04-09-2001, 06:42 PM
Tampa Bay Area <br>Fishing Report<br>Captain Charles Walker<br>4/8/01<br>WOW!!!!!!! What a week this has been. The winds finally quit blowing on Wednesday and every day after that through the weekend was fabulous. There were plenty of small kings that would bite any spoon or live bait thrown in the water. One small tournament on Saturday was won with a 47 pound king! Now that’s a worthwhile fish. My trips this week were really great with plenty of kingfish action on light tackle and lots of grouper brought to the boat. Now if only the bait would show up so the game fish would hang around long enough to provide us with some real action.<br>On to the bait house reports:<br>Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325- Fishing is really taking off. The snook are here, but the greenbacks have disappeared. Reds are on the flats and in jumbo sizes. Trout are all over the place and will hit nearly any plug thrown at them as long as it looks like a minnow. Grouper are coming in from the ship’s channel.<br>Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – Lots of whiting and trout have been caught at the bridges this week. Snook are still residing at the flood gates. Sheepshead are biting well on crabs, blood worms, and pieces of shrimp.<br>Bonnie’s Bait and Tackle in Clearwater - 727-446-2772- Grouper are biting from thirty feet on out. Kings are biting for just everybody that throws live bait in the water. Trout and reds are on the flats all over the ICW From Clearwater to Anclote. Lots of big permit seem to be on several of the offshore wrecks this week. Some cobia have been caught in the vicinity of the Clearwater Bridge. <br>Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Snook have been biting well around the mangroves, but they are a little small right now. Reds are all around the oyster bars at Weedon Island. Pompano have shown up at odd times around the bridge. Sheepshead are slowing down this week and it’s time for the mangrove snapper to move in now.<br>Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- Blackfin tuna are showing up around the anchored shrimp boats offshore. Kings and Spanish mackerel are just offshore in pretty fair numbers this weekend. Grouper are biting in the 40 to 70 foot depths this week. Inshore, the snook are biting well on the outgoing tide.<br>Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Pompano and Spanish mackerels are biting at the jetty on the Gulf side. Spanish mackerel have been coming in from our gas dock this weekend. The pier anglers are also catching mangrove snapper and sheepshead at our gas dock this week.<br>The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Snook, grouper, sheepshead, trout, Spanish mackerel, sea bass, and small kings have all been caught this weekend. <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