck.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

I have to give up my 8lb mono it seems. My 17# flouro should do. I used braid way back in early days then went to mono on the flats. Never went back to it.


----------



## Jumbo Jet (Mar 18, 2018)

Like EG said, early hours to avoid the walking crowds. I fly fish for them, and by 8:30-9am it's over for me because of the walkers. They will be right at your feet in the trough. If it's calm, you can use the small rollers as a looking glass to sight them. When I spin fished them, I would throw a small white/silver Yozuri with a small leader, like 12lb. They usually aren't big, and there's typically not much structure to get broke off on. Best of luck! It's a blast to catch them like that.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

That’s more than I want to spend for the 3s’. Sleep, shlt and shave. All look like 7 night minimum. 4 nights is enough anywhere for me.


----------



## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

15lb or 20lb braid to a 30lb leader. Most snook don't need that but there are often some monsters cruising the beach. Dawn is the best time IMO. Wade in a bit, cast parallel to the shore into the deeper cuts that are typically a foot or so deeper. We prefer white plastic paddle tails. If you see a bait pod, throw over it and run your bait through it.

After 10am or so, we leave as the bite drops off considerably as the day progresses.

My fishing buddy off Sanibel:


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Wow, looking forward it. If there so many shells, would barefoot not be advised?


----------



## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

Barefoot is my go to. I always scoot my feet but that is a stingray thing. Sandals and shoes invariably get a shell between them and your foot. With a rod in hand makes clearing a pain.


----------



## bonehead (Dec 9, 2016)

Yeah definitely go barefoot...

Also make sure to have a back-up plan incase the beach doesn't work out/bad conditions. Last year, I made 2 trips over to that area and got completely skunked. Was solely prepared for the beach, but both times the water was complete milk and couldn't see a thing... wish I would have known better and focused somewhere else. 

Good luck with the trip! Also planning on making some morning-trips there this summer.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Cool. Have 3 cans of jungle brand bug repellent ready. This is not a fishing trip. However I’m an early riser can’t think of much better thing to do while family sleeps.


----------



## Cam (Apr 5, 2017)

On the beach, we never use bug spray. The only time I feel like I need it is when we are deep in the mangroves. We cover up with long sleeves, pants, buff, sun gloves, hat, etc since the sun is often worse than the bugs.


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Not to mention your biggest bug problem on the beach at dawn or dusk are sand flies (no-see-ums) and they don't even notice bug spray.... With a bit of breeze they're not around but with no breeze they'll just carry you away...


----------



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Yes the bugs will be so bad I would probably not come if I was you.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Few more days. Any last minute tips. I’m bringing every soft plastic I have from tubes, paddle tales to shrimp. Like my daughter to catch at least one snook.


----------



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Bad timing for you as the army corps of engineers is flooding our beaches with polluted not nutrient rich as them asshats on TV call it. Lets call it what it is pollution.


----------



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Backcountry 16--how bad is the water over your way right now? Heading to the Tarpon Lodge on Thursday for a long weekend. Where can we run to find clean water?


----------



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

DBStoots said:


> Backcountry 16--how bad is the water over your way right now? Heading to the Tarpon Lodge on Thursday for a long weekend. Where can we run to find clean water?


Brown and dirty sorry to tell you I was out yesterday with my dad we did decent on small snook and trout didn't see any tarpon though was fishing charlotte harbor for reference.


----------



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Thanks. Sad.


----------



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

DBStoots said:


> Thanks. Sad.


Yes it is i have watched over the last 40 plus years as our town has become way overpopulated and the waters over polluted.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Back country. So the water there is nasty now?


----------



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Capnredfish said:


> Back country. So the water there is nasty now?


10 4 the Sanibel mayor is trying to get all the mayors around here to try and fight the army corps of engineers. It's all over the news down here go to wink news.com channel 11.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

Really shows how we have no power to change what the government does. Everywhere we look things are f’d up and nothing changes. Looks like I should save my money and stay home. I can see brown water here.


----------



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

Capnredfish said:


> Really shows how we have no power to change what the government does. Everywhere we look things are f’d up and nothing changes. Looks like I should save my money and stay home. I can see brown water here.


Yes sir they have made a mess of our estuaries for sure it's only came to fruition because they did it during tourist season a few years ago because of all the rain we had. They have been doing this for many years now.


