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fishing off of Tampa bay

Posted By: Trapper Dahlgren

fishing off of Tampa bay - 02/27/21 12:12 PM

I'm going to tampa in a few weeks , is there good fishing from shore ,and what kind of fish is good eating down there
Posted By: Trapper Dahlgren

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 02/27/21 12:21 PM

we are stay at bradenton beach area , any help ?
Posted By: John C

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 02/27/21 12:55 PM

If your going somewhere new with fishing styles your not used to spend the money on a guide for a day or half day and get out there and catch some fish. You’ll have a lot more fun catching than fishing
Posted By: Eagleye

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 02/27/21 01:10 PM

I have fished St Pete / Clearwater from shore numerous times and you will catch a variety of fish, we caught a lot of salt water cats, sharks, sheepshead, snapper and whiting. The only fish we consumed was the sheepshead, I had negative connotations from it being a rough fish in Wisconsin but it was delicious. Look for cook and catch restaurants, you bring your fillets in and they cook your fish and you can just order sides.
Here’s my set up that I use for surf fishing in Florida and Caribbean, the Cabela’s Salt Striker rod and reel combos travel well in carry-on or checked luggage, I run a Kast King sling pack for wadding and a rod holder for surf fishing. The salt is brutal on equipment and I rinse everything in the shower or foot wash stations at the hotel. I usually buy a small cheap Styrofoam cooler to keep bait in and then throw it away when I’m done, the shore birds will steal all your bait if left unattended. If you pre-rig a Wolf River style rig with an Owner hook and use shrimp as bait you will catch a nice variety. Maybe sheepshead bite all year long in that area but if you fish the pier columns you should connect, I caught a lot of species on artificial spoons and inline spinners but I like the D.O.A. shrimp in a root beer color for those waters. Have a great time!

[Linked Image]
Posted By: Tray

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 02/27/21 01:54 PM

Check out the Skyway fishing Pier on 275 north of Bradenton, also caught fish on the very N end of Siesta Key beach where it turns to rock.
First time we were there we hired a guide for 1/2 day out of Sarasota and fisher in the bay for sheephead, trout, flounder, snapper and had a blast, probably caught 75 fish and it cost about $300. Would recommend that for your first trip.
Posted By: lcd

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 02/27/21 01:56 PM

You lucky dog. Don't know nothing about the fishing, but you all are welcome to stop by the house on your way down and drink a cup of coffee, and heck if you want to stop by on the way back, depending on when you go we can get in some turkey hunting. Opens the first Saturday in April. Just bring some camo, as I have guns and ammo. Just saying.
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 02/27/21 01:56 PM

All kinds of charter boats there.
Posted By: Trapper Dahlgren

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 02/28/21 11:43 PM

thanks guys smile
Posted By: warrior

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 04:10 AM

My grandfather lived in Clearwater. He fished three days a week most of his retirement. We would usually fish the gulf side drifting live shrimp under a float along the grass flats for specks and could get into not only specks but flounder and channel bass. Sheepshead were usually closer in and structure related. Things like bridge pilings or piers. A good friend of his, Mr Brewer, loved sheepshead and would take a flat hoe to those pilings scraping barnacles loose to chum the area then cast small shrimp into those areas for sheepshead. Grand dad's been gone since 90 and I miss that. A visit down there ment a big fish fry and fishing trip.
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 04:12 AM

Originally Posted by warrior
My grandfather lived in Clearwater. He fished three days a week most of his retirement. We would usually fish the gulf side drifting live shrimp under a float along the grass flats for specks and could get into not only specks but flounder and channel bass. Sheepshead were usually closer in and structure related. Things like bridge pilings or piers. A good friend of his, Mr Brewer, loved sheepshead and would take a flat hoe to those pilings scraping barnacles loose to chum the area then cast small shrimp into those areas for sheepshead. Grand dad's been gone since 90 and I miss that. A visit down there ment a big fish fry and fishing trip.

Nice.
Posted By: warrior

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 04:17 AM

The really nice thing about fishing in the Clearwater area is the gulf on one side, you could go offshore for snapper, cobia, amberjack, etc then you had inshore both on the gulf and bay side plus a short run north you had freshwater in the Withlachascodee (sp?) River.
Posted By: Bruce T

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 04:20 AM

I remember when driving to Clearwater there was a narrow long strip of land with people fishing both sides and alot of boats.
Posted By: Scout1

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 07:50 AM

For a more affordable guide, look into a kayak guide. I found one several years back in Panama City. A lot cheaper and then later just rent or buy your own yak to fish inshore with. We used 2-3 inch crabs on 1 ounce lead heads around the bridge pile ons. Big redfish love the crabs.
Posted By: Trapper Dahlgren

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 10:07 AM

whats the best eating fish ,one can catch from shore , ?
Posted By: traprjohn

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 11:46 AM

before our trip to FL I asked LOCALS here:
https://flafishingforum.com/ubbthreads.php
and here
https://forums.floridasportsman.com/
hope this helps
Posted By: warrior

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Trapper Dahlgren
whats the best eating fish ,one can catch from shore , ?


Somewhat subjective, but I would probably have to say flounder.
Posted By: warrior

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 02:53 PM

A little know tidbit about Clearwater and the Pinellas County peninsula. As it has water on both sides the climate is moderated by water temps and doesn't suffer as much from freezes as Tampa does across the bay. This microclimate is more akin to Ft Lauderdale further south. My grandfather was able to successfully grow key limes in his backyard which are the most frost sensitive of all the citrus. He grew key and persian limes, duncan grapefruit, valencias, washington novels, ponderosa lemons, minneolas. We would come back from a visit with the trunk loaded half frozen fish and half citrus.

BTW, while you're in the area you need to search out a source for Duncan Grapefruit. The Duncan is the original variety of grapefruit and is the very best tasting of them all. It fell out of favor as it is very seedy and white. The sports marsh pink then thompson seedless replaced it and now the market has moved on to the reds. IMO and in those in the know none have surpassed Duncan in flavor. It's now a rare one and only found in backyards or specialty local groves.
Posted By: charles

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 04:01 PM

I fished with a guide out of Tampa in the early 80s. We ran forever and the water never got very deep. I think we caught snapper.
Posted By: warrior

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by charles
I fished with a guide out of Tampa in the early 80s. We ran forever and the water never got very deep. I think we caught snapper.


If you left out of Tampa you definitely had a long run to make as Tampa proper is all the up in the bay and you would've had a long run just to get to the gulf.

The gulf in that area of Florida isn't as good snapper grounds as the northern gulf as the shelf extends further out on the Florida west coast and lacks the current from the Mississippi Sound. There's definitely snapper to be found off Tampa just expect a longer ride and more searching to get into them. Florida is trying to improve this with more artificial reefs but there's only so much that can be done lacking depth and current.

Another thing, check for charters out of Tarpon Springs. Tarpon is north of Clearwater and a wonderful little Greek town founded by Greek sponge divers. It's kind of touristy but worth it for the baclava of greek coffee.
Posted By: Tray

Re: fishing off of Tampa bay - 03/01/21 06:51 PM

Originally Posted by Trapper Dahlgren
whats the best eating fish ,one can catch from shore , ?


Sheepshead
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