Fishing Forum - Tampa Bay Area Fishing Report

Tampa Bay Area Fishing Report Captain Charles Walker 6/2/02 If you want to go fishing you can expect a real mixed bag now and for the next couple of months. Tarpon, barracuda, jacks, straggler kings, Spanish mackerel, bonita, shark, grouper, snapper, and grunts. There are lots of fish offshore if you are willing to look for them and fish for whatever bites instead of trying to target a specific species. Live bait will be available for most of the summer although it may be hard to find with our current shortage brought on by massive overfishing efforts by the purse seiners over the last twenty years. Dead bait will work on many of the bottom fish offshore and rigged baits and lures will work for most of the pelagics, but live is always preferred if you can get plenty of it. On to the bait house reports: Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – The flats have gotten much better this week. Several cobia have been brought by the shop. Spanish mackerel are biting well and mangrove snapper are starting to bite well. Lots of tarpon are around, even the juveniles are up the river. It seems more redfish are biting south of us around Joe’s Island. Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – Some cobia finally moved into the area and are biting on pinfish around the big bridge. Trout and reds are biting on the flats and in the grass up to the creek. Bonnie’s Bait and Tackle in Clearwater - 727-446-2772- Lots of reds and trout are biting around Caladesi Island. It seems that snook are everywhere and biting just about anything that you put in front of their nose. Tarpon are being jumped frequently around Hurricane Pass. Lots of Spanish mackerel are being caught just off the beach in Clearwater and south. Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Lots of mangrove snapper are biting around the bridge. Spanish mackerel are in the channel and taking everything thrown in the water. Black drum are around both bridges and biting best on half blue crabs. Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- Surprisingly quite a few kings have been brought in from offshore this week. Spanish mackerel are biting well off the beach and grouper are coming in from 100 feet or better. Some reds and trout have been caught in the ICW behind the store. Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- Grouper are coming in from 70 feet of water and deeper. Spanish mackerel are being caught just off the beach. Reds and trout are biting on the inside flats and up the ICW. Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Our offshore boats have been bringing in some nice grouper and lots of grunts and snapper. Spanish mackerel are being caught off the seawall and lots of mangrove snapper are around our gas dock. The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Kingfish, Spanish mackerel, shark, bonita, grouper, sting ray, tarpon, mangrove snapper, and more have been brought over the rails this week. The midday sun has been hot and the tide slow the last few days, but the fishing has been good. Folks, feel free to call any of the places in my report for more information, and be sure to tell them that you read about the fishing in their area in Capt. Charlie’s fishing report on the Internet. If you want more information about fishing in the Tampa Bay area or wish to book a charter, simply e-mail me at captchas@flfish.com or if you wish to arrange a charter faster, call me at 727-546-7257. Be sure and visit my web site for lots more Tampa Bay Area fishing info at: http://www.floridasaltwater.com . Good fishing and tight lines, Capt. Charlie http://www.flfish.com/fl Capt. Charlie Walker http://www.flfish.com