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Post by bluerunner on Jul 9, 2023 14:02:43 GMT -5
Just looking for general advice on whats the best fish to target during these dog days of summer. I usually make my way down to FL to fish in spring or fall, but I'll be able to make it down here during that time frame.
Are the macs still hitting like they do in the spring? When I was there in march the snappers weren't biting like I was hoping but I'm guessing they should be in full swing by now. Any luck on getting in on some pompano? Also any good spots to check out besides just the pier. We usually hit up the jetties in Venice as well. Any good beach spots to fish where ain't a ton of people around in the lines?
And as always, any good tips for repelling no seeums?
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Post by odoggmcnewbie on Jul 9, 2023 17:36:14 GMT -5
Just looking for general advice on whats the best fish to target during these dog days of summer. I usually make my way down to FL to fish in spring or fall, but I'll be able to make it down here during that time frame. Are the macs still hitting like they do in the spring? When I was there in march the snappers weren't biting like I was hoping but I'm guessing they should be in full swing by now. Any luck on getting in on some pompano? Also any good spots to check out besides just the pier. We usually hit up the jetties in Venice as well. Any good beach spots to fish where ain't a ton of people around in the lines? And as always, any good tips for repelling no seeums? Here for the tips for repelling no-see-ums. They're brutal! I typically just cover up head to toe. 🤷 |
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Post by Mackerelman on Jul 9, 2023 23:08:20 GMT -5
Mackerel are Biting at the Piers along with Snappers.
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Post by tears143 on Jul 10, 2023 13:33:23 GMT -5
I would target snapper.
pompano would most likely be a miss unless you are really lucky... same thing with mack.
Oh.. forgot about the fun fish...
ladyfish, snook, and tarpon.
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Post by fishsci on Jul 10, 2023 20:22:32 GMT -5
Just looking for general advice on whats the best fish to target during these dog days of summer. I usually make my way down to FL to fish in spring or fall, but I'll be able to make it down here during that time frame. Are the macs still hitting like they do in the spring? When I was there in march the snappers weren't biting like I was hoping but I'm guessing they should be in full swing by now. Any luck on getting in on some pompano? Also any good spots to check out besides just the pier. We usually hit up the jetties in Venice as well. Any good beach spots to fish where ain't a ton of people around in the lines? And as always, any good tips for repelling no seeums? I hate to have to tell you this, but unless you have a special reason to come to the Tampa Bay area, and are looking for good fishing, there is way much better fishing in other areas of the FL Gulf coast. Fishing can range from excellent to superb along the FL Panhandle Gulf Coast. Places like Cedar Key and Steinhatchee have fishing that far out compares to Tampa and the Skyway piers. Fishing down around Boca Grande to Ft Myers is much better. Fishing around Naples is better. Fishing in the far Southwest coast (10,000 Islands, Everglades City/Chokoloskee) can be amazing and in awesome untouched natural places -- but mostly require a boat. Keys bridges offer fishing that far out shines Skyway piers. So, unless you have other reasons to come to Tampa Bay area, you are going to the least good fishing area along the FL Gulf coast. People here fish the Skyway because it is here...not because it is he best. If you want specific suggestions as to where to find really good fishing, feel free to message me. I pretty much have fished everywhere along this coast...and even the Atlantic coast. |
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Post by fishsci on Jul 10, 2023 20:25:28 GMT -5
Mackerel are Biting at the Piers along with Snappers. Mackerel? Really? How about some substantiation of that? |
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Post by bluerunner on Jul 11, 2023 5:21:21 GMT -5
Well we like the area, as we close to all kinds of stuff. We usually hit up the skyway pier, but we also go to Fort Desoto, Venice jetties, and other spots in the bradenton area. I'm also up for suggestions on other places to check out in this area for fishing. But its nice to just drive up to your spot, get out and not have to walk real far carrying all your gear, etc. We also usually have pretty decent luck with catching stuff here, and one trip on the last day we were leaving, we started to wear out the snappers and sheepshead. We've been reflecting on that day ever since and why we like coming back.
