Skyway Report, Paul Bristow 12/23/2016

The Tampa Bay region is posting a weather forecast for the 2016 holiday season that would have executives at almost any tourism department doing cartwheels.  Whether you are a serious angler, just learning to fish saltwater or simply enjoy watching the sun set over Florida’s Gulf Coast, there are few finer places to spend family time than the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers.

A warmer than average start to December had a mixture of both cool and warm water bites happening at the piers this past week  Winter regulars like sheepshead, black sea bass and silver trout are appearing at both piers in catchable numbers.  Gag grouper remained on a strong bite, but the average size was down from what has already become an almost legendary bite that occurred last week.  Spanish mackerel made a strong appearance on late afternoon tides – especially along the approach sections to each fishing pier.  Ladyfish and bluefish were crashing the surface after sundown, and even a few mackerel got in the action after dark.  Smaller shark species remained cooperative and goliath grouper provided both entertainment and sore arms for big game anglers.

The Spanish mackerel bite this past week was fairly strong for what historically can be expected during the month of December.  Although anglers were not taking full limits of fish, plenty of visitors reported catching 5 to 10 mackerel in the last hour before sundown, and most of these fish were in the 18″ plus size range.  Silver spoons fished behind a trolling sinker and Gotcha lures were the most commonly named lures, but some anglers were also fishing live sardines or freshly cut belly baits.  Baitfish schools remain plentiful around the piers, so mild weather could keep some macks around the piers for an extended period of time this winter.

Silver trout are a common winter resident at the piers, and fish are already showing up in catches on both sides.  Anglers can pursue both Spanish mackerel and silver trout at the same time by bouncing larger sabiki-style baitfish rigs near the bait shop and end sections of both fishing piers.  Look for rigs where the hook is in the 1/0 size range to prevent mackerel bite-offs and allow for tipping with bait if silvers are not aggressive.  Simply employ a lift-and-drop action in the tidal flow for a method that outperforms many others during the entire winter season.  This simple technique also takes pompano, bluefish, spotted seatrout, jacks and many other species at the piers.

Black sea bass are one of the most popular bottom-dwelling species that make a winter visit to the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers.  This species favors clear water and areas of hard bottom – which the piers offer up in abundance each cool water season.  The species does not grow large in the Tampa Bay region, but some fish over 15″ are taken each season, with an occasional monster pushing or exceeding this size range.  Sea bass can be taken using a wide variety of angling methods – ranging from jigging to soaking natural baits.  Sea bass will often gather in schools, so once you take one – be prepared for more action.  This fish boasts incredible culinary qualities and can be prepared using a wide variety of fish cookery methods.

The Sunshine Skyway Fishing piers are located along I-275 on both sides of the mouth of Tampa Bay.  The piers and bait shops are open 24 hours a day and 365 days per year, so they make an ideal location for kids to try out a new rod & reel received over the holiday season.  Restroom facilities and picnic areas are available on each fishing pier.