By: Joe Sheaffer
As Spring settles in, I love to head to the beaches for quick fishing trips. The weather is usually very nice, the water is warming and the gulf beaches can be great places to spend a few hours of fishing. Many species start their migrations along the gulf shore. The beaches become alive with bait pods, inshore species like Snook and Redfish start hanging around our beaches. Tarpon start heading to our passes, pelagic species swim along the beaches. Spending a few hours fishing along one of the many beautiful beaches in SWFL doesn’t need to be complicated. A few hours of time with minimal equipment can make for a great fishing adventure. I enjoy walking (Power Fishing) along the beach looking for different structures that may hold fish. Identifying these types of areas can definitely help in finding active fish. As I walk I’m looking for points, hard visible structures (man-made or natural), blowouts or rips, sandbars close to the surf and deeper holes to name a few. I like a 7’6 medium heavy spinning rod. 2500-3000 spinning reel, spooled with 10-15 lb. braid. I usually will use a 25-30lb Fluorocarbon leader. I carry a small backpack with a selection of terminal tackle and a few different lures. Don’t forget water and sunscreen. I usually will have a jig tied on, ⅛ oz all wall up to1oz depending on the surf conditions. Paddle tails, swimbaits, bucktails are my preference but many other lure presentations can be very productive. I may walk 1 to 2 miles to find productive areas. Many times, I catch some really nice fish, many different species and occasionally a fish of a lifetime. Worst case I have spent a few hours on a beautiful day along the beach getting some needed exercise. Hopefully you can find some time this spring fishing at a nearby beach. Good luck and keep casting.