# tips for florida



## daddycraw (May 25, 2009)

heading to tampa/st. pete area 2/13/10. going to fish mostly from shore but i may rent a boat for 1/2 day depending on weather. i've always used live shrimp in the past and caught whiting, trout, catfish and sheepshead, all from shore. i'm looking for tips or suggestions on how and or where to fish from people who know the area. i've never taken a boat out on the ocean but i have lived through many many many trips to brookeville if you know what i mean. if you also done this do you recommend it. hopefully i'll be able to post a good out of state report when i return.:T


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## SportTroller (Nov 3, 2009)

Skyway peir is a great place for the shore bound angler.you can fish the gulf and the bay.you park right next to your spot,rest rooms,bait shop right there.Theres artifical reefs out maybe 40 yards from pier.They have a forum for the peir,lets you figure out how to fish it before you get there.:G


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## ChrisB (May 13, 2004)

Depending where your at, people install lights under the water that turn on at night. There ussualy in bays or near the shore. Chuck a baitfish under a lighted bobber about 6-10 feet and hold on. You will se the huge shadows if the bigger fish are in there.


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## Jackfish (Apr 15, 2004)

I second sunshine skyway, it's a pretty cool fishing pier. I have fished a number of other piers down there and sunshine is hands down the winner.

I recently took one of those group charters (the big boats with 50 people or so on them). They are a lot of fun and I would recommend them - but you prob won't catch anything very big. The outting I was on we caught 99 fish between two of us, kept about 1/2 of them, and chowed down on fish for a few days. Had a great time.

I also took a guide boat out on Tampa Bay a few years back for Redfish - this was awsome experiance - but rather pricey.

For freshwater - I was reading about a place called stick marsh / farm 13. From what I read - it's is a great bass lake, but I didn't get around to fishing it.


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## Aquamac (Jan 14, 2010)

Fort De Soto park is really nice with an awesome view of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. You can wade out fairly far in some areas and we have had good luck catching whiting and pompano. Of course that was several years ago. Now we always go to Cape San Blas where the fishing is outstanding.


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## Sleprock (Dec 16, 2005)

man i went down to lido beach area and just broght my freshwater stuff, cought lots of fish just on 1/4 oz spinners, saw some dolphins swim buy while i was wading by a bridge it was kool. try at night by the bridges hooked something i couldnt even turn its head.have fun cought a trigger fish probably could have sold it to pet store up here for big cash.


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## Streamhawk (Apr 25, 2008)

My tip would be to stay there until the snow melts and the erie tribs open up from all of the ice. LOL You can't go wrong with swim baits that represent the local bait fish down there. I would fish structure and you also have to take into account the incoming and outgoing tide, these are usually the most active since most of the food is moving with the tides. I haven't fished the area you are going to, but when I was on Sanibel Island, I used swim baits along the beaches on the tides and that produced. Have fun in the sun.


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## SportTroller (Nov 3, 2009)

Heres the site for the skyway-www.skywaypiers.com,a tip on fishing the pier,take along a lite wt outfit for catching your own bait.Buy a sabiki rig at the bait shop,tie it on ,drop it down,jig it,catch all the pin fish and greenies you will need.Oh yeah,when Flipper shows up put the fishing gear away cause he catches your bait faster than you did!


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

For years I have been searching for a fishing forum in Florida that rivials this one, and haven't found it yet. Most of the forums have reports that are either very old or are my a guide with a vested interest in promoting themselves. If anyone has a website they would recommend, please post it.

Skyway pier is good if it is not over crowded. If you drive a little north to Clearwater beach, there is a really good pier that has lights. If you are out for some real fun, take one of the 1/2 day fishing trips (no license required) on senior citizen day, usually Tuesday. I'm not joking, those guys are all loose cannons and really have a blast. Any boat harbour or bridge can be productive but you have to have a license. 

I'm headed to the Florida Keys myself at the end of this month for two weeks of sailfish and tarpon fishing and then will work my way back north with the bass spawn. I have also heard good things about Marsh/Farm 13 and am looking at it and the St. John river as potential stops. If anyone can recommend good fishing guides for these areas, please let me know.

