12-02-2001, 08:49 PM
Tampa Bay Area <br>Fishing Report<br>Captain Charles Walker<br><br>12/02/01<br>Thanks goodness the beautiful weather that has been hanging around for the last week. Lots of sun and mild, warm days. Maybe this will hold up through the winter and we won’t get too cold again this year. I know that’s a lot to ask though. The weather forecast for the coming week looks pretty good so the fishing should hold up also. There are plenty of grouper, mangrove snapper, and grouper to be caught as long as you stay out of the red tide. The fish are moving around daily to stay away from it so you will have to look for them and fish where you find them. The best baits will still be live threadfin, scaled sardines, and pinfish, but if you can’t get any then fall back to frozen sardines. Just be sure you take plenty because there are plenty of grunts out there that will keep your hook cleaned off when you use the frozen bait. <br>On to the bait house reports:<br>Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – Redfish are still around but you do have to look for them. Mangrove snapper have been coming in from the ship’s channel this weekend. The big sheepshead seem to be starting to show up this week.<br>Buddy’s Bait and Tackle on the Courteney Campbell Causeway in Tampa - 813-287-1026 – Trout, redfish, sheepshead and some sharks have all been caught along the causeway and around the bridges, mostly on live shrimp. <br>Bonnie’s Bait and Tackle in Clearwater - 727-446-2772- Lots and lots of 21-9/10 inch gag grouper have been caught this week. The best fishing seems to be in close to shore using live bait. Lots of trout and reds have been coming in from around Anclote and Caladesi Island. The really shallow bottom from Clearwater to Anclote, offshore seems to have a lot of big grouper hanging around right now.<br>Trappman’s Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg - 727-579-1414- Sheepshead are still biting well on fiddler crabs along the bridges. Reds are biting around Weedon Island and inside Riviera Bay. Silver trout are biting, mostly in the channels, and are reaching 13” and 14” this week.<br>Dogfish Tackle on Redington Beach - 727-392-6644- A lot of kings have been caught on the Clearwater hard bottom this week. Anglers have been limiting out on grouper in 35 to 50 feet of water. The red tide seems to have moved inshore around the beach area backwaters and shut down the fishing in the canals. Silver trout and whiting are biting well along the beach and particularly around the Redington Long Pier.<br>Don’s Dock on Madeira Beach - 727-391-3223- Grouper were biting well early in the week, but the red tide has the fish moving around. Kings are biting around the Redington Hard Bottom and there was even a tarpon caught. Some snook are being caught in the Pass on large select shrimp.<br>Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Our offshore boats have been catching grouper, amberjack, mangrove snapper, sea bass, triggerfish, and plenty of grunts. The red tide is sloshing in and out of the pass, but there are some snook, flounder, and grouper being caught off the seawall and off our gas dock.<br>The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway - 941-729-0117- Mangrove snapper and a few grouper have been caught in the last few days. Silver trout are biting well, particularly at night.<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