Anyone hunt Sand Key???

[tri trackers]

Hi. I am a newbie. Just got my Tiger Shark. Looking to go to Sand Key. Can you MD there? Anywhere in Pinellas that you can MD in the water??

 

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[willie d]

I hunted Sand Key Park (dry sand) a few years back around new years. I'm pretty sure you still can. You can hunt the water at most of the beaches I would imagine.

 

[tri trackers]

Per one of the other threads I guess the waters at Fort DeSoto are off limits. I do have my lifetime permit for the beaches but would really love to do some water hunting this weekend. The family wanted to go to Sand Key and do some skimming. Thought I would pass my time with the MD.

Thanks
Mac

 

[flotsam]

Didn't they find a Spanish shipwreck when they built the bridge?

 

[godisnum1]

Per one of the other threads I guess the waters at Fort DeSoto are off limits. I do have my lifetime permit for the beaches but would really love to do some water hunting this weekend. The family wanted to go to Sand Key and do some skimming. Thought I would pass my time with the MD.

Thanks
Mac

Mac,
According to Fort DeSoto's rules, the water's off limits. But honestly, I doubt a park ranger there would call you out on it if you were out in the water, say, at North Beach around all those people. In fact, I don't see them on the beaches much. But if you went to detect on the land past the dunes, that's a different story.

Really, I think the rules are similar at any beach on our coast (from the dunes to the tide line.) BUT, I don't think they are enforced at all... except for on the ritzy snobby beaches. But St. Pete Beach, Treasure Island, Madeira, Redington, and Indian Rocks should all be fair game for ya' if you just wanna get out and relax & detect in the surf some. In fact, come to think of it, there was a husband & wife couple detecting in the water behind the hotels at the North End of St Pete Beach this past Summer!

You should be fine in most places though...

Bran <><

 

[bradyboy]

goog info, thanks.
Im from this area in pinellas county

 

[godisnum1]

Cool bradyboy... my ex lives over in the Clearwater/Largo area.
I'll be down in St. Pete for the Summer in about 3 weeks!! 8)

Bran <><

 

[G.I.B.]

The beaches are open for hunting, in the water, with the exception of State Parks (Fort Desoto) and archaeological sites (Egmont/Anclote Key)

When you go into Desoto to get your free MD permit you agree to stay out of the water.

Why someone would intentionally violate that rule and put our hobby into jeopardy... That kind of activity will simply get the park to closed all MD'ing. Please don't violate the park rules, the rest of us want to continue to hunt the beach there.

As far as the other public beaches go in Pinellas County, your good to go. Have a great time, shuffle your feet for the sting rays and enjoy the hunt.

 

[tri trackers]

Thanks GuyInBack,

I have my permit for Fort DeSoto. I haven't been in the water there (don't plan to). I have gone to some other Pinellas beaches during the day. I like to use my metal detector when my daughter is skimming or surfing. I usually don't see any metal detectorist out there when I'm there. Just wondering as long as I am not TH'ing over top of the beach goers will I give TH'ing a bad name going during the middle of the day? Most people just say what did you get? and I show them the pull tabs & beertops and tell them I am cleaning up the beach!! HaHa!!

Mac

 

[bradyboy]

Godisnum1
Hey there, Have fun, weather is awesome at this time.
You should have been here a couple weeks ago, spring breaker love to get loaded and loose their stuff on the beaches in the area.
Best of luck
Brady

 

[godisnum1]

Godisnum1
Hey there, Have fun, weather is awesome at this time.
You should have been here a couple weeks ago, spring breaker love to get loaded and loose their stuff on the beaches in the area.
Best of luck
Brady

I was there last month for Spring Break, but our smart Bible College likes to let us off on a week that doesn't match anyone else's Spring Break.
Go figure. I had fun with friends though and did alot of detecting, but all the normal Spring Breakers hadn't been down there yet.
Maybe I can pick back up some of that stuff over the Summer time.

Bran <><