02-04-2001, 11:38 PM
Tampa Bay Area <br>Fishing Report<br>Captain Charles Walker<br>2/4/01<br>Another week of winter has gone by and I think the ground hogfish saw his shadow. We had a beautiful morning Friday (except for the fog) and the fish were biting. Suddenly the wind came up at 15 out of the north and the day was over. We did manage to catch some short red and gag grouper, one nice 25 inch gag, porgies, and big grunts so it was not a lost day. The grouper are on the bottom and ready to feed, if you can get a day that the weather lets you go out. We were fishing in 45 feet of water and I’m fairly certain that we could have found grouper even shallower than that. The surface temperature was only 57 degrees out there, but in Boca Ciega Bay as we were going out the surface temperature was 64 degrees. Today (Sunday), the bottom temp. at the Skyway is 59 degrees, so things are definitely looking up. The forecast for the next few days shows a warming trend and fair weather so the fishing will pick up both offshore and inshore.<br><br>On to the bait house reports:<br><br>Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325- Trout and reds are biting well for the anglers willing to work for them. Sheepshead are really biting well around the bridge pilings and rocks. Snook are a little slow to bite with the water temperature so low. They are up the rivers in good numbers looking for warm water. Silver trout are biting all over the bay and being brought in by the bucketful. <br>Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026- A lot of nice trout are being caught near the bridges on DOA lures. Redfish are biting in the canals near the Red Lobster. Snook are hanging around the flood gates on the causeway and biting on live shrimp and pigfish. Plenty of sheepshead are biting around every piling in the pay.<br>Bonnie’s Bait and Tackle in Clearwater - 727-446-2772- The fishermen have been staying home this week and the fishing is a little slow still. Trout and reds are biting on the edges of the flats. Silver trout and whiting are biting well just off the beach.<br>Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Silver trout and speckled trout have been biting well at the power plant. Some pompano have been brought in this week from the same vicinity. Sheepshead are still biting at the bridge and a few grouper and mangrove snapper have been caught in the channel.<br>Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- Trout and reds are biting in the canals around the docks. Sheepshead are still the fish of the month and can be caught around every piling in the bay.<br>Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- A few of the offshore boats that have been able to get out have caught some nice grouper in the 25 to 29 inch sizes. Most of them are fishing in 90 to 100 feet of water. Some flounder have been brought in this week from the Pass along with silver trout, whiting, and a few redfish.<br>Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Our offshore boats have brought in a few grouper this week along with a lot of porgies and grunts. Whiting, trout, and pompano have been caught off the jetty this week. Sheepshead are biting well off the sea wall.<br>The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- A lot of trout and whiting have been caught 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