Y. Name wrote:

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.

Andy, good luck.
I was in your position 10 years ago, when I finally found a good mentor.
the key is to find a patient good (expert and available) mentor wich
tells you everything he knows.
now I know pretty well almost every technique. I was very lucky meeting
a lot of great fishermen and very avid to ask questions (my friends used
to tease me for that, but was nice).
so my suggestion is to learn avidly, ask as many questions you can, and
always keep improving.
be careful because it's full of commercial sharks and dorks in this
world.
follow only people who fishes for passion, not for interests.
an example:
this things, like fish attractor are useless ****
http://www.tackletactics.co.nz/BaitUltrabite.html

too bad that I'm very far from you, otherwise I would have taught you.

decide one (or two. I started with two) fishing technique and stuck with
it for some year until you master it.
go fishing 3/4 times a week.

the best is to fish from a boat in the sea, but also fishing from the
beaches is great.

you can fish casting on (over) the waves and spinning artificial lures
like rapala (wooden minnows) or spoons or jerks.
this is called casting (or spinning) and you continuely cast the lure
and roll it with the reel, simulating a fish and attracting predators.
it is maybe one of the easiest to do, but apparently, because to have
good results you must be really good at.

there is a better technique to start with: fishing at the bottom from
the beaches.
you can fish throwing two hooks for each rod with pieces of fish
(sardine or mullets or small squids are the best) or live worms or live
baits (mullets are great) from the beach and the shores. and then you
put the rod on a rod holder stuck in the sand and wait that the fish
goes to eat (at that point you see the rod moving.. and it's great).
watch carefully this system that we call paternoster in Italian (I'm
Italian):
http://www.surfcasting.it/terminali/paternoster.asp
at the 2 swivels (that are part of the articulate joints) you attach
your line and the hook at their end.
the articulate joints permit you to fish however fish you like even with
big waves limiting the tangles.
for this technique, called "surfcasting" in Italy, you usually use
sinkers weighting from 3 to 6oz, and strong casting rods.
this is the technique I would suggest you to start with, but there are
many others.

other rigs for the same technique:

sliding
http://www.surfcasting.it/terminali/scorrevole.asp

short
http://www.surfcasting.it/terminali/short.asp


--
ciao
Vittorix