Also I'm not from FL and we usually make trips several times a year to FL to fish and vacation. I would love to go down to the keys and fish, but damn would that be a long drive. But I'm sure it would totally be worth it.
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Post by carlf on Jul 11, 2023 6:44:32 GMT -5
Mackerel are Biting at the Piers along with Snappers. Mackerel? Really? How about some substantiation of that? There is a post from the other day that reports at least 3 macs caught. |
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Post by carlf on Jul 11, 2023 6:50:46 GMT -5
Noseeums can be simply horrendous and I know of now way to repel them other than cover up as much skin as possible. That and staying in a area with some breeze seems to help.
Other than the SSP/NSP, I'd try Fort Desoto. And not just the pier. Try wading the grass flats before and just after sun-up. Fish the beach behind the park office.
Does anyone know how much progress has been made on rebuilding the bay pier?
Picnic Island Park and Ballast Point Park in Tampa can be good too.
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Post by fishsci on Jul 11, 2023 13:17:34 GMT -5
Being originallyl from SE FL and before all the mangroves and marshes were dredged and filled, I can tell you that noseums were terrible then. I remember how my mother would sweep up piles of them off of a table under a table lamp every morning after they were attracted to the bulb and killed by its heat. Everyone did not have AC then, and the noseeums would fly through the screens on the open windows. The old standard method then of reducing (not eliminating) sand fly midge (noseeums) bites is to slather on a layer of Avon Skin So Soft bath oil on all exposed or available (e.g., up your pant legs) skin. Rubbing on some DEET or other mosquito repellant first can help too. The bath oil seems to make one's skin less attractive to the midges, but probably more important is that they get stuck by the oil, and can't move around and get in in position to bite, or they cant push their proboscus through the oil effectively. Even with the Skin So Soft there were times that the noseeums were so thick that we could not fish at dusk for snook in the canals. The noseeums would be flying into your eyes and nose so much that nobody could stand it. Then we did not have them, but later I have found that there are very inexpensive fine-mesh head nets that keep them out of your face and can allow you to keep fishing even when the noseeums are very thick.
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Post by bluerunner on Jul 11, 2023 13:26:42 GMT -5
Where is this park office at in Fort Desoto? I was looking at the google maps but didn't see anything marked as the park office, but would it be by the campgrounds?
Also last time I went, they were working on the bay side pier, and when looking at google maps, says it is open until like 3 or 4 pm daily. So is the pier fixed I guess and is the gulf or bay side pier the better one to fish? I've only been on the gulf side with good results, but I've only fished around those rocks to the right of the pier just as you walk up. And I thought you could only fish at Fort Desoto in the fishing areas, which are the piers and the fishing picnic area? We set up on the beach the first time we went there and got plenty of funny looks, but we packed up once it started to get busier, and went to the pier. Are they really that uptight about fishing on the beach?