----------



## Pierson (Mar 16, 2016)

I am going to Boca Grande for the 4th....I was really looking forward to some beach snook fishing . Not like its gona rain any less between now and then.

Just got back from Stuart last weekend. Brown as shit and no fish to be seen. I go all these awesome places to try and catch some big fish when I should just stay in home in Tampa...


----------



## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

To the south - once you get into the ten thousand islands area (east of marco all the way to Lostman's river and down to Cape Sable...) we're still in very good shape. Launching points at Port of the Islands, Everglades City, and Chokoloskee island. Yes, we're in the mosquito season and yes you need a really early day since we start popping up thunderstorms at around luchtime each day - but the fishing is great... This is not an area for those on foot - fish the beaches of Marco Island for beach fishing on foot... Wish I could give better advice - but we created this nasty situation ourselves over many, many years.... Blaming the Corps for what we asked them to do isn't going to get it in my book...

For those wanting a really good look at just how bad things are on the west coast... go to fwc.com and sign up for their red tide reports that come out twice each week (their e-mail format will come directly to you and show where the red tides and related fish kills are .... 

Fishing goes to zero when a red tide is on (and you'll have trouble with your breathing and your eyes...) and we're getting many more red tide events than we did years ago -all directly attributable to the overflows from Lake Okeechobee. Those same discharges are what's messing up the St. Lucie (Stuart) areas on the east coast. Lots and lots written about this on other boards - but it's a mess we caused ourselves (collectively... over many years) and it will take a ton of money to fix... Look on the conservation board here for particulars - and lots of finger pointing and argument...


----------



## TylertheTrout2 (Apr 21, 2016)

Guys you can still find some snook on the beach, head north end of Sanibel, incoming tide has been looking good (water color wise), Lighthouse beach area is all brown though.. Head to Blind pass and walk North see how the water looks, I know anglers are doing well around that area right now. Ft Myers beach is a mess, stay away..


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

http://www.wesh.com/article/alligator-spotted-at-florida-beach/21711713

Water looks good in Ft Meyers early this week


----------



## Guest (Jun 21, 2018)

Fished Charlotte Harbour for 3 days last week. By far the worst trip ever in that area. Water conditions were bad as expected. Struggled to find Trout even. Finally got into some fish on the last morning following bait and within 20 minutes we were surrounded.. Not a boat for 3 miles before that. The water, googans, beginning to wonder if I need a new hobby.. I grew up in Stuart fishing the inlet and lower IRL. The area is now essentially dead. Miles of grass flats are now mud flats. In the 80s and 90s releases occurred but nowhere near the levels of today. The water would change for maybe a couple days and within a few tide cycles it was back to normal.


----------



## Backcountry 16 (Mar 15, 2016)

flashsmith said:


> Fished Charlotte Harbour for 3 days last week. By far the worst trip ever in that area. Water conditions were bad as expected. Struggled to find Trout even. Finally got into some fish on the last morning following bait and within 20 minutes we were surrounded.. Not a boat for 3 miles before that.


Sounds like South west Florida for sure no common courtesy for most of these ass hats down here very sad what this area has become way over populated and over polluted.


----------



## Mike C (Feb 27, 2017)

I spent a week at Venice and returned home Saturday.
The fish kills along the beach increased while we were there and the air quality was terrible.
We stayed in a house about a half mile north of the Casey key bridge. The air quality there was tolerable but still bothersome.

Plenty of big snook and some reds in the Intracoastal but they had lock jaw.
Just south of the inlet between Casey key and Venice the brown water was very visible and void of fish.
All in all, a completely wasted trip

Edited. To correct location from Sanibel to Venice


----------



## Guest (Jun 21, 2018)

Yea. I was in Bookelia fishing the Useppa area and jug creek. Saturday started seeing alot of foam and fish floating back in the canals.


----------



## Capnredfish (Feb 1, 2012)

I’m here. Only caught one snook. Have not put much effort into it. Shelling, salt and sun keeps daughter from wanted to start early. Can’t blame her. Water looks ok. Milky green color. Atlantic in central FL looks better. The water on what would be the north east side is definitely brown. I like this place. I would say it’s a nice place to reside.


----------

