This a legendary fishing spot for many natives that grew up in Sarasota. It’s been beat to death though and not as productive as it was back then, at least according to the “old timers” I’ve chatted with. But its still holding fish! Depending on the time of year, weather, tide and all the other factors that come into play in saltwater fishing, it can be a great spot to wet a hook.
Parking
There’s street parking for free on the rod directly south/parallel of Stickney Point. Also parking at Crescent Beach access across the street. But it can be tough during season and mid day. You can also park in the back corner of the Boatyard parking lot on the east side at night when they are closing down. Or pull over the curb back there and park kind of under the bridge. Not sure how legal that is but I’ve never had an issue so DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Access
Typically you’ll end up hanging on the embankments under the bridge on either side, west side being most accessible. You can also fish from the bridge and the bridge tender is super cool, never bitches if you go past the “no fishing between signs” signs.
Tackle
Gear here is going to entirely depend on target species. A good 4000-5000 reel should be able to handle most fish you encounter but there are massive tarpon you can hook up with here nearly every day of the year. You may also get into a big ass gag or goliath grouper.
If you have always wanted to get into using those big NLBNs every one is talking about, this is the perfect place for it. Fishing from the bridge or the shadow lines can result in a monster snook on one.
- Flarehawks/Bucktail Jigs
- Paddle tails
- rappala
- NLBN and other heavy swimbaits
- MirrOdine Twitch Baits
- NLBN lil’ mullets
- Cut bait
- Live finger mullet/pins/pilchards
Fishing The West Side
- This little channel hasn’t produced much for me except near the cleaning table on the other side. I’ve thrown shrimp in there and caught little snook and some red fish. Great spot to cast night finger mullet when they are schooling in here though.
- This is the primo spot, this is where I’ve had 90% of my big snook and tarpon action. This shadow line and holes between the docks and the bridge get a flurry of activity when the snook and reds are feeling feisty. I’ve looked down here from the bridge and seen monsters just swimming in circles attacking bait like crazy. Threw a lure on them and BAM they just smash it. Check the video below to see me get a couple back to back with NLBN. Throw a flarehawk or NLBN here and just slow bounce it back to you. I’ll also link to a vid where I get one here on the flarehawk.
VIDEO NLBN – Winter Snook Fishing Stickney Point
VIDEO FLAREHAWK – Fishing With Rad Reeling
And don’t sleep on cast past the tip of the docks there, lots of fish will hang out in that spot waiting for baits to swim by. That’s a great line for a paddle tail or a quick retrieve on a rapala. - At night, go up on the bridge and look down in the middle here after the first set up pylons. Most of the time you will see a ton of snook just chilling. Getting them to eat can be a challenge but just throwing a small paddle tail or DOA shrimp with some precision can get one to bite here.
- I haven’t had a ton of success on this side and I”m not sure why. I’ve caught a few low 20s snook but nothing huge. I’m sure it can produce but it doesn’t feel as magical as the other side. Great spot for cast netting pin fish though when they are thick in the summer.
Fishing The East Side
- This is a great spot to cast net little pins or finger mullet when they are around. You can stand just inside the shadow line so you don’t spook the schools of mullet and sneak attack them with the net. I’ve never caught a fish here but I haven’t fished it a ton and I do know people have landed monsters in this area.
- I’ve seen big red drum here but yet to get one. This whole side of the bridge is still a bit of a mystery to me. I’m sure it will pay off if you hit it regularly though.
- When The Boatyard is closed you can get out on their dock and fish these lines. DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK cause I’m not sure of legality but no one has ever bothered me.f
Fishing The Bridge
If throwing artificial you want to work the side where the water is flowing to you. This area feeds with the tide from Big Pass, so on outgoing tide the water will be flowing north and on incoming, south.
I stick to the west side of the bridge when fishing here. The middle and east side can be really challenging and near impossible to work or land a fish. On the west side, even if you don’t have a bridge net, you can typically walk a fish to the end of the bridge and climb down to it.
- You can get a good attack range from this spot hitting the shadow line and the fender and also the are straight towards the docks which is full of holes and fishing will stack up in there. When fishing from the bridge I like to use something with some weight like an NLBN because a lighter lure is gonna just keep coming out of the top of the water since you are pulling on it from above, you can’t get good action on it.
- This is where you want to throw deep heavy lures on an incoming tide. The water will be flowing towards you allowing you to work the fender and the shadow line.
In the Summer months the big game fish like snook and tarpon are less active here but there are still plenty of sheepshead and mangrove snappers year round. Drop some shrimp from here down by the fenders and pylons for take home, eating fish. - This is basically the same as fishing from down by the bridge on this corner. The difference is you get a nice visual up here and can often sight fish what you want to catch.
Tips
- I’ve had great success running live finger mullet here. If you can net some, free line them out there.
- The easiest place to land a big snook is directly underneath the bridge on the south west side. Its usually got some exposed sand you can hop down to but is never more than a few inches deep right there even at the highest tide.