09-22-2001, 09:05 PM
Tampa Bay Area <br>Fishing Report<br>Captain Charles Walker<br>9/22/01<br>There was practically nobody fishing offshore this week. All the charter boats pretty much sat at home because all the flights were cancelled for so long after the terrorism.<br>On to the bait house reports:<br>Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – Lots of reds have been caught at the mouth of the river. Lots of mullet have been running in the fresh water as well. The river still is home to plenty of tarpon; the extra fresh water doesn’t bother them. Lots of fishermen are catching sharks at the mouth of the Port Manatee Channel Trout are being caught on the flats now that things have cooled slightly.<br>Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – Lots of redfish have been caught up here all along the causeway in the late afternoon and at night. Just about all sizes are being caught from small to legal to the extra large ones. A few trout are showing up now. There seem to be plenty of greenbacks on the Hyatt flats if you are willing to cast net your own. Mullet are showing up in the area. Snook are biting well along the causeway, particularly at the floodgates and the mouths of the streams in the area.<br>Bonnie’s Bait and Tackle in Clearwater - 727-446-2772- Some really huge reds, most over 40 pounds, were found in about 60 feet of water early this week. Lots of short grouper came from these same depths. Some nice grouper came from a little deeper water. In the surf on Indian Rocks Beach, lots of baby black drum came in on Doc’s Goofy Jigs. Spanish mackerel, tarpon, and snook were also caught around the artificial reef there. Anclote had some nice snook this week that really bit well on cigar minnows. Some trout and reds were caught up there on the flats this week too. Some nice grouper, snapper and even a sailfish were caught on the Mexican Pride this week. Pier 60 in Clearwater has been producing some nice trout at night.<br>Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Some cobia are being caught around the Gandy. Snook and reds are coming off the flats around the power plant.<br>Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- A lot of Spanish mackerel are still being caught off the beach. In the back some snook have been caught around the docks.<br>Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- Grouper are still coming in from over 100 feet. Mangrove snapper are also being caught in the same depths. The redfish inside are biting well inside and there have been some nice snook caught at night. There are a lot of small snook being caught in the area as well. Trout are biting well on the flats this week.<br>The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Lots of Spanish mackerel are being caught this week. We’ve also had pompano, mangrove snapper, blacktip sharks, and silver trout coming in regularly this week.<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