The Wandering Disciple

A bad day fishing is better than a good day working, right.  Nah, there are no bad days fishing.  A popular spot to fish on the Gulf Coast is the Venice Fishing Pier.  Extending 700 feet into the Gulf, the pier is not only a great place to drop a line, it is also a great place to catch a sunset or grab a bite to eat at Sharky's on the Pier.  (Photo: January 2, 2011)

The Venice Pier extends into the Gulf of Mexico by the popular Sharky's at the Pier restaurant.  The 700 foot pier is a popular place to cast a line and wait for a fish or to sit back and enjoy the Florida sunset.  (Photo: April 14, 2013)

Venice, Florida: After a long hiatus from fishing, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather and go fishing. We decided on the Venice Pier for today's trip. We picked up two dozen live shrimp at the pier and headed out to fish. We picked a spot mid-point on the pier and went to work. It was a very slow day on the pier, while I am used to us not really catching anything, but others around us were not having any luck either. We did catch a juvenile Crevalle Jack, a Lizardfish and a crab. While fishing, we watched a pod off dolphins playing on both sides of the pier for much of the afternoon. Since we were not having much luck at the pier, we decided to head to the South Jetty and try our luck there. We had a lot more success there. While we didn't catch a bunch, we had plenty of hits on our remaining bait. At the Jetty, we caught a Mangrove Snapper, Gag Grouper and an unidentified fish. We also observed some Snook near the seawall in which my Dad hooked...

Extending into the Gulf of Mexico, the Venice Pier is a popular fishing spot. Extending 700 feet into the Gulf, the pier is a great place to catch mackerel, flounder, pompano and even shark. In addition to great fishing, the pier is a popular spot to watch the evening sunset. (Photo: January 2, 2011)

Venice, Florida: Located in the Shark’s Tooth Capital of the World, it is only fitting that fishermen are drawn to Venice to try and hook one of these predators of the sea. The abundance of sharks in the region and their close proximity to the beach make fishing popular here and the Venice Fishing Pier is one of the hot spots where thousands flock each year to try and bring in the big one. Built 1966, the Venice Fishing Pier extends 700 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. Located on the south end of the island near Venice Municipal Airport, the pier is part of the City of Venice’s park system. The pier was almost lost for good in 2000 when rough seas caused by Hurricane Gordon tore off the end of the pier. Repairs were made to the pier and the newly renovated pier later reopened to the public. There is a small bait shop located on the pier. They offer live and frozen bait, limited tackle, equipment rental, drinks and snacks. For a full meal, Sharky’s on the Pier is located at the base...