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Post by shot33gun9 on Jul 11, 2023 14:13:49 GMT -5
I have never fished that area and never will, there are better spots close by without all the tree huggers staring me down. Those spots I won't reveal on this forum
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Post by Flatsrunner on Jul 11, 2023 14:53:59 GMT -5
Where is this park office at in Fort Desoto? I was looking at the google maps but didn't see anything marked as the park office, but would it be by the campgrounds? Also last time I went, they were working on the bay side pier, and when looking at google maps, says it is open until like 3 or 4 pm daily. So is the pier fixed I guess and is the gulf or bay side pier the better one to fish? I've only been on the gulf side with good results, but I've only fished around those rocks to the right of the pier just as you walk up. And I thought you could only fish at Fort Desoto in the fishing areas, which are the piers and the fishing picnic area? We set up on the beach the first time we went there and got plenty of funny looks, but we packed up once it started to get busier, and went to the pier. Are they really that uptight about fishing on the beach? I Had pretty good luck fishing before the toll gate and out on the south side by the flag pole, across from the wind surfers, look on google earth for grass flats and holes. |
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Post by seabird on Jul 11, 2023 17:09:06 GMT -5
Where is this park office at in Fort Desoto? I was looking at the google maps but didn't see anything marked as the park office, but would it be by the campgrounds? Also last time I went, they were working on the bay side pier, and when looking at google maps, says it is open until like 3 or 4 pm daily. So is the pier fixed I guess and is the gulf or bay side pier the better one to fish? I've only been on the gulf side with good results, but I've only fished around those rocks to the right of the pier just as you walk up. And I thought you could only fish at Fort Desoto in the fishing areas, which are the piers and the fishing picnic area? We set up on the beach the first time we went there and got plenty of funny looks, but we packed up once it started to get busier, and went to the pier. Are they really that uptight about fishing on the beach? According to Pinellas county website, the Bay pier won't be open until this winter...but the web site could be inaccurate. I have not been down there for many months...primarily recently because of the heat. The only place that I could envision as a park office is the building straight ahead as you enter the park after the toll gate. As far as I know you can fish the entire shoreline but I would avoid the swimming areas where you have encountered the unwelcome responses. |
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Post by carlf on Jul 11, 2023 18:19:12 GMT -5
"The only place that I could envision as a park office is the building straight ahead as you enter the park after the toll gate.
As far as I know you can fish the entire shoreline but I would avoid the swimming areas where you have encountered the unwelcome responses."
Yep, to both of these.
I have had good luck with macs, baby jacks and a few (very few) snapper on the Gulf Pier.
On the Bay Pier, it can be good for macs, pompano and whiting. Smatering of grunts, lanes and mangrove too.
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Post by shot33gun9 on Jul 11, 2023 18:56:54 GMT -5
Yo Carl, why do you avoid the skyway piers?
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Post by carlf on Jul 12, 2023 6:51:09 GMT -5
Two factors that i dont fish the SSP/NSP much are:
I have a small boat (15' smokercraft deep semi-v with a 25 merc) that I can fish around the Gandy Bridge. Its my go-to option.
Normally I only fish the piers if my wife and daughter want to go to the beach. Or early in the season when the macs have not moved up the bay. Fort Desoto is closer for me, has a good beach and I am more familiar with it, so its the best option for me.
I've fished the SSP about 2-3 times. If I didn't have my boat, I'd be fishing all the various piers, depending on the season and bite.
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Post by bluerunner on Jul 12, 2023 19:58:52 GMT -5
Speaking of Fort Desoto, is there a certain spot to try to fish from on the pier? I've had pretty good luck by the rocks where it turns to the right, next to the pier. Haven't really fished down towards the end.
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Post by carlf on Jul 12, 2023 20:17:58 GMT -5
I've had the most luck on macs about 1/2 way down the pier. Never really ever made it out all the way to the end.
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Post by tears143 on Jul 13, 2023 9:20:21 GMT -5
Speaking of Fort Desoto, is there a certain spot to try to fish from on the pier? I've had pretty good luck by the rocks where it turns to the right, next to the pier. Haven't really fished down towards the end. depends on what you are after. |
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Post by bluerunner on Jul 17, 2023 18:16:56 GMT -5
Any other good fishing spots within an hour or two of skyway pier? Fishing from shore. Thinking of hitting up the jetties in venice and the pier while down there. Saw even further south is a 'coral creek fishing pier' that looks decent going to boca grande. Definitely hitting up Fort De Soto. Really would like a good place to fish on the beach where it isn't crowded (needle in a haystack right?). At least being able to fish in the morning or later after noon on the beach would be nice.
EDIT: I'm after any fish I can keep for food, and maybe a big bull red or snook. Hell catching big jacks and lady fish are fun too.
