05-06-2001, 10:06 PM
Tampa Bay Area <br>Fishing Report<br>Captain Charles Walker<br>5/6/01<br>If you like to sail you’d love our weather; sunny, comfortable temperature, and windy. That’s all we’ve had for most of the year so far. On the days that we could get out far enough offshore we’ve been able to catch a few fish. Amberjack, barracuda, shark, bonito and others that are mostly fun to catch and release, but some people want fresh fish fillets and will take some home as well. The netters have finally collapsed the king mackerel fishery on this side of the state again, just as they did in 1978, so the kings that are being caught are mostly small even though you can catch a few that are over the 24” minimum size limit. They are not hanging around the area because there’s no bait for them to feed on so they just swim through without stopping on their way to the northern Gulf where they will stay and grow up during the summer. One day soon, the winds should die down and fall into our summer pattern so we can go fishing daily again and then maybe we’ll find a few grouper willing to commit suicide and decorate the dinner plate for us.<br>On to the bait house reports:<br><br>Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325- Snook and reds were biting well before the front on Thursday and will start biting again this coming week, barring another front. Small tarpon are in the river and producing a lot of action on light tackle. Some nice flounder have been coming in form the Simmons Park area. Grouper have been caught in the channel this week by angler braving the wind and trolling the edges.<br>Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – Trout and reds have been caught around the big bridge this week. Snook are still being caught around the floodgates. Most of the fish that are being caught up here are biting live shrimp.<br>Bonnie’s Bait and Tackle in Clearwater - 727-446-2772- Doc’s Jigs tipped with shrimp are bringing in whiting and pompano from the swash channels on the beach. Some cobia are coming in from Anclote as are reds and trout on the inside. A few nice grouper have been caught this week in 35 feet of water out of John’s Pass on live pinfish. Lots of redfish in the too-large size have been caught on the artificial reefs off Indian Rocks beach and a lot of large trout have been caught in this area. <br>Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- The winds have been brutal this week but some nice pompano and Spanish mackerel have been coming in from the Bridge. Speckled trout have been consistent in the residential canals and the bayous on this side of the Bay.<br>Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- Some snook and large trout have been coming in from the Redington Long Pier at night. On the inside, trout and reds are biting live baits around the docks in the ICW. <br>The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Lots of silver trout, Spanish mackerel, and permit have been coming this week. On the south side, some cobia, Spanish mackerel, grouper, and a few pompano have been caught this week.<br><br>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.<br><br>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 .<br><br>Good fishing and tight lines,<br>Capt. Charlie<br>http://www.flfish.com/fl<br><br><br><br>Capt. Charlie Walker<br>http://www.flfish.com