11-25-2001, 12:01 AM
Tampa Bay Area <br>Fishing Report<br>Captain Charles Walker<br>11/24/01<br>Last week was absolutely beautiful, right up until that gale on Friday that beat us up unexpectedly. Just another example of needing to add the wind prediction together from the weather service. It was supposed to be 10 to 15 but it was actually closer to 25. Other than that, the fishing last week was great. Lots of bottom fish, not too far out, some kingfish, and the occasional cobia. The surface water temp is still at 70 degrees and there should be a lot of fishing action until it dips another few degrees. The forecast for the coming week is very good, supposedly light winds and great fishing weather. You need to get out now if you want to go fishing, cause it just ain’t gonna be any better until the spring.<br>On to the bait house reports:<br>Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – Fishing this week is outstanding. Lots of tarpon and snook in the river, plenty of reds on the flats, and trout on the edges of the flats. The sheepshead are really biting well. The really big ones should be around soon now. Cobia are around the power plant already and of course under sting rays and manatees. <br>Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – Lots of reds have been caught all over the north side of the causeway and around the bridges. Flounder have been biting well this week and the snook are still hanging around the flood gates. Sheepshead are biting all along the rocks and bridge pilings.<br>Bonnie’s Bait and Tackle in Clearwater - 727-446-2772- Grouper are biting well twelve to fourteen miles out. Some kings were caught this week in the same area. Snook, reds, and trout are biting well on live baits in the McKay Bay area and inside Anclote Island. Just remember that if you want to keep a trout, you have to be in Pasco County waters. It’s illegal to keep them south of the Pasco/Pinellas line. Lots of whiting were caught off the beach at Redington and Indian Rocks Beach early in the week when the water was clean.<br>Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Lots of sheepshead are coming in from the Gandy Bridge on fiddler crabs. Reds are biting sporadically and lots of small snook are coming to the boat in this area. Catch and release trout fishing has been good.<br>Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- Some kings and Spanish mackerel have been caught off the Redington Pier this week. Drum and sheepshead are the fish to catch in the backwaters close to the shop this week.<br>Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Our offshore boats have been catching plenty of grouper this week along with some nice amberjack. Flounder have been biting well off our gas dock.<br>The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Sheepshead, grouper, flounder, sea bass, and lots of silver trout have come in this week from the north pier. On the south side, grouper, Spanish mackerel, and lots of sheepshead have been biting. The weather is beautiful and the fishing is great!<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