Grand Canal is a Canal located in Miami-Dade County, FL. Starting in the Grand Canal flows 6.1 miles. The Grand Canal has an elevation of 3 feet. Find maps, fishing guides and recreation info at Guidesly.

About The Grand Canal, FL

The Grand Canal is a network of man-made canals located at the northern part of Siesta Key off the southwest coast in Florida. It is about ten miles long and gets most of its water supply via a single inlet from the northern part of Roberts Bay. The network of canals is made primarily to create a waterfront residential community. It also provides homeowners with easy access to the bay and, therefore, the Gulf of Mexico. While most of the shorelines are made out of concrete, some mangrove areas are still left in their natural state. These unaltered areas are known to support a wide array of wildlife, including wading and migratory birds, manatees, dolphins, shellfish, and numerous fish species.      

The first part of the canal—from the inlet to the heart-shaped inner loop surrounding the Palm Island—was constructed in 1945 at the onset of the residential development on Siesta Keys. Within the next couple of decades, more homes were constructed, and with it, a network of canals was extended throughout the northern part of the island. An advanced water treatment plant was also put up to make sure the quality of water within the canal is kept uncontaminated by the wastewater that comes from the households.    

All About Fishing In The Grand Canal, FL

The Grand Canal is connected to Roberts Bay, which is one of the popular fishing spots in the area. This means that most of the fish species anglers can find and, thus, catch in the bay can also be found and caught in the network of canals inland. The unaltered mangrove spots, for instance, are known to support a massive population of different fish species including snook, snapper, tarpon, redfish, ladyfish, and Jack among many others. Of course, if you go farther inland, most of the fish you can find there are freshwater fish species such as trout, sunfish, and largemouth bass. Keep in mind, though, that although it’s still possible to catch something large farther inland, most fish that can be caught here are quite small.

Fishing in the Grand Canal can be done in a variety of ways. One can easily catch a fish straight off the banks using a simple gear setup of a 7' rod with 10-15lb braided line and a 3-5 foot long 15lb fluorocarbon leader. One can also try baitcasting or fly fishing as both are known to be quite effective in fishing the waters of the canal. The water level often varies depending on the tide and weather, which means the presentation of lures and baits may also vary. Although artificial lures are said to be quite effective, live baits will work best in these canals.

Last but not least, keep in mind that most of the areas in this network of canals are within a residential community. So make sure that you are either fishing on public property or you have permission to cast your line from private land.      

Fishing Seasonality

Florida is the Sunshine State for a reason. This means that one can pretty much fish here anytime they want—except, of course, if the weather is bad. But then again, even if you can fish here all year round, anglers must always consider the water temperature as it can greatly affect how you can effectively present your bait. Extremely low or high temperatures, for instance, make fish move sluggishly. This means that a slow methodical approach will work best in catching a fish. Moderate temperatures, on the other hand, make fish move and react faster so a rapid approach can produce more.

Fishing Seasonality

Florida is the Sunshine State for a reason. This means that one can pretty much fish here anytime they want—except, of course, if the weather is bad. But then again, even if you can fish here all year round, anglers must always consider the water temperature as it can greatly affect how you can effectively present your bait. Extremely low or high temperatures, for instance, make fish move sluggishly. This means that a slow methodical approach will work best in catching a fish. Moderate temperatures, on the other hand, make fish move and react faster so a rapid approach can produce more.

All About Fishing In The Grand Canal, FL

The Grand Canal is connected to Roberts Bay, which is one of the popular fishing spots in the area. This means that most of the fish species anglers can find and, thus, catch in the bay can also be found and caught in the network of canals inland. The unaltered mangrove spots, for instance, are known to support a massive population of different fish species including snook, snapper, tarpon, redfish, ladyfish, and Jack among many others. Of course, if you go farther inland, most of the fish you can find there are freshwater fish species such as trout, sunfish, and largemouth bass. Keep in mind, though, that although it’s still possible to catch something large farther inland, most fish that can be caught here are quite small.

Fishing in the Grand Canal can be done in a variety of ways. One can easily catch a fish straight off the banks using a simple gear setup of a 7' rod with 10-15lb braided line and a 3-5 foot long 15lb fluorocarbon leader. One can also try baitcasting or fly fishing as both are known to be quite effective in fishing the waters of the canal. The water level often varies depending on the tide and weather, which means the presentation of lures and baits may also vary. Although artificial lures are said to be quite effective, live baits will work best in these canals.

Last but not least, keep in mind that most of the areas in this network of canals are within a residential community. So make sure that you are either fishing on public property or you have permission to cast your line from private land.