Venice
Venice Pier has reported “nothing really” other than a couple of sharks caught by the shark club at night and they will not talk in fear that it may bring other anglers out to fish. Gee guys, it is a public pier, is it not? A couple of beach Snook from the boards at beaches edge and if at the right time a couple of nice trout early in the A.M. Down South around Casperson way, early morning Pompano have been the calling on either Crazy Jigs or Doc’s Sill Willys.
Redfish have been reported near the shores where mangroves are on high water after rounding the island/key at the boat ramp (Casey Key) and up past Snook Alley around the Bird islands. The best baits were live shrimp free-lined, cut bait and small live pinfish. The best bite was on the incoming tide. Mangrove snapper up to fourteen inches were present for those targeting reds, as they are now on the beds and starting to spawn. The Greenbacks are almost over their spawn but are still balled up and easy to approach. Tarpon are on there way into the bays but are still found slurping up crabs out on weed lined out going tides followed by small six footers (sharks) if you are into that action with cut baits floated out also. Just off Turtle beach, north of Venice or adjacent to Nokomis a number of undersized Cobia have been caught and released as reported by a couple guide friends of mine. They were picked up on large Clark Spoons as believe it or not they were catching a number of twenty pound kings and hooked into two Maui-Maui at just five miles off the Venice jetty…strange!
