Fishing Forum - Tampa Bay Area Fishing Report

Tampa Bay Area Fishing Report Captain Charles Walker 8/11/02 I haven’t had the opportunity to go fishing this week, but from all reports the Bay is the place to fish. Grouper, mangrove snapper, Lane snapper, and Spanish mackerel are being caught around the ship’s channel from Egmont up to Apollo Beach. Another good option for fishing next week would be around the Skyway and the Gandy Bridge for pompano. If you prefer live bait get a bucket of fiddler crabs and sand fleas or for you artificial lovers get a bunch of Doc’s jigs and star working the bridges. Don’t forget that the Coast guard has closed off any fishing under the big bridge, but you can still fish around the Skyway Pier reefs if you avoid the pier fishermen. On to the bait house reports: Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 - Reds have been biting well early in the morning and late in the afternoon and it seems they are schooling up a little early. Lots of mangrove snapper are coming in from the channel and it seems the outgoing tide is the best. Quite a few tarpon are being caught, mostly juveniles, in the mouth of the river. Snook are biting well around the spoil island at Port Manatee. Lots of lane snapper have been caught this year in the ship’s channel. Spanish mackerel are still biting inside the Bay. Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Pompano and permit, mangrove snapper, and a few black drum have been caught at the bridge this week. Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- Spanish mackerel are biting off the beach this week. Some tarpon are rolling and snook are biting in the Pass. Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- The grouper that we have seen have come mostly from 120 feet and deeper. Trollers have been catching dolphin and wahoo 50 miles plus. Lots of weedlines are offshore so the Loop Tournament nest week should be good. Snook fishing is hot on the bridge here at night. The docks in the area are producing trout and snook. Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Our offshore boats have been coming in with a few grouper, lots of grunts, trigger fish and some mangrove snapper. Our gas dock has produced some nice mangrove snapper and Spanish mackerel this week. The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Lots of beautiful pompano are coming in this week. Spanish mackerel, bluefish, trout, stingrays and sharks have been coming in this week. A lot of 24 to 28 inch grouper have been brought in this week and a few big snook have been caught and released. 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