Beach fishing

[goindeep]

Anyone here ever fish the beaches on the west coast south of Clearwater?? Im talkin the Redington/Bellaire/Madeira/Indian Rocks area...

Im thinkin about giving beach fishing a shot for the heck of it, but are those beaches any good to fish? Any tips you can share? I know further south theres good beach fishing, but havent seen many reports from the area I mentioned.

Thanks!

[bigcatcatcher]

THE FISH WHISIPERER SAYS bellair beach can be good cause not a whole lot of beach goers mostly private houses on the beach and a few private parking lots that you need a car pass and be a resident to get 1 been there done that. Bellair beach greenbacks are good for flounder , refish, trout on the bottom . Shrimp can work but the cats wont leave ya alone unless that just me. Fish on top for the macks. You will need to wade out chest deep cast as far out as possible with live bait let the current take till its about evebn with ya the slowely bring it back in and do it again.

[pascosal]

i have been to maderia beach but like BCC it is a private beach area for residents. i have had so much action there. the spot is about a mile south of reddington pier

[pascosal]

we would wade out to the first sand bar which would be about 75 to 100 yrds to where we were past the breakers the water would be about knee high. then we could fish all around us, we would work the trough between the shore and the sandbar for snook, cobia, sheephead and mackeral.

[jab]

i have early in the morning any where were you just listed good for trout and pompano.

[madbeachjim]

I fish all along Mad Beach at least twice a week. Best time for me has been from about 7am to 9am, on an incoming tide. Sometimes I wade out to the sandbar and other times I just cast from shore for pomps, blues, trout and even a few Spanish. Work the trough for some good snook action. I've fished these Gulf beaches for years and have never been hassled about Private beaches. As far as I know, the only beach town that tries to claim their beach as Private is Bel Aire, and they control that through the parking areas. Mad Beach has so many Public parks you will have no trouble early in the morning. Just bring plenty of Quarters for the meters. Last week the sea grass was such a pain I packed up and moved a few blocks East on the causeway and caught several nice Mangrove Snapper...just enough for a tasty lunch.
Jim

[montylfl]

some of those beaches have Atrificial reefs about 100 yars from shore. www.pinellascounty.org/utilities/reef/inshore.htm. I can never read GPS cordinates so I am not 100% sure were they are.

I heards a few you can wade to others great with yak.

[obxjunkie]

I just got back from a week on Belleair Beach. That place is alive with fish right now. Bait is everywhere in all sizes. I caught whiting, bluefish, mackeral, and palometta all in the first trough. Saw LOTS of nice size snook cruising that trough too but they were all tight lipped. Saw some tarpon hookups from the boat anglers. I also heard reports of ladyfish, cobia, and blacktips from other anglers.

[goindeep]

Some great info here, thanks folks!

[soakem]

I fished indian rocks most recently and had some action, mainly cats but did get couple blues adn a whiting on my jigs...Just set out some rigs and sand spike them and toss a jig to entertain yourself every once in awhile

[soakem]

Blacktips are hot if you get your bait way out there

[taz]

soakem,
what do you use for bait?
what size and type of hooks?
leader material and length?
what size blacktips?
what other terminal tackle do you use?

thanks

[soakem]

Varying types of bait...have three poles , first on i use some artificials on jig heads or pompano jigs...2nd pole ill use a rig with whole shrimp or cut shrimp if cats are goin crazy....3rd pole i either do the same as second unless i catch something a shark might find tasty and ill rig some cut fish and walk or swim to the second trough in order to launch the half fish so it is 100+ yds from shore kayaks work much easier to get shark rigs out 150-200 yds out. Blacktips range from 2-5 ft depending on the size of bait you get out there.

[soakem]

Normally 3/8 - 1/2 oz jig heads with swimbaits, gulp shrimp/sandfleas, and jerk baits....light tackle 10lb pp with 5 ft. 12-20lb leader....varying rigs with second pole with 20lb pp 20-30lb leader, 1/0 2/0 circle hooks....30 lb line with long 50-60 lb leader if targeting bigger sharks need 80lb wire or cable leader after mono to prevent the sharks head shake from cutting mono