I often wonder how it feels to fish off a boat in the Florida Keys since I live here, but I don't have time or the money to do that.
So what's the next best thing?
Fishing off the bridges. Now, I'm no expert about bridge fishing, but I do catch a few fish here and there including a few sharks, tarpon, and snappers. Here are my FIVE techniques to help you out if you want to try your hand at bridge fishing.
FIVE TECHNIQUES FOR BRIDGE FISHING
1. Fish Facing the FLOW of the Water
I drop my line straight down and let the line run underneath the bridge. The reason is that fish love the structure of the bridge which provide shelter from the strong current and you'll catch more fish this way.
2. 1 Hour After Sunrise and 1 Hour Before Sunset
I've tried fishing all day and I've found out the best time when fish are biting are an hour after and prior to sunset.
3. Use the Right Bait
This is very important. Fresh bait like live shrimp works wonders, try it sometime. I stay away from frozen shrimp because they break apart easily. But, if you've no choice, they should work okay. Another bait many people use is squid. Now I like squid because they stay on your hook well, however, you'll catch everything in the sea including trash fish like pinfish. If you're planning to go out later on a boat, that's perfectly fine to catch pinfish, otherwise, it's rather problematic. My favorite and a little secret is using sardine. I catch the best fish using sardine. Not a lot of people use it, but that's our little secret.
4. Use the Right Bait Size
Remember this important tip. The bigger the bait, the bigger the fish. Also note, if you use bait that's too big, just remember, you might have to wait a long time also. Patience is always key.
5. Use the Right Type of Hooks
I use circle hooks but have recently found out that bait hooks work so much better especially for delicious fish like Snappers (mangrove, yellowtail, etc).
And there you have it. :-) My favorite techniques for catching Snappers and Groupers when you're out there on the bridge. Using this technique, I've also caught amberjacks, sharks, eels, catfish, and a plethora of other ocean fish.
From and avid experimental fisherman, Good Luck!
