Fishing Forum - Tampa Bay area Fishing Report

Tampa Bay Area Fishing Report Captain Charles Walker 4/15/01 The water temperature has been rising steadily over the last couple of weeks to almost 75 degrees offshore this weekend. The bait situation has not really improved though and it takes sometimes over and hour to get enough to fish for the day. I saw a few small schools of greenbacks offshore on Saturday, but as soon as they combine into large enough schools and the spotter pilots for the purse seiners see them, they’ll be netted and we’ll be right back where we started. King mackerel fishing is still spotty this season, but there are some out there on the wrecks and in the ship’s channel, but without lots of baitfish to hold them here, they will be driving up the coast to greener pastures real quick. We did manage to run into some amberjacks and a few grouper this past week. I finally saw my first barracuda of the season as well but he wouldn’t take any of the baits we offered. With temperatures rising steadily, I expect to see our normal influx of sharks following the stingrays any day now and they will produce some fun catch and release action. On to the bait house reports: Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325- Snook are in every hole out there now. Grouper, snapper and cobia fishing are picking up. Reds and trout are really rocking now on the flats. The bait has not shown up on the flats yet, but there is some to be found around the Skyway. Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – Cobia have moved into the area this week and a few have been caught along the causeway and at the flood gates. Snook are showing up at Fish Creek. Whiting are being caught in good numbers this week even with the warmer waters. Bonnie’s Bait and Tackle in Clearwater - 727-446-2772- Kings are being caught off the beach in good numbers this week, some in the thirties and lots of small ones. Trout and reds are biting inshore. Snook are being caught in the Pass and around the bridges. If you’re not catching fish, you’re not fishing! Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- Pompano are showing up off the beach for anglers using Doc’s Goofy Jigs. Whiting are still around and kings are still around the offshore wrecks. Snook are being caught off the beach now, as are reds and trout. Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- Grouper are pretty picky this week and most of them have been coming in from far offshore. Mangrove snapper are biting offshore on many reefs. Snook are biting well around the dock. Tarpon are starting to show in the area now. Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Spanish mackerel are being caught off our dock and the seawall. Pompano are being caught off the jetty. Grouper have been coming in from our gas dock. Our offshore boats are bringing in king mackerel and mangrove snapper. The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Lots of Spanish mackerel, some kingfish, cobia, and some grouper have been caught this week on both ends of the bridge. The blacktips showed up on the south end pier along with some tarpon this week. 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