Capt. Charlie Walker
September 29th, 2003, 03:31 PM
Tampa Bay Area
Fishing Report
Captain Charles Walker
9/28/03
Even though the weather was beautiful inland over the last week, those
that ventured offshore got roughed up for the most part. The grouper
do not seem to be moving inshore yet but there are still some being
caught in the ship's channel inside Tampa Bay. Lots of Spanish
mackerel are being caught along the beaches and on the reef just
offshore and a few lost kings have been reported this week. I figure
another two to three weeks before we start to see any real numbers of
the school kings and we'll most likely start catching grouper in less
than 60 feet of water around the same time
On to the bait house reports:
Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – Good sized reds are biting
well in the Cockroach Bay area. Mangrove snapper are also biting in
the same area as well as on the artificial reefs and in the Port
Manatee channel. Grouper are biting pretty well on the north side of
the Skyway in the channel.
Trappman's Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg -
727-579-1414- Lots of snook at 4th Street, Coffee Pot and Shore Acres
are hitting pins and select shrimp. Reds are all over the flats,
mostly in sizes overt the slot limit. Sheepshead are showing at Gandy.
Mangroves have slowed, but those caught are larger. Pompano and
Spanish mackerel are showing up at Gandy Bridge at odd times and the
mullet have grown really big and fat.
Marina Outpost on Bay Pines Blvd. – 727-384-3474 – Reds, snook and
sheepshead are the inshore species of the week and have been biting
around residential docs and in the canals. Some nice black drum were
caught in the area last week as well. Most of the offshore guys went
deep this week, 120 feet or better and really got beat up by the rough
water.
Fathoms on the Dock at Maximo in St. Petersburg – 727-867-3603 –
Spanish mackerel have been biting pretty well in the Egmont area. Some
flounder have been brought in from the Ft. DeSoto area and plenty of
oversized reds have been caught all over the flats. Our offshore
fishermen that fished in the tournament over the weekend, brought in
grouper up to 28 pounds, dolphin up to 10 pounds, and other offshore
species.
Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Some
nice grouper were brought in this week from offshore. Mangrove snapper
have been biting well off our gas dock during the week. We had a group
fishing the flats this week and they caught plenty of reds, pompano
and some trout.
The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway -
941-729-0117- Some really nice Spanish mackerel have been coming in
this week. Threadfins moved into the area this week and the sardines
seem to have left. Mangrove snapper and grunts are biting well. A few
keeper snook have been caught and lots of jacks are around the piers
this week.
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.
If you want more information about fishing in the Tampa Bay area or
wish to book a charter, simply e-mail me at 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.floridasal****er.com .
Good fishing and tight lines,
Capt. Charlie
http://www.flfish.com
Fishing Report
Captain Charles Walker
9/28/03
Even though the weather was beautiful inland over the last week, those
that ventured offshore got roughed up for the most part. The grouper
do not seem to be moving inshore yet but there are still some being
caught in the ship's channel inside Tampa Bay. Lots of Spanish
mackerel are being caught along the beaches and on the reef just
offshore and a few lost kings have been reported this week. I figure
another two to three weeks before we start to see any real numbers of
the school kings and we'll most likely start catching grouper in less
than 60 feet of water around the same time
On to the bait house reports:
Ruskin Bait and Tackle - 813-641-2325 – Good sized reds are biting
well in the Cockroach Bay area. Mangrove snapper are also biting in
the same area as well as on the artificial reefs and in the Port
Manatee channel. Grouper are biting pretty well on the north side of
the Skyway in the channel.
Trappman's Bait and Tackle on Gandy Blvd in St. Petersburg -
727-579-1414- Lots of snook at 4th Street, Coffee Pot and Shore Acres
are hitting pins and select shrimp. Reds are all over the flats,
mostly in sizes overt the slot limit. Sheepshead are showing at Gandy.
Mangroves have slowed, but those caught are larger. Pompano and
Spanish mackerel are showing up at Gandy Bridge at odd times and the
mullet have grown really big and fat.
Marina Outpost on Bay Pines Blvd. – 727-384-3474 – Reds, snook and
sheepshead are the inshore species of the week and have been biting
around residential docs and in the canals. Some nice black drum were
caught in the area last week as well. Most of the offshore guys went
deep this week, 120 feet or better and really got beat up by the rough
water.
Fathoms on the Dock at Maximo in St. Petersburg – 727-867-3603 –
Spanish mackerel have been biting pretty well in the Egmont area. Some
flounder have been brought in from the Ft. DeSoto area and plenty of
oversized reds have been caught all over the flats. Our offshore
fishermen that fished in the tournament over the weekend, brought in
grouper up to 28 pounds, dolphin up to 10 pounds, and other offshore
species.
Pass-a-Grille Bait and Tackle on St. Pete Beach - 727-360-6606- Some
nice grouper were brought in this week from offshore. Mangrove snapper
have been biting well off our gas dock during the week. We had a group
fishing the flats this week and they caught plenty of reds, pompano
and some trout.
The Skyway Fishing Pier - 727-865-0668 and the south Skyway -
941-729-0117- Some really nice Spanish mackerel have been coming in
this week. Threadfins moved into the area this week and the sardines
seem to have left. Mangrove snapper and grunts are biting well. A few
keeper snook have been caught and lots of jacks are around the piers
this week.
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.
If you want more information about fishing in the Tampa Bay area or
wish to book a charter, simply e-mail me at 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.floridasal****er.com .
Good fishing and tight lines,
Capt. Charlie
http://www.flfish.com