Just a forewarning to the Indian Rocks crews there is a beach replenishment operation going on at Indian Rocks. There is a huge pipe running down the beach as far as I can see both directions from my spot. Dozers are parked where my pipes are dug in and there's construction netting pretty much roping off my usual spot. Question is: How will this affect the spot? Water is muddy as hell right now and I usually see schools of bait being chased up on the beach by Ladyfish and jacks, and see rays and stuff. Yesterday I didn't see ANY signs of ANY sea life. Not even sandfleas (mole crabs) or even the lil clam looking guys that dig when you pick up a handful of wet sand. No birds, no bait, no rays, etc. Think you get the point. Well how long will these jerks on dozers be tearing up my spot? And do you think it will still effect the spot after they leave? 
Looks like I'll be moving my operations into the bay, just unsure where as of yet. Ive been all over "google earth" looking at satt imagery looking for Deeper grass flats and deep holes but Im undecided where to give it a shot.
The beach replenishment usually destroys colonies of sand fleas (and who knows what else, probably many other crustaceans.) Dumping all that sand on top of the colonies seems to just bury them alive. This is turn sends the whiting and pomp looking elsewhere for food - probably Rays too. Then the larger fish that feed on fish like whiting & pomp leave ... you get the picture. The food chain is totally disturbed. I'm not against beach replenishment. I just wonder how long it takes after the replenishment for the beach to come back to full life again. Sorry it's jacking up your shark fishing.
I was figuring it would throw off the food chain, thats why I pointed out the lack of sandfleas and such, but I too am wondering for how long? Hell, should I dig a crapload of sandfleas elsewhere and relocate them there?! 
. Just to speed things from the bottom up? I was joking, but if I thought it would help Id try it. Kind of my only beach spot I like to fish. I hit the St.Pete Pier tnight with no luck. May try Northshore (a lil beach on the bay) soon i get chased round those grassflats by big Bonnetheads every time I gig rays there maybe their big brothers are around too.
From what I've seen with beach replacement at Palm island like 10 years ago it destroys a fishery big time. I havent caught a snook, trout, whiting, etc. since they did the replacement. It went from being a fish on every cast to absolutely nothing and its like 10 years later now. Shark fishing took a while to somewhat come back. When I was a youngster I didn't go for big sharks but the little ones up to 5' would hit all night long. Now you can't even catch a catfish and its a good night if you get just 1 run. We've been doin good this year since we put in our time fishing and been getting some nice sharks. We just gotta put a ton of time into fishing. Definately ain't like the east coast over here.
With IRB I imagine it will come back just give it time. All that beach in the tampa bay area is fake already and the fishery is good so I imagine they'll come back. Try old tampa bay in the meantime... shouldn't be far from you and lots of bulls.
I've been trying to figure out a spot on the bay but everywhere I can think of is a Trout and Redfish hole (all grassflats) Except the St. Pete Pier and I've sat all night past 3 trips with not a single run. I know the Bulls are there but they just don't seem to want to play right now for some reason or another. I'm almost about to just break down and Shark fish off of my canoe but don't really wanna be towed all over the bay by a pissed off Bull and end up dumping my gear and swimming with em. I've had Tarpon tow a 19.5ft boat around, some of them miles, I'm pretty sure I go for one crazy ride with even just a big tipper let alone a decent Bull. Idk though, I've been on google earth looking for the deeper flats but just cant decide where to try next.
I use to fish venice just south of the jetties with alot of success in the cut that ran along the beach and emptied at the jetties. there was a sand bar about 50 yards off the beach that created a perfect deep gulley for large fish to push bait up against the shore. then they decided to re do the beach several times and it is now just a desert wasteland. the large drums, redfish, and jacks that use to frequent the area and attract decent sharks are long gone as are the sharks. its a shame. it totally ruins everything. I would compare it to having a large patch of your favorite deer hunting timber being logged.
Shilty11, That's super interesting. Would u consider that beach & Jetties as dead for shark fishing in its current state? The reason I ask is that I considered that spot to shark fish & would hate to waste my time. Thx, Snookcatcher1
I wouldnt say dead as someone caught a giant tiger about a half mile out off the jetty this summer but it definitely is different. I'm not sure if the sandbars have returned to the way they were but for awhile it was just a steady flat decline out to ocean floor (sandbar destroyed). if this is till the case i dont see why any large sharks would be drawn into the shallower water. however, it dropped off quite a bit behind the sandbars so they may still be in the deeper water not too far from land. i just miss the days of large feeding frenzys on balls of bait pushed against the beach. i remember being pulled around by the largest jack ive ever seen on my kayak for an hour after it nearly spooled me on land during one of these frenzies. i would drop a bait in the cut just in front of the sandbar and to many of the vacationers dismay i hooked most of my large sharks right off the beach. if you give it a try let me know the results! i wouldnt mind heading back down to stay at the quarterdeck and get some fishing in if it has returned.
however the jetties still hold their fair share of large snook and such. I wouldnt count it out as a place that could recover if the ocean floor returned to its natural state. there were just too many fish for it not to.
however, it [depth] dropped off quite a bit behind the sandbars so they [Sharks] may still be in the deeper water not too far from land. i just miss the days of large feeding frenzys on balls of bait pushed against the beach... i would drop a bait in the cut just in front of the sandbar and to many of the vacationers dismay i hooked most of my large sharks right off the beach.
Thanks very much for the reply!!!
I know this is obvious ... but I am still amazed by guys who tell me that on the West Coast they are dropping baits and getting BIG FISH just before or after the sandbar (usually just one bar on our West Coast) - 50 yards or less from the shore line. That is so exciting when you think about how close those BIG sharks are coming in. It also gives me hope that the smaller reels can land decent sharks due to not losing capacity on a long drop.
When you fished in the Winter in Venice did you drop short distances too or further out to get the sandbars?
If I make it out to the Venice Jetties, I'll take a look at that beach & see first if that sand bar is returning. You're right that that bar is a big part of how these West Coast beaches work! I'm wondering if the Jetties are any good for sharking - floating out a bait on a balloon? Will boat traffic mess that up?
I always did one in the cut and two on the other side of the sandbar. In the winter time there wasn't much of a pattern for the tippers. Never caught any sandbars or anything else in the winter. Ive seen guys balloon for macks off the jetty but never seen anyone shark fish and neither have I. Theres a pretty steady flow of boat traffic and I'm sure a shark near the surface would most likely get cut off by a boat. I would avoid this potential ****storm and just go a few hundred yards down the beach. A shark near the jetty will find your bait if he's hungry.
FYI im talking about the south side.
Shilty11 - Yes the South side.
Thanks for all the helpful info and thought. I'm following you with sharking on the Jetties. Makes a lot of sense.
Has anyone had any luck with winter shark fishing at Sharky's Pier in Venice?