03-11-2001, 06:50 PM
Tampa Bay Area <br>Fishing Report<br>Captain Charles Walker<br><br>3/11/01<br><br>The weather over the last week has produced mostly high winds and we had a full moon at the end of this week as well. Grouper fishing has been spotty at best since the full moon and if you were able to get out at all, you probably found few fish that were willing to bite. The prognosis for the upcoming week is a lot better with temperatures rising again and the winds staying down at a reasonable level (hopefully). Spanish mackerel should be rallying again in the Bay and close to shore up and down the beach, the kings should be moving a little closer, and all the other migratory fish that we get; cobia, tripletail, tarpon, sharks, etc. will be close on their heels.<br>On to the bait house reports:<br><br>Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325- The winds really kicked the flats fishing on this side of the Bay last week, but the fishing is picking back up now. Plenty of reds trout and snook are around the flats and around the mangrove islands. Fish the passes on an outgoing tide from Simmons Park to Tierra Ceia for the best results.<br>Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026- Reds, trout, and whiting have been biting well in our area. Some pompano showed up this week around the bridge. There are still plenty of sheepshead around the pilings and rocks.<br>Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Speckled trout in the jumbo sizes have been coming in all week. Most of them have been coming from the swashes on Weedon Island. Reds and snook have been biting extremely well around the bridge pilings. Most Sheepshead are still very cooperative and biting around every piling and rock pile in the area.<br>Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- The weather killed most of the fishing in the area last week. Sheepshead are still biting however. Warming temperatures this week should get the fish turned back on soon.<br>Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- Snook are showing up around the docks. Sheepshead and drum are still biting well. Spanish mackerel have started biting in about 20 feet of water off the beach since the cold snap ended.<br>Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Our offshore boats have been bringing in some grouper and mangrove snapper this week. Sheepshead and pompano have been coming in from the seawall and the jetty on the Gulf side. Spanish mackerel have been biting on the Gulf side jetty as well.<br>The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Grouper, silver trout, whiting, pompano and lots of Spanish mackerel have been biting this weekend and the warming weather will make things get better and better as the week progresses.<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