Tourist incoming

[walleyesashimi]

Hi everyone, tourist from Canada going be down last week of March/first of April and I will probably hit Skyway once and Desoto once. 


Last year I went out at night on Skyway - honestly can't remember north or south, it was the one some people on here suggested was a bit friendlier - and it was a pretty slow bite for everyone, by the end I hooked into an undersized trout and mango.


I think my mistake was not moving around enough, this year when I am out I plan to move pillars every ten min until I run into some action.


Mostly fishing medium-light gear so I won't be going for kings or anything like that. I would love to hook into sheeps, mackerel and snappers... sounds like if I come at night I'll be limited to snappers and trout? That's fine with me. I can target mackerel at DeSoto during the day.

In general I'll probably be using a fish finder rig with shrimp and/or cut bait... may end up freelining cut bait or a live pinfish too. 

The real thing I could use help with is understanding tide charts and how to maximize them... what should I look for to give myself the best chance in the range I am coming (Mar 27 - April 6)? 


Anything else obvious that I am missing? 

[seabird]

You are coming down at a good time. Should be a wide variety of fish to go after. Macks will be at the Skyway during the day too. The 24 hour pass gives you a chance to fish anytime during that period and is good for both NSP and SSP.

I use this tide chart as a general guide. It is not exact for the Skyway or DeSoto but better than the charts they give out at the Skyway. Those are way off.

tides4fishing.com/us/florida-gulf-coast/redfish-point-manatee-river#_tides

Good luck out there. I am sure others will have more advice.

[sigeptrooper02]

Mar 20, 2019 5:43:44 GMT -5 seabird said:

You are coming down at a good time. Should be a wide variety of fish to go after. Macks will be at the Skyway during the day too. The 24 hour pass gives you a chance to fish anytime during that period and is good for both NSP and SSP.

I use this tide chart as a general guide. It is not exact for the Skyway or DeSoto but better than the charts they give out at the Skyway. Those are way off.

tides4fishing.com/us/florida-gulf-coast/redfish-point-manatee-river#_tides

Good luck out there. I am sure others will have more advice.

tides4fishing.com/us/florida-gulf-coast/mullet-key-channel-skyway

Try this one for skyway tides.

[jhast1]

Last weekend had zero luck on the pilings, incoming tide produced well. About 70' off the west side of the pier are the rock piles and we hooked up more often than not... grouper, snapper, giant grunts, mackerel, sheep... Used both live and dead live working better. Grouper and mack liked the sardines everything else on shrimp. I was using 2/0 circle hooks since the bait was fairly small, 1oz. egg sinker and 4-5' of 50# mono on a swivel. It was a little overkill but nothing got away.

[walleyesashimi]

How big of a difference between fishing night and day? Do you guys think I should go for north or south pier?

[justfishin2]

Walleye,
here my two cents, I would go to the south pier, it’s longer, you have areas with no rock (2nd bath to entrance) and from the 2nd bath to the end you have section with rubble. Have caught some good size sheep, mackerel, shark, grouper still learning the hot spots for snappers. Also the bait has been plentiful lately with cast net or sabiki rigs. The north pier is far smaller and can’t handle the people that the south pier can. I would arrive morning hours and move around until you find a good spot then set up shop or stay Mobil all day what ever you prefer. Good luck and maybe see you out there, tight lines and watch out for flipper they’ll rob you blind. 

[tears143]

Big different between day and night.
some fish like mack and pompano bites 99.9999999% better during morning. Other fish like snapper bite both morning and night but night are better.
White trout bites better at night.. etc

[parkpass]

Hmmm....you're gonna hit the piers once and Desoto once....why bother?

[walleyesashimi]

Mar 22, 2019 17:51:54 GMT -5 parkpass said:

Hmmm....you're gonna hit the piers once and Desoto once....why bother?

Because I surf fish the gulf during the day the ICW at night where I stay every day that I'm not at Desoto or the pier. What would you suggest instead?

[parkpass]

A guide

[walleyesashimi]

Mar 23, 2019 16:42:18 GMT -5 parkpass said:

A guide

Yes, also going with an inshore guide one day. I'll be fishing every day for 10 days. 

[seabird]

Mar 24, 2019 15:36:58 GMT -5 walleyesashimi said:

Mar 23, 2019 16:42:18 GMT -5 parkpass said:

A guide

Yes, also going with an inshore guide one day. I'll be fishing every day for 10 days. 

Sounds like a great vacation. Best of luck out there!