Atlas Street Beach Access, Longboat Key Fishing

Atlas Street Beach Access, Longboat Key is a plain but useful town access: park, walk a short path and you are on the Gulf beach with a long stretch of trough to fish. It suits anglers who want a simple surf session with a parking space close to the sand.

• About 30 parking spaces on site, including handicap-accessible spaces, per the town
• Town code expressly leaves shore fishing and cast netting into the Gulf alone
• Whiting and pompano in the trough; snook in the summer wash
• No lifeguards, and the town lists no restrooms or showers here

The access is on the Gulf side of Gulf of Mexico Drive at number 4795, where Atlas Street runs toward the beach, in the part of Longboat Key that lies in Manatee County (the 4000 block and higher).

• Getting there: follow Gulf of Mexico Drive along the island, from the Longboat Pass bridge to the north or from St. Armands and New Pass to the south
• Parking: on site at Atlas Street; the town puts it at about 30 spaces, approximate because the lot is neither paved nor striped, and lists handicap-accessible spaces
• The walk: a short path from the end of Atlas Street onto the sand
• Hours: nobody may be on the public beach or its accesses from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. unless signs say otherwise

This is open Gulf surf backed by condominiums, with fish following the bait along the beach through the year.

• Spring (Mar-May): pompano and Gulf kingfish in the trough; Spanish mackerel and ladyfish show as the water warms, and snook start moving into the surf in May
• Summer (Jun-Aug): snook in the wash at dawn and dusk; tarpon schools travel along the beaches in early summer, jacks chase bait and stingrays take bottom baits
• Fall (Sep-Nov): snook linger in the surf into September, pompano return and mackerel feed on calm days
• Winter (Dec-Feb): whiting and the odd redfish on clear days between fronts

A medium spinning rod of 7 to 9 feet, 15 lb braid and a fluorocarbon leader handles nearly everything here.

• Gulf kingfish and pompano: a two-hook bottom rig with small circle hooks and a pyramid sinker heavy enough to hold, baited with shrimp, sand fleas or a scented synthetic bait
• Pompano: a small jig tipped with shrimp, dragged slowly back to the beach
• Snook: cast a white jig, a swimbait or a live pilchard along the edge of the wash rather than straight out, on 30-40 lb leader
• Spanish mackerel and ladyfish: spoons and small jigs to breaking fish
• Cast nets for bait are allowed from shore under town code; check FWC rules for bait species

Tides are mixed: most days have two uneven highs and lows, and some have only one. NOAA's nearest Gulf-side station, off Anna Maria Island, predicts roughly 1.4 to 2.8 feet between the day's high and low.

• Moving water is the key; a rising tide pushes bait and fish into the first trough
• Low light is best for snook, and the beach is at its quietest early
• Calm, clear days with a light easterly suit lures and sight fishing
• Rough onshore days muddy the surf; switch to bait and keep your rig in the trough
• Watch for red tide advisories, which the town points to on its beach page

The beach is unguarded, so conditions and swimmers are your responsibility.

• The town warns there are no lifeguards and to watch for rip currents
• Stingrays lie in the shallows in warm months; shuffle your feet at the water's edge
• Afternoon thunderstorms in summer bring lightning; leave the beach early
• Cast away from anyone swimming, especially on holiday weekends
• Accessibility: handicap-accessible parking on site and a short walk, but the beach itself is soft sand with no mat confirmed

The town lists this access for its parking only; no restrooms, showers or other facilities are listed.

• About 30 unpaved parking spaces, with handicap-accessible spaces
• No bait or tackle at the access; stock up before you come
• No lifeguards
• Bring water, shade and a trash bag, and carry out everything, including used line
• The town's other listed accesses and parks are along Gulf of Mexico Drive if this lot is full

• Arrive early on weekends: the lot holds only about 30 cars
• Bring your shrimp or sand fleas with you: town code bars taking or disturbing animals on the beach, apart from fishing and cast netting
• Look for dark, deeper water between the shore and the first bar and fish there rather than casting as far as you can
• In summer, walk the waterline at first light for snook before swimmers arrive
• Leave the dog at home: pets are banned on the beach and the accesses
• Plan to be off the sand by 11 p.m., when the town closes the beach and accesses

The access and beach rules are set by the Town of Longboat Key.

• Town code 92.05(D) protects plants and animals on the beach but says it does not prohibit fishing or cast nets thrown from the shore into the bay, pass or Gulf
• No open alcohol, no pets (service animals excepted), no smoking other than unfiltered cigars, no camping, and no fires except cooking in a grill or stove
• The beach and accesses are closed from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. unless posted otherwise
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt; shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit; snook and tarpon have their own FWC rules
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything