02-16-2003, 11:27 PM
Tampa Bay Area
Fishing Report Captain Charles Walker
2/16/03
This entire winter has been one for the books. Cold, windy, rainy, and generally crummy fishing weather most of the last few months. Finally the light is at the end of the tunnel though (I think), and we should see the fronts slowing down and the water temperature rising. Quite a few inshore fishermen made it out last week and did really well from all reports. A few offshore boats went out, got beat up, caught a few fish, and came home. I’ll wait for the weather to get nice enough so I don’t get beat up when I go out there, but I’m really chomping at the bit to go right now.
On to the bait house reports:
Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – Reds have really picked up this week around Port Manatee flats in the afternoon. Sheepshead are still biting well and some nice mangrove snapper have started to bite this week in the channel. We’ve seen a lot of trout coming through the store this week.
Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – Reds and trout are around the big bridge this week. Live shrimp and Love’s Lures are the best baits. Some nice sheepshead are biting all along the Causeway on fiddler crabs and sand fleas.
Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Trout are biting well near the bridge on an incoming tide. Reds are all around the flats now and some snook are starting to bite. Silver trout and whiting are in the channel and biting well. Mangroves started to show up this week as well.
Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- The inshore guys are catching a lot of trout this week. Offshore, grouper are biting well in 50 feet or so, but most days have been really brutal because of the winds.
Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Our offshore boats that have been able to get out this week have been getting grouper, mangrove snapper, and plenty of grunts. Sheepshead are biting well on the gas dock along with some whiting and the occasional flounder.
The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Sea bass, silver trout, whiting, stingrays, sharks, and sheepshead have all been caught this week. A few Spanish mackerel have shown up and some greenbacks are starting to school up around the bridges, but we need a little more warm temperature to break everything loose.
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: [url "http://www.floridasaltwater.com/"][#0000ff]http://www.floridasaltwater.com[/#0000ff][/url] .
Good fishing and tight lines,
Capt. Charlie
http://www.flfish.com
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