Hi Andy,
There are a lot of good fishing spots in the area and you don't need a
boat to get to them, as others have said the fishing piers can be a
good place to start but if you like to get away from the crowd most of
the coastal areas along the bay and gulf can produce some nice fishing.
I'm not real familiar with exact spots in Tampa but I do fish the grass
flats along the south side of 19, just south of the Skyway bridge, I
generally wade fish along there.
Look for the sandy holes in the grass flats and cast your bait just
into the sandy area along the edge, the spotted trout and redfish like
to lay in the grass along these "holes" and feed. I use an inexpensive
spincast rod and reel setup, 15lb line and for bait my favorite is a
Berkley Powerbait rootbeer and gold sal****er grub, however live
shrimp, shiners, greenbacks etc are all fine. Just experiment and find
what YOU like best, I like the artificial because they produce fish and
are easy to carry and store (don't have the hassle of pulling along a
bait bucket) but it still comes down to personal preference.
Snook are a lot of fun to catch, look for them along the shoreline in
the mangroves and under bridges and docks, the like to lay in wait and
"pounce" on the bait. It takes some practice to fish the mangroves,
learning how to plop the bait in close without getting snagged but it's
worth the time to learn.
Ft Desoto park is another good spot as well as Cockroach Bay which is
just north of Port Manatee and Bishop Harbor which is about 5 mile
south of Port Manatee, all of these are great for kayak fishing as
well.
My personal advice for a beginner would be

1) Have Fun, that's what it's all about!

2) to keep your tackle to a minimum, rod, reel a small assortment of
hooks a few split weights, a couple different color / style baits.
(when I wade fish ALL of my tackle fits in a quart size zip lock
freezer bag)

3) Dont' get discouraged, the fish ARE there, you just need to be
fishing when they are eating. We all have times when it seems like you
can't buy a strike, times when you do OK and then those rare occasions
when it seems like the fish are trying to catch you.

Good Luck
George


Y. Name wrote:
All,

I live in Tampa, FL and have decided to finally try my hand at fishing. I
do not have a boat, and don't really want one, but I live within easy
driving distance to fishing piers, beaches, and some fresh-water ponds.

I'm less than an absolute beginner. No equipment at all, just a desire to
learn and have fun.

I'm looking for guidance as to where to start. Any suggestions would be
appreciated.

Thanks,
Andy