07-15-2001, 07:56 PM
Tampa Bay Area <br>Fishing Report<br>Captain Charles Walker<br>7/15/01<br>Since the weather kept me off the water last week I’ll warn you again about upcoming area closures. Many of you seem to think that area fishing closures are something that happen to other states and can’t happen in yours. HA! You’re in for the worst time of your life because the anti-fishing groups and PETA-heads are after your fishing rights. Most states passed laws making it illegal to harass hunters in any way so the animal rights activists turned into fishes rights activists and are now trying to keep you off the water so you don’t “hurt” the poor fish by hooking them and filleting them or even releasing them, cause “fish have rights too!” These nuts started working behind the scenes years ago and began convincing the fisheries biologists and managers that it was much easier to close huge areas of the oceans to all forms of fishing than it was to manage individual fisheries. Guess what dummies, those people listened and are now trying to decide what parts of the oceans to put off limits to fishing. The Secretary of Commerce just invited 26 nominees to sit on the “Marine Protected Areas Advisory Committee” and this will be the beginning of the end for all fishing in the waters of the United States if we allow this to continue to snowball. Unite or take up golf because this is the beginning of the end of your freedom to fish.<br>On to the bait house reports:<br>Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – A lot of red and black drum are being caught in the area over the last week. Trout are still being caught, you just need try a lot of areas to find the ones that are biting. Cobia are swimming around on the flats and around the channel markers. They are biting on pinfish and greenbacks. <br>Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – A few cobia are being caught around the bridge on pinfish. A few snook have been caught and released around the floodgates. <br>Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Mangrove snapper have been caught in good numbers this week around both bridges. Redfish are showing up in good numbers on our side of the Gandy. Black drum are still biting well around the pilings along the bridge.<br>Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- Tarpon are biting in the morning on the beach. Some black drum have been caught and the Spanish mackerel seem to be coming back after a few days off.. Some trout and reds are biting on the inside behind the store.<br>Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- Snook and reds have been biting for anglers on the bridge and the jetties, but the water is pretty muddy because of the week of west winds we have had. The water should start cleaning up now and things will get back into the good summertime fishing pattern we expect.<br>Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- A few snapper, snook, and grouper have been coming in from our gas dock. Some Spanish mackerel have been caught as well.<br>The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- With the west wind, things have been a little slow but the Spanish are still coming over the rail and a few grouper have been caught. Sharks and sting rays are biting well and they sure pull on your line!<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