# Sarasota Bay Fishing???



## sshawn75

Does anyone have any information about fishing in the Sarasota Bay? I am heading that way towards the end of this month. I am trying to get some local knowledge about water depths and how rough it can get in the bay? I know it will depend mostly on the winds and wind direction, but it looks like it pretty well protected (correct me if I'm wrong). I was looking at using the public boat ramp off of 41 near Boulevard of the Arts (Hyatt Regency) since I'm going to be staying there for work (and it close). I'm gonna pick up a Top Spot map, but nothing beats hearing from the local guys who actually fish the area. 

Any help would be greatly appreciated. If anyone wants to meet up to do some fishing, shoot me a PM. Thanks again


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## breakin70

Sarasota Bay is wide open from the Ringling Bridge north to the Sister Keys and Long Bar. With the wind blowing it can and will get rough. With that said the flats are mostly deeper until you head further north so water depth as far as running the boat without much local knowledge isnt a big deal.


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## hennavin

hit the flats off of whitfield avenue for a mixed bag, also before cortez bridge on the east side between tidy island and coral shores will have nice size trout and redish at low tide either incoming or outgoing, look for a tiny mangrove island and put out about 25 yards or so in front, some nice sand holes there.
Seve-0


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## cvilt

I agree with both above. The flats and oyster bars around Whitfield are close and hold fish. Try Long Bar also. Good luck and PM me when you ar close maybe we can do a fishing caravan


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## sshawn75

The Whitfiled Ave area you guys are talking about, does it have its own ramp? Or do you put in at the ramp off 41 and make the run up that way? I'm gonna be in my Pathfinder 17t so I'm looking for the best flats with some protection from the possible winds. Thanks for the replies keep 'em coming!!!


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## skinny_water

> The Whitfiled Ave area you guys are talking about, does it have its own ramp?  Or do you put in at the ramp off 41 and make the run up that way?  I'm gonna be in my Pathfinder 17t so I'm looking for the best flats with some protection from the possible winds.  Thanks for the replies keep 'em coming!!!


There shouldn't be any where that you can't go with the 17t. It doesn't get that bad in Sarasota Bay. Tampa bay is a different story. I think the average depth of Sarasota bay is 12-13ft, with most less than 8ft.

Here are the cords that were previously mentioned

Whitfield Flats
27.410176,-82.580624

Longbar
27.420614,-82.627401

Tidy Island
27.455084,-82.6686

Buttonwood Harbor (afternoon sea breeze bite)
27.383657,-82.631392

South Lido Beach (crack of sunrise only)
27.31024,-82.56629

On the outgoing tide key in on drop offs in the 2-3ft range with grass. Lighter colored DOA paddle tails 1/8oz jig heads. If you go heavier that 1/8oz your going to start catching lady fish. Sunrise and sunset toss topwaters around mullet schools close to the mangroves. If the tide gets really high the redfish and snook will start hiding in the mangroves. Find a school of finger mullet working the edge of a mangrove and start pitching baits as far as you can cast under.

If you don't catch anything that's not my fault. It's cause there are no fish in Sarasota bay. Thats why 90% of the cords are in Bradenton.


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## cvilt

Eastcoat1 I have a 15t and dont enjoy a long ride either. I will be in that area this week and will check if any of the little ramps by Sara bay are open to the public. Can you launch at bad ramps?


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## cvilt

Skinnywater I agree with on the Bradenton . The north end has always been a better poducer for me but have done well in the trialer estates oyster bed area although seems to be hot or not


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## skinny_water

The issue is that most of the flats in Sarasota and Bradenton are the size of football fields. The Redfish key in on a very small area of the whole flat. Most of the time when fishing these areas you can find them in a spot less than 40'x40' Just stick to your target areas and look for food. There were some good suggested spots on this thread. 

I believe the only ramp in that area that is open to the public is 10th Street. Bradenton Beach has a couple ramps that put you close to these numbers with a shorter more protected run. The further north you go the less boating traffic there is on the fishing spots.


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## cvilt

Skinny Water you are correct I went to the little ramps I saw on google maps This week and they are all private. You know the area


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## skinny_water

> Skinny Water you are correct I went to the little ramps I saw on google maps This week and they are all private. You know the area


born and raised  

Living here now

27.497004,-82.679071


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