My best tip for saltwater fishing is: Big Baits Catch Big Fish! I once had a monster (at least 25 ft long) shark chasing around a 85 lb Amberjack I had on the line. Talk about an adrenalin rush!!! It was like having an 85 lb. shinner being chased around by a 25 ft Musky!
________
Live sex


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## mystic4314 (May 20, 2006)

Go to Captain Mell Bermans site its a good site for info for the entire area around st pete and tampa Also for a spot to try is the pier at weadon island preseve if you can wade out to the island to the left of the peir and fish the boat channel casting toward the dock across from the pier good hole for red and big sheep heads use the crabs off the island that place is full of um


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## harrison08 (Oct 4, 2004)

For you guys looking for Florida fishing information from fisherman themselves, try floridasportsman.com. It is a really good site. Make sure you check out the sportsman's kitchen forum....those dudes look like they can cook!

Also, check out TampaBayOnline. Its the local paper that gives daily fishing reports.

Have an awesome trip......I will be in Tampa/St. Pete the 1st week of April!


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## FSHNERIE (Mar 5, 2005)

I've spent many years fishing florida,if you want to have a great time I suggest offshore fishing.Do your homework,ask around marinas and bait shops for best charters.visit www.floridasportsman.com and www.sportfishingmag.com. These sites are a big help,remember to look up the fish seasons also.


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## daddycraw (May 25, 2009)

getting ready to hit the cold sunshine state. thanks to everyone for the info. hopefully the bite is on and i can post some pics when i get back.


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## TPfisher (Aug 31, 2009)

sorry, dont know this area of florida. i'm a west florida angler. been going there since i was born. im going down to charlotte harbor in mid march to chase tarpon on the fly. CANT WAIT


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## 340RT (Jul 2, 2008)

Hey guys I will be there 1st April,this thread helps out alot,thanks


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## Intracoastal (Sep 12, 2009)

TPfisher, Tampa is West Florida. It is north of Charlotte Harbor, but still West Florida.


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## Ol'Bassman (Sep 9, 2008)

FSHNERIE thanks for the websites. Appreciate it!
________
Park Royal 2 Condominium


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## ocala (Jan 30, 2005)

Ol'Bassman said:


> For years I have been searching for a fishing forum in Florida that rivials this one, and haven't found it yet. Most of the forums have reports that are either very old or are my a guide with a vested interest in promoting themselves. If anyone has a website they would recommend, please post it.
> 
> Skyway pier is good if it is not over crowded. If you drive a little north to Clearwater beach, there is a really good pier that has lights. If you are out for some real fun, take one of the 1/2 day fishing trips (no license required) on senior citizen day, usually Tuesday. I'm not joking, those guys are all loose cannons and really have a blast. Any boat harbour or bridge can be productive but you have to have a license.
> 
> ...


Try this forum for Florida Fishing.
http://forums.floridasportsman.com/forum


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## husky hooker (Apr 6, 2004)

don t be afraid to try your ohio stuff down there....i killed them trout down there with jig and twister


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## JOE B (Nov 3, 2009)

If you google Stickmarsh, which isnt close to Tampa at all, they are having major difficulty there right now. The cold has killed lots of baitfish, and the hurricanes have damaged what aquatic plant life was there. The guides who swore by that place are refusing to book clients there right now due to the problems. But on the good side, Lake Toho is back to a killer bite after their drawndown a couple years ago. Many 10+ lbers are being caught daily. Your Ohio gear works great down there, but take some 17lb test, a kahle/circle/shiner hook and put one of those 7 inch golden shiners on, freespool that puppy and then reel down and hit em-bass of a lifetime!


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## JOE B (Nov 3, 2009)

One more thing, I was looking for a guide for central florida 5 years ago. Go to their website and they are all experts, etc. Then I was given advice to call Orlando basspro shop and ask for freshwater manager who would recommend a guide. No bias there, just the hot captain at the time. We got a great captain. No monsters on Lake Cyprus-Toho, but the other boats weren't catching that day and our skipper never stopped working for a bite for us. We eventually caught em in a canal connecting Toho to Cyprus. We have fished with the same guide 3 more times since then. Bass pro phone # is 
(407) 563-5200 give em a shot


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