Venice Inlet is the only fully jettied, stable inlet in Sarasota County — two rock jetties funneling the entire Gulf–ICW exchange past your feet. In 2026 only one side is fishable: the North Jetty (Nokomis) is open with free parking and cleaning stations, while the South Jetty walkway remains closed from hurricane damage. Here’s which side to fish, what’s biting month by month, and how to work the tide.
North jetty vs south jetty — which side?
North. As of July 2026 the North Jetty (North Jetty Park, 1000 Casey Key Rd, Nokomis) is the only walkable jetty at Venice Inlet. The South Jetty walkway at Humphris Park has been closed since 2024 storm damage, with no reopening date.
| North Jetty | South Jetty | |
|---|---|---|
| Status 2026 | OPEN | Walkway CLOSED; parking lot reopened Jan 2025 |
| Managed by | Sarasota County (North Jetty Park) | City of Venice (Humphris Park, west end of Tarpon Center Dr) |
| Amenities | Free parking, restrooms, fish-cleaning stations | None until repaired |
| Damage history | Fish Camp destroyed by Helene/Milton (2024) | Idalia (2023), then Helene and Milton (2024) |
On the south side, the Army Corps of Engineers owes a major-maintenance report in November 2026 that will price the repair; the city is chasing a $15 million federal appropriation behind it. Track it on the City of Venice South Jetty page. Until then, south-side anglers fish the nearby Venice Pier or cross to Nokomis.
Summer weekends fill by mid-morning; fish the dawn tide.
What’s biting at the Venice jetty right now?
July means snook. May through September the jetty rocks hold the thickest concentration of snook in south Sarasota County — catch-and-release only until harvest reopens September 1 — plus mangrove snapper in the rocks and tarpon rolling off the inlet mouth at first light.
For the current week’s picture — water temp, red tide, what’s actually eating — check the Sarasota fishing report and the July 2026 report.
Best tides for the jetties
Moving water or nothing. The jetties concentrate everything the tide pushes through the inlet; slack tide is dead water.
- Incoming tide brings clean, cooler Gulf water — the reliable producer. The last two hours of incoming into the first hour of outgoing is the classic window.
- Outgoing tide flushes bait from Roberts Bay and Lyons Bay past the rocks — strong for snook at dawn and dusk, especially the big summer ebbs after a full or new moon.
- Snook feed on the up-current side of the rocks, facing into the flow. Cast up-current and swing the bait past the tip.
- Pull exact times from NOAA tide predictions and read our tides and currents guide for how the wind bends the schedule.
Fish the last two hours of incoming into the first hour of outgoing.
Species by month
| Months | What’s biting on the rocks |
|---|---|
| Dec–Feb | Sheepshead piled on the jetty rock — the winter headline. Black drum, pompano on the sand edges, bluefish in the channel |
| Mar–Apr | Spanish mackerel run, pompano peak, whiting, bluefish; first snook stirring |
| May–Sep | Snook peak on rising tides (release only through Aug 31), mangrove snapper in the rocks, redfish, tarpon and the odd cobia off the mouth |
| Oct–Nov | Redfish schools, mackerel and bluefish return, flounder on the sand pockets, last strong snook tides |
One regulatory wrinkle: the FWC’s snook management zones split near this inlet — Gulf and Southwest zone dates differ. Check the FWC snook page before keeping a fall fish, and see our licenses guide — unlike a pier, the jetty has no blanket license, so standard shore-fishing rules apply (free shoreline license for Florida residents).
Rigs & bait for the jetty
- Snook: live whitebait or a big shrimp, free-lined or under a float on 30–40 lb fluorocarbon leader — the rocks eat light leader. At night, work a white paddletail or flair hawk jig along the shadow line. Live bait mechanics apply, just heavier.
- Sheepshead (winter): live shrimp or fiddler crab on a 1/0 hook, split shot, dropped vertically against the rock. Scrape barnacles to start a chum line.
- Mackerel and bluefish: silver spoon or Gotcha plug, fast retrieve, long cast into the channel. A short trace of 40 lb mono saves lures.
- Pompano: pink or chartreuse pompano jig hopped along the sand on either side of the rocks — classic jigging water.
- Snapper: knocker rig, small shrimp chunk, straight down in the rocks.
Nearest bait: Nokomis Beach Bait & Tackle on Casey Key Road for the north side (the old North Jetty Fish Camp was destroyed in the 2024 storms), and the Crow’s Nest Marina ship’s store at the inlet’s south side sells live and frozen bait at the fuel dock. More options in the bait and tackle directory.
Parking & access
- North Jetty Park, 1000 Casey Key Rd, Nokomis: free lot, restrooms, fish-cleaning stations. Summer weekends fill by mid-morning — dawn tide, easy parking. The drive down Casey Key Road is worth the trip alone.
- South side: the Humphris Park lot is open but leads nowhere for anglers until the walkway is rebuilt. The 700-ft, free, 24/7 Venice Fishing Pier at Brohard Park is the working south-side alternative.
- Footing: the jetty rocks are uneven and slick at the waterline. Closed shoes with grip; watch the wakes — boat traffic through the inlet is constant and the swash comes over low rocks on a big tide.
- By kayak: Lyons Bay and Dona Bay launches put you on the inside of the inlet — see kayak fishing launches.
Closed shoes with grip — the rocks are slick at the waterline.
FAQ
Is the Venice south jetty open in 2026? No. The walkway has been closed since the 2024 hurricanes. The parking lot reopened January 2025, but there’s no reopening date; a federal repair report is due November 2026.
Do you need a fishing license on the Venice jetty? Yes — jetties follow shore-fishing rules, not pier rules. Florida residents need the free shoreline license; non-residents need a regular saltwater license.
Can you keep snook at the Venice jetty? Not in summer — harvest is closed May 1 through August 31. When it reopens September 1, mind the slot and the Gulf/Southwest zone boundary near the inlet; check FWC before keeping a fish.
When is the best time to fish the Venice jetty? The last two hours of incoming tide, at dawn or dusk. Winter for sheepshead, May–September for snook, spring and fall for the mackerel runs.
Is there bait for sale at the North Jetty? Not on-site since the 2024 storms took the Fish Camp. Nokomis Beach Bait & Tackle on Casey Key Road is the closest stop; Crow’s Nest Marina covers the Venice side.
Related
The jetties are one piece of the inlet system — see passes and inlets for how Venice Inlet compares to Big Pass and Stump Pass, and surf and shore fishing for the beaches on either side. Town-level intel lives at Venice and Casey Key, and the fishing piers guide covers the Venice Pier fallback while the south jetty stays closed.
