Fishing spots in Sarasota County

Sarasota County runs about 35 miles down the Gulf coast from Longboat Key to Manasota Key, a chain of barrier islands (Lido, Siesta, Casey and Venice) with Sarasota Bay, Roberts Bay and Lemon Bay behind them. Anglers come for summer snook along the beaches and inlets, spring and fall runs of Spanish mackerel and pompano, winter sheepshead, and the shore access of Venice, the self-styled shark tooth capital, where the Venice Fishing Pier reopened in 2025. The 2023 and 2024 hurricanes closed several spots; the South Jetty at Venice Inlet is still shut, so the North Jetty in Nokomis carries the inlet fishing for now.

Sarasota & Lido Key

• Character: city bayfront, the John Ringling Causeway and the wild south end of Lido Key at Big Pass, with mangrove bayous behind.
• What it suits: snook on the beach at dawn, pompano and whiting in winter, trout and reds on the bay-side grass.
• Access: free parking at Ted Sperling Park (South Lido); a strong current in Big Pass.

Siesta & Casey Keys

• Character: long sandy Gulf beaches with Roberts Bay and Little Sarasota Bay behind.
• What it suits: surf fishing for pompano, whiting and snook, and wade fishing the bay flats.
• Access: county beach parks with parking; busy in winter season.

Venice & Nokomis

• Character: Venice Inlet with the North Jetty open and the South Jetty closed, the Venice Fishing Pier, and fossil shark-tooth beaches.
• What it suits: jetty snook and snapper, pier mackerel and sheepshead, and family fishing.
• Access: free parking at the pier and North Jetty Park; pier bait shop and restaurant.

Season	Likely species (shore)	Notes
Spring (Mar–May)	Spanish mackerel, pompano, crevalle jack, snook, sheepshead	Mackerel and pompano runs peak as the Gulf warms past about 70°F
Summer (Jun–Aug)	Snook, mangrove snapper, tarpon, ladyfish, redfish	Dawn beach snook and jetty fishing; tarpon roll off the beaches
Fall (Sep–Nov)	Redfish, Spanish mackerel, snook, flounder, jacks	Often the best all-round season
Winter (Dec–Feb)	Sheepshead, pompano, Gulf whiting, black drum, trout	Pilings, jetties and surf troughs; slow after strong fronts

• A 7-foot medium spinning rod with 15 lb braid and 20–30 lb fluorocarbon leader covers most shore fishing.
• Spoons and Gotcha plugs for mackerel; pompano jigs for pompano.
• Live whitebait, pinfish or shrimp on 1/0–3/0 circle hooks for snook, with 30–40 lb leader around rocks and pilings.
• Fiddler crabs on small strong hooks for sheepshead.
• Double-drop rigs with 2–3 oz pyramid sinkers and sand fleas or shrimp in the surf.
• Bring a long-handled pier net for the Venice pier.

• Tides are small and often mixed along this coast, with one larger swing a day; current through the inlets and passes matters more than height.
• Fish the moving tide at the passes (Big Pass, Venice Inlet) and the last of the rising tide on the beaches.
• Light east winds give clean, clear Gulf water; strong west or southwest winds bring surf, weed and dirty water.
• Winter cold fronts drop water temperatures fast; give it a day or two to settle.
• Red tide (Karenia brevis) blooms can shut beach and pier fishing down for weeks in some years; check FWC's red tide status before a trip.

• Lightning: summer afternoon storms build fast; leave piers, jetties and beaches at the first thunder.
• Rip currents form on Gulf beaches in onshore wind; strong currents run in Big Pass and Venice Inlet.
• Jetty rocks are slick; wear shoes with grip.
• Shuffle your feet in the shallows for stingrays.
• The Venice Fishing Pier is flat and railed and the most accessible spot in the county.
• Check county and city pages for storm-damage closures, including the South Jetty.

• Fish the Venice Fishing Pier at first light in spring and fall for mackerel.
• The North Jetty fills early on summer weekends; arrive before sunrise.
• Walk the beach at low tide after a Venice session to look for fossil shark teeth.
• Winter sheepshead crowd pilings and jetty rocks from January to March.
• Carry a cast net for whitebait on calm summer mornings.
• Keep an eye on red tide reports; the county's beaches can swing from excellent to empty.
• Leave marked swimming areas to swimmers.
• Buy bait before crossing to the keys; few beach parks sell it.

• Manatee County – Anna Maria Island piers and the Sunshine Skyway area to the north.
• Charlotte County – Englewood, Stump Pass and Charlotte Harbor to the south.
• Lee County – Boca Grande, Sanibel and Pine Island further south.

• Do I need a fishing license?
  • A Florida saltwater fishing license is needed to fish from shore unless you are exempt or fishing from a pier that holds its own license for its visitors. Check exemptions and buy a license through FWC (myfwc.com).
• Is the Venice Fishing Pier open?
  • Yes. It fully reopened in September 2025 after hurricane repairs, and is free and open around the clock; shark fishing is banned on it.
• Can I fish the South Jetty at Venice Inlet?
  • Not at present. Humphris Park and the South Jetty walkway remain closed after the 2024 hurricanes; use the North Jetty in Nokomis instead.
• When is the best time for snook?
  • From late spring through early fall, at dawn and dusk on a moving tide, along the beaches and at the jetty; check FWC's snook season and rules before keeping one.
• What about red tide?
  • Some years a red tide bloom kills fish and makes beaches unpleasant; check FWC's red tide status before you travel.

Area	Coast character & access	Best species	Prime season	Go-to methods	Key safety notes	Facilities
Sarasota & Lido Key	Bay, causeway and Big Pass; free park parking	Snook, pompano, trout, redfish	Spring–fall	Bucktails, pompano jigs, shrimp under cork	Strong Big Pass current	Restrooms, picnic areas
Siesta & Casey Keys	Gulf beaches and bay flats	Pompano, whiting, snook	Winter–spring, summer dawn	Surf rigs, wading with lures	Rip currents, stingrays	Beach park amenities
Venice & Nokomis	Pier, North Jetty, shark-tooth beaches	Mackerel, snook, sheepshead, snapper	Year-round	Spoons, live bait, fiddler crabs	Slick jetty rocks, lightning	Pier bait shop, restaurant, cleaning stations