Fishing piers and shore in March (Edgewater: live, license, to eat)

[kyjake39]

Will be staying in PC the month of March,looking to catch a few fish to eat and would like to have some tips on what might be around.Will be bringing a good collection of **** and twister tails and a few other lures.If Spanish or blues are around will bring bubble rigs.Any advise will be helpful and appreciated.

[MikMal]

I'm too new to the P.C area to give you any advice, other than check out Fishin' Frank's web site for reports and places to fish. This (City-Data) is a pretty active site, so I'm guessing you'll get some pretty good advice here. Good luck!

[PatSea]

I'm a snowbird who started to learn about saltwater fishing about 4 years ago. I fish the canals and most of us use live or frozen shrimp. sSems like most fish like shrimp.
I would second the recommendation for FISHIN FRANK'S in Port Chjarlotte. The first year down here I went to Fishin Frank's, explained that I was a saltwater newbie. They were very helpful to get me started. They recommended the tackle to use and I walked out of there with about $20 worth of tackle to start. They were very helpful, and I keep going back to them for my supplies. Good people!

[kyjake39]

Thanks for the replies.I have been keeping up with Fishin Franks blog and reports for a couple weeks,very good information if one were boat fishing but not as helpful from the shore or piers.Fished saltwater quite a bit but never in that area or at this time of the year.Didn't know one could fish the canals as they seem to be private property along side them.Are any of the piers or shoreline along the bay-river producing anything?

[vacoder]

I'm on the other side of the harbor in PG and have done some canal fishing. I've caught red fish, snook, mangrove snapper, gag grouper, jacks, bream and sheepshead to name a few. I've seen others hook tarpon, drum and cobia. So there is a pretty good variety of fish you can get from shore. I haven't used the piers. PG has three; Lashley, Gilchrist and Ponce De Leon. The one at Ponce always seems to have the most anglers. Live shrimp is the most popular bait. Lures I have the most luck with are Gulps and DOA's.

[HarborRat]

Go to Fishin' Frank's and click on "maps of where to go fishing" in the upper right, then click "pier fishing". The website has a lot more than blogs and reports but you have to look around.

Last March I did great on snook, redfish, trout and ladyfish in areas that you 'could' reach by land. Probably a little early for macks and don't count on any blues. Topwaters like floating Rapalas (small) were my best performers. If you get into thick ladyfish switch over to a single hook curly tail *** to make unhooking easier...and there should be some trout mixed in.

I'd say the better spots from shore aren't the piers. Most of the bridges over the small canals have areas to park...fish under the bridges....Edgewater Rd bridges are a good place to start.

edit...hehe, it won't let us say j.i.g.

[kyjake39]

Will stop in at Fishing Frank's store,get some license and information to keep me out of trouble.I only do a saltwater license and wondering how far up the canals that is considered saltwater.Will be driving a car and can't find room for the pinfish trap but will bring a cast net and hopefully find some place to catch bait.