Fishing opportunities in Clearwater Florida...

[addy79]

Hello all...

Im heading out to florida for the weekend on business. found out that clearwater florida is loaded with sharks!!

Anyone have any info on fishing opportunities there?

from shore, etc.???

any help is greatly appreciated, and IF i catch ANYTHING i will post it!

[davew3]

Take medium heavy equipment, buy some casting bobbers and shrimp at the baitstore. These bobbers are great. You can cast out along way. They are a 1 ounce lead rod surrounded with styrofom. Wish i could find them here. Use a strong hook and drift the shore line, or find some docks you can access, you never know what you will hook. Sea trout, snook, jacks.

Have fun.

[pikehunter]

Pier 60 in Clearwater beach, also Fort DeSoto a little further down the coast just past St. Petes's Beach, John Pass's Village about 1/2 way between Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach and these areas are also home to many charter boats. The HWY 60 causeway that takes you to Clearwater Beach also offers many opportunities.

 

There are so many opportunities to fish around Tampa Bay, the Gulf and the Intercoastal that you could never fish them all unless you lived there year round.

 

Happy fishing.

[bassman]

I posted this on the "venice beach bass fishing" post yesterday. It applies for your trip as well. PM me if you want specifics.

 

I visit Clearwater Beach every summer.

 

You do not require a fishing license if you are fishing from a pier or a charter boat. If you are planning in fishing on your own, you will need either a freshwater or saltwater license. You can get it online at:

 

http://myfwc.com/

 

or you can purchase one locally.

 

I go down to FLA every summer,and I have yet to go freshwater fishing, as I can do that here in Ontario. Saltwater fishing is a different beast altogether, and can be quite challenging and very entertaining. The mistake I made a few years ago was thinking that saltwater fishing would be easier, as there is always something biting in the ocean. Each species from Snook to Tarpon have there own methods.

 

Your best bet for successful saltwater fishing is to learn from the locals. There is a great board based out of the Tampa Bay area:

 

http://capmel.com/

 

I've found the site and the members very helpful, and I do credit it with improving my surf fishing. I'm also registered on that board as Bassman.

 

If you've got money to spend, I highly recommend you go on a charter. You're not that far from the Tarpon capitol of Florida (Charlotte Harbour).

 

Anyways, if you need any more info, please feel free to PM directly, I can yap about FLA fishing for hours.

 

Cheers!

[Fang]

It's been a few years since I've been down there but on the intercoastal waters at Clearwater beach there's several charter boats that you can chat with and see if they will add you as a single to a smaller group. Good way to get out and save on the $. Lots of different target species to choose from and I know there's several there that specialize in shark fishing.

 

I always do a couple 1/2 day trips on the big "ferry" boats as I call em. Cost you $25 bucks to go out and catch all kinds of small snapper with a good shot at a small grouper. If you do one of these 1/2 day, get there early, buy some bigger sardines as bait and get a spot on the back of the boat. I've always picked up a 5-10 lb grouper each trip out with the bigger bait.

 

Johns Pass is a decent shore spot but last time I was there there was a ton of signs posted "NO SHARK FISHING" and nightly a CO would show up and check the guys lining the rocks. There's also some decent 1/2 day boats out of Johns Pass.

 

You can get buy with a basic muskie outfit on the 1/2 day boats but you'll be best to buy the bait rigs pre-made down there. They're cheap.

 

Don't overlook the piers as PikeHunter mentioned. I caught a 12 lb redfish off the Reddington pier night fishing. It's just north of Johns Pass.

[BillM]

I'd probably make my way up to Honeymoon Island and fish the channel (Gates open at 8am, $5). Whitings, ladyfish, redfish, occasional jack. I was down there last spring with the oldman, I just used a jig with a plastic trailer.

 

You could fish right off the beach if you wanted to. A slip sinker setup and a shrimp will find its way into somethings mouth