Sarasota County Florida Fishing
From Land & Shore

No need for a boat when it comes to your Sarasota County Florida fishing adventure. That's because you can drop a line almost anywhere there is water;

From bridges, under bridges, from the shore of the Gulf of Mexico, Sarasota Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway, The jetty, the pier, the beaches, the flats.

You see, you don't need a boat because there are so many, many locations where you can fish from land.

Some of the Sport Fish you’ll find here throughout your Sarasota County Florida Fishing adventure are: Flounder, Redfish, Sheepshead, Snook (Snook season is closed from May – August, but you can “catch and release.”), Spotted Seatrout, Ladyfish, Jack Crevalle, Mullet (cast netting is the advised method of take for this species), Red Snapper, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Pompano and many more.

One of the best all purpose live baits to use when fishing for all of these sport fish is live shrimp.

Here’s a listing of Sarasota County Florida Fishing locations, where you can drop a line from on land and shore, where you might get lucky!

Sarasota County Florida Fishing
From Land & Shore

Whitfield Avenue. West end of street. Northern Sarasota Bay. Rt 41 N to just north of the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, west on Whitfield to the bay, just across the Manatee County border line.

New Pass Bridge. This is the bridge between Lido Key and Longboat Key. Under the bridge From downtown Sarasota go over the Ringling Bridge to St Armand's. Follow Rt 781 to the New Pass Bridge. Park on Longboat Key.

Ken Thompson Park on City Island, Sarasota Bay. From downtown Sarasota go over the Ringling Bridge to St Armand's. Follow Rt 781 to Ken Thompson Parkway, turn right. Plenty of room and several piers from which to fish and get a great view of the downtown Sarasota skyline too.

Bird Key Flats at Bird Key Park. Just across the Ringling Bridge from downtown Sarasota on the way to St. Armand's/Lido Key. North side of road.

Tony Saprito Pier is on the northeast side of the Ringling Bridge off of downtown Sarasota.

Sarasota County Florida Fishing
From Land & Shore

• Lido Key

South Lido Park on Lido Key. Big Pass currents here are strong. From downtown Sarasota go over the Ringling Bridge to St Armands. Stay left/west around The Circle. Go west to ben Franklin Drive. Then all the way south to South Lido Park.

• Siesta Key

Siesta Drive Bridge (also known as the north bridge on to Siesta Key). Bay Island Park is on the southwest side. You can also fish from the south side of the bridge. There’s parking on the northeast side.

Sarasota County Florida Fishing also includes:

North Shell Road Beach on Siesta Key. Nice beach. Small parking area. Another point from which to fish Big Pass. From Rt 41 W on Siesta Drive to S on Higel to W on Shell Road.

Point of Rocks is just south of Stickney Point road on Siesta Key, off Midnight Pass road. Hard to find parking but great place to fish or snorkel.

Turtle Beach lagoon. South on Siesta Key’s Midnight Pass Road to the Turtle Beach Area.

Turtle Beach, south Siesta Key. Drop a line in the gulf anywhere away from the public beach area.

Palmer Point. Walk south on Turtle beach about ½ mile. You can fish either the gulf or bay side from here.

Stickney Point Bridge. (Also known as the south bridge to Siesta Key – follow Rt 41 to Stickney Point, turn west). You can fish the Intracoastal waterway from either side of the bridge.

Sarasota County Florida Fishing
From Land & Shore

Sarasota County Florida Fishing also includes:

• Nokomis - Casey Key

Albee Road Bridge, Nokomis. Rt 41 to Nokomis. West on Albee Road to over the drawbridge. Numerous spots north and south of the bridge.

Nokomis Beach. Drop a line from shore north or south of Nokomis Beach public beach areas on Casey Key. Rt 41 south to Albee Rd. Over the bridge to Nokomis Beach parking. There are more parking areas to the South, away from the public beach areas.

North Jetty Park, Casey Key. South end of Casey key There’s a bait shack. Lots of parking.

• Osprey

Blackburn Point Swing Bridge. South from Sarasota on Rt 41 to Osprey to west on Blackburn Point Road. Follow to the swing bridge. Fish from shore on either side of the bridge. Parking just past the bridge on the right.

Blackburn Point Park. Fish right on the Intracoastal Waterway. Bring your folding chair and bait. Also fishing piers from which to drop a line at the east end of the park. Picnic tables, too, plus shade trees and parking. South from Sarasota on Rt 41 to Osprey to west on Blackburn Point Road. Just east of the swing bridge on the south side of the road.

Sarasota County Florida Fishing
From Land & Shore

Sarasota County Florida Fishing also includes:

• Vamo

Vamo Road. Take Rt 41 to Vamo Road and follow all the way to the bay (south from downtown Sarasota – in the area close to Sarasota Square Mall).

• Venice

South Jetty Park South on Rt 41 to downtown Venice. Right on W. Venice avenue all the way to the beach. Turn right on to The Esplanade N. Hard left at tarpon Center Drive. Follow around to South Jetty Park. Click here for more on South Jetty Park.

Venice Fishing Pier. South on Rt 41 to downtown Venice. Right on Venice Avenue to left on Harbor Drive. Follow Harbor Drive to the pier, the only pie on the gulf in the county. No fishing license needed here, it’s paid for by the city. Click here for more on the Venice Fishing Pier.

Brohard Beach, Venice. Fishing from shore away from public beach areas. South on Rt 41 to downtown Venice. Right on Venice Avenue to left on Harbor Drive. Follow Harbor Drive south.

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For your Sarasota County Florida fishing adventure you are required to have a shore fishing license to drop a line. At this writing the annual license cost is just $9 (resident).

If you already have the license for fishing from vessels, you’re covered.

Non-resident license fees range from $17 to $47 depending on how long your visit is.

You are exempt from a license if you are 65 and older, 16 and younger, active duty military on leave, permanently disabled, or qualify for assistance such as food stamps or Medicaid.

For more information you may call Fish and Wildlife at (888) 347-4356. You can also get fishing licenses at many retail business and stores or the nearest county tax collector’s office, or on line at the Florida Fish and Wildlife site on this page.

Fishing Tip: It’s good to have a license. If a wildlife officer catches you fishing without one you can be fined up to $70.

Happy Fishing and may there always be a tug on your line! Don't forget to share your Sarasota County Florida fishing story or adventure with us!

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