Point of Rocks Fishing

Point of Rocks is a rare thing on Florida's Gulf beaches: natural rock. The limestone ledges at the south end of Crescent Beach hold fish that a plain sand beach never does.

• Snook and mangrove snapper around the rocks in the warm months, sheepshead in winter
• Sand troughs either side hold pompano and whiting
• Clear water for sight fishing on calm mornings
• A walk-in spot: the nearest county access has no parking and there are no facilities at the rocks

Point of Rocks is on the Gulf side of Siesta Key, south of Siesta Beach, where Crescent Beach ends at the rocks near Point of Rocks Road off Midnight Pass Road.

• Access: Sarasota County's Siesta Key Beach Access 13 on Point of Rocks Road is a pedestrian-only path with no parking; the rocks are a short walk south along the sand
• Parking: Siesta Beach to the north has more than 950 free spaces, and from there it is a walk of more than a mile and a half south along the beach
• Surface: soft sand, then uneven limestone ledges, partly underwater at high tide
• No entry fee applies at the beach accesses

Rock and sand side by side give a good spread of fish.

• Spring (Mar-May): snook move to the beach, Spanish mackerel and ladyfish pass, pompano in the troughs
• Summer (Jun-Aug): the best snook months, fish cruising the rock edges at first light; mangrove snapper in the ledges
• Fall (Sep-Nov): snook, mackerel and jacks with the bait schools, redfish now and then
• Winter (Dec-Feb): sheepshead on the rocks, pompano and Gulf whiting on warm, calm days

Keep tackle light and mobile.

• Snook: a 1/4 oz white bucktail or paddletail, or a live shrimp or pilchard, cast along the rock edges, 30 lb fluorocarbon leader
• Snapper and sheepshead: a small hook and split shot with shrimp dropped beside the ledges
• Pompano and whiting: a two-hook drop rig with sand fleas or shrimp in the trough, 1 to 2 oz sinker
• Mackerel and ladyfish: small spoons and silver jigs
• Expect to lose rigs in the rocks; bring spares and use abrasion-resistant leader

Tides on this stretch of Gulf are mixed: NOAA's nearest station, at Big Sarasota Pass, usually shows two uneven highs and lows a day and sometimes only one, with a range of only a foot or two.

• Low tide exposes more of the ledges and makes them easier to fish from; high tide brings fish up over the rocks
• Calm, clear water after a few days of east wind is best for sight-casting snook
• First light is the key window in summer, before swimmers and snorkelers arrive
• West winds make the rocks rough and dirty the water
• Check the state red tide map in late summer and fall

This is not an easy-access spot.

• The limestone is sharp and slippery with algae; wear shoes with grip
• Snorkelers and swimmers use the reef; cast away from them and keep hooks under control
• No lifeguards are posted at this end of the beach
• Shuffle your feet in the sand for stingrays
• Lightning builds fast on summer afternoons; get off the open beach early
• Rip currents can form off Siesta Key beaches in rough weather
• Reaching the rocks means walking on soft sand; not suited to wheelchairs

There are no facilities at the rocks or at the pedestrian access.

• Siesta Beach to the north is the nearest large county beach park, with free parking, restrooms and concessions; it is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Bait and tackle are sold on Siesta Key and the mainland
• Bring water, food and shade
• Carry a small cooler, a landing glove and pliers; you will be a long walk from the car and any shop

• Go at dawn on a weekday; by midmorning the reef belongs to snorkelers
• Cast parallel to the rock edges, not straight out to sea
• A low morning tide lets you see the ledges and plan your casts
• Summer snook are often within a rod length of the sand; stand back from the water
• Bring a small backpack rather than a cart; the walk is on soft sand
• Take your line and rigs home; lost tackle tangles the reef

The beach is public, reached through Sarasota County beach accesses; follow posted rules.

• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt (residents can use the free shoreline license)
• County code bans fishing inside swim areas marked by buoys and bans glass containers and dogs on Siesta Key's beaches
• Shore-based shark fishing needs the free FWC permit, and FWC bans chumming from the beach
• Snook rules differ between management areas on this coast; check the FWC snook page
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything