# Sanibel Island



## CharlesH (Mar 27, 2008)

I have to attend a family wedding on the island with my wife next weekend.  We'll be going down April 4th and be able to fish Saturday morning and all day Sunday.  We are staying on the island.  I hope to get in some good fishing.

Has anyone been here and where have you fished off the beaches/piers?  Also, what did you use for bait and what did you catch?

Looking for any help out there, I've never been that far south and it seems to be out in the water a decent bit with some shallow water around it; maybe some flats????


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## Doyle (Mar 28, 2008)

Forget the beaches and there are no piers on Sanabel.   Carry a decent spinning combo - 12 to 15lb line is fine.   The locals will wade the flats areas on the inshore side of the island.   If you can toss a cast net, white bait works great.  If not, live shrimp is the live bait of choice.   Rig with about 2ft of  20lb mono or flourocarbon leader tied directly to your line (no hardware) and either no weight or just a little splitshot if the wind is blowing hard.   Common hook sizes are a number 1 or 1/0 bronze hook (circle hooks are popular) - don't use stainless.

Just wade in butt deep water casting ahead of you letting the bait drift with the tide.   Rising or falling tides can both be good - as long as the water is moving.   On a slack tide go lay on the beach.

If you go to the very top of Sanabel where the little bridge connects it to Captiva, you'll find a good wading area just to the east of the bridge.  There is also a good area right near the causeway.

Good luck.


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## BOSSOFTHEWOODS (Mar 29, 2008)

And take a good bug spray!!!!


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## Ed in North Ga. (Mar 29, 2008)

x2 on bugspray- the sand gnats will carry you away.

 When I went years, and years ago- I fished the beach. Pop took me to the baitstore, and we got shrimp- I fished shrimp for hours off the beach with not a nibble while everyone else pulled in what they called "whitting"- little foot long white fish,an pompano- I finally broke down and asked the nearest fisherman what he was useing- he handed me a sandflea....never seen one before or since- then he showed me how to dig for them.....free bait! I was in heaven!

 We fished the bay the next day, and caught catfish after catfish all day long-not a single snook or trout all day. Sanibel used to be about the quietist most laid back town on the west side- been wanting to take the wife there, and I havent been in many many years- I cant imagine its changed much- youll have a blast.


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## FishingAddict (Mar 29, 2008)

Doyle said:


> Forget the beaches and there are no piers on Sanabel.   Carry a decent spinning combo - 12 to 15lb line is fine.   The locals will wade the flats areas on the inshore side of the island.   If you can toss a cast net, white bait works great.  If not, live shrimp is the live bait of choice.   Rig with about 2ft of  20lb mono or flourocarbon leader tied directly to your line (no hardware) and either no weight or just a little splitshot if the wind is blowing hard.   Common hook sizes are a number 1 or 1/0 bronze hook (circle hooks are popular) - don't use stainless.
> 
> Just wade in butt deep water casting ahead of you letting the bait drift with the tide.   Rising or falling tides can both be good - as long as the water is moving.   On a slack tide go lay on the beach.
> 
> ...



There used to me a pier on the north end of the island...i'm assuming a hurricaine got it?  The fishing there was amazing off the peir.


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## Doyle (Mar 30, 2008)

Hurricane Charlie almost flattened the island.  Stipped out much of the nice shade trees and damaged or destroyed most of the buildings.  I haven't been down since then, but I know they have worked hard to restore as much as possible.   If they have built a new pier, I haven't heard about it but anything is possible.


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## jinx0760 (Mar 30, 2008)

*Surf Snook!*

I have been to Sanibel 4 times.  The first time I watched guys catching BIG snook in the surf. I never figured it out and wasted a lot of money on live grunts.  I finally went to the bait shop that took my  money and asked for tips.  I used their tips and had some great battles with big snook in the surf.

1..No metal touching metal, attach the hook with mono and no shiney hooks or leaders.
2... Fish in ankle deep water throwing into 2-3 ft water with live grunts hooked to swim.  Leave a lot of slack in the  line-watch for it to change direction- when it does tighten up and hang on.


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## craig88 (Mar 30, 2008)

snook in the surf is amazing... i went there last summer with water temps in the 90's and it was so much fun.

went to some "cut" with a jetty... dont really remember where it was but it seems like it was near the middle of the island. i do remember if you are going towards  captiva from sanibel the jetty is on your left and it has a very small parking lot there with beach access

take a cast net, 5 gallon bucket and a bubble box thingy to keep yout bait alive and like it was said earlier you can wade in butt deep water and just cast and let your bait run and something is bound to hit it. i caught snook, reds and trout mostly with some lady fish mixed in... FLOUROCARBON and circle hooks!!

oh and learn a "blood knot" or something similar because swivels cause too much attention. 

Good luck and let us know how you do!


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## CharlesH (Mar 30, 2008)

Thanks guys, you've given me lots of hints; especially since we will only have 1 and half days of fishing.  I'll use it to my fullest and take lots of pictures.


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