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Post by shot33gun9 on Jul 17, 2023 19:53:35 GMT -5
Bean Point on the north end of Anna Maria Island looks pretty isolated, could be good for surf fishing, not sure about public access
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Post by shot33gun9 on Jul 17, 2023 21:13:51 GMT -5
Or you could grab a couple bags of frozen shrimp and stop by the Rod And Reel pier with some light tackle for an hour and catch 100 juvenile mangrove snapper.....just to get your shoulders loose
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Post by carlf on Jul 18, 2023 6:46:11 GMT -5
I've had luck with grunts & lanes along the rocks at Sand Key Pass the couple of times I've been there. I hear it can be good for pompano, macs and jacks if you catch it on the right day.
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fishtailz
Rod Polisher
Hour and a half drive to get there but love the skyway piers. Big fish available.
Posts: 119
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Post by fishtailz on Jul 18, 2023 14:35:38 GMT -5
Bluerunner mentioned the Coral Creek Pier. Doesn't get fished much. Seldom see anyone out there and I pass it almost every day. Have a feeling there's a reason why. I do know it's pretty shallow there. Have had some luck around the rock point at the Boca Grande lighthouse from the beach. Would recommend hitting it around slack tide as there is a heck of a current rolling around the point into or out of the pass. Good place for snook. South Jetty at the Venice Inlet can be a good spot. Last nice fish I caught there was a 38 inch red on a DOA shrimp. Saw a guy there one day pulling up snook left and right on live shrimp on the inlet side during an outgoing tide. He was fishing them just outside the rocks on the bottom. I tried it a few days later and didn't do any good. Not sure. Might catch a good Jack Attack there if you hit it right. You might try Stump Pass Beach Park in the morning. Walk toward the pass and fish the first cut along the beach with lures close to shore. Not many people. Three bucks entrance fee like at Boca Grande lighthouse. Good Luck.
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Post by shot33gun9 on Jul 18, 2023 15:00:21 GMT -5
No matter where you fish you will "COOK" in this heat unless you fish at night with a good breeze, without a breeze the bugs will suck your blood
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Post by fishsci on Jul 18, 2023 19:37:24 GMT -5
Bean Point on the north end of Anna Maria Island looks pretty isolated, could be good for surf fishing, not sure about public access Bean Point is a lovely place....to walk along the beach out to the very point. In the past, there has been beach errosion requiring that walk to have to climb over several rock jetties. Access is limited by parking, You can access the beach by parking at the Rod and Reel Parking lot, but it is usually full. Some use the outer beach access trail by dropping off fishermen and their gear there...but there is no parking there...so they drive back to the parking at the park East of the Rod& Reel Pier....a long hike back to the access point or even to the pier. Fishing there is tough. There are a lot of fish along that stretch of beach, but the tidal current rips along there, making it very difficult to fish. I used to take my boat and anchor off of the shoreline and it was good for bluefish, mackerel, flounder and seatrout. However fishing fron the shore is very difficult because of the current. There are snook that move along the shore, probably from the point to the piers and back, but you need good live bait and to be able to fish it when the current does not sweep back to the beach almost immediately. The very outer point, is again a very pretty spot. However, the current sweeps up the sand and it is too shallow to surf fish there. |
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Post by shot33gun9 on Jul 18, 2023 19:53:47 GMT -5
I have never fished there but I've tried to fish Longboat Pass and it's equally everything you described. Well, bluerunner you can scratch those 2 spots.....if you run low on beer pm me, I keep a nice stash
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Post by bluerunner on Jul 20, 2023 13:16:15 GMT -5
Those spots does sound kinda rough. Might just skip those. We'll probably hit up Fort Desoto at least for 1 day. Was thinking of going to the jetties in Venice and I see several beaches down there that has some potential, like Stump Pass Beach State Park. Seems to have like a mile of beach and bay side to try out. Caspersen beach looks good up to the Venice Pier, about a 3 mile stretch of beach (if you can believe the google maps measurements).
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Post by shot33gun9 on Jul 20, 2023 15:17:24 GMT -5
If you fish those beaches you have a great shot at some snook, let us know how many Hammerheads you see fishing for the same fish.
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