A warm week of weather made it finally feel like spring had arrived at the mouth of Tampa Bay, and many species responded with hot bites at the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers. The mackerel bite was much stronger this past week than last, with the shallows showing numbers and the depths showing larger fish. Sheepshead continued to bite despite the somewhat late time frame, and some anglers report the fish still holding eggs. Pompano made a pronounced return and many large fish were taken. Cobia have been both spotted & landed along both pier spans. Small sharks of many varieties are being reported by anglers, and larger brethren are sure to arrive soon. Finally, some very nice spotted seatrout have been reported by anglers fishing live & cut scaled sardines in the bait shop areas.

Spanish mackerel numbers were high in the shallow approach sections of the piers this past week – especially on the South Pier. Anglers probed the depths with white nylon crappie jigs, speck rigs, and sabiki-style baitfish rigs or mackerel trees. Most of these fish in the shallows were of the minimum legal length, but not too many fish over 15″ were taken in this area. Larger fish pushing & exceeding 20″ were found more towards the bait shop & end sections of the piers, again with the South Pier currently holding the better bite. Morning incoming tides produced some fish, but the late afternoon slacks & eventual turns seemed to produce the largest fish. Spanish sardines fished on a long shank hook with only a split-shot sinker or popping cork for depth control began to take some nice fish. Look for this method & trend to continue as the waters warm.

Pompano came on strong for the first time in many months – especially on the South Pier approach section – where many fish over 15″ were bagged this past week. White and pink pompano swim jigs with offsetting colors of teaser flies were the top choice. Most angers fished a teaser in a loop knot at the jig, but some fish were also taken on a teaser placed about a foot above the jig. Late morning into early afternoon with the incoming tide was the prime time, with moving (but not ripping) water being key. This trend holds true for many Skyway Pier fisheries in that sometimes the hardest tidal pulls might be a time to sit back and have a cold drink & snack for about 15 minutes. Perhaps the one exception are the upcoming hill tide blue crab flushes of early & mid-summer and their corresponding tarpon bites.

The brown clown made several appearances at the piers this past week as many cobia were spotted, hooked, and landed at the mouth of Tampa Bay. Cobia favor so many traits that the piers hold that they are simply one of the finest land-based locations to target this species. Floating weeds & debris combined with multiple sets of pilings make cobia feel right at home. Many fish this past week were taken by anglers jigging for other species, but having one rod rigged & ready for cobia is the best choice. A lively pinfish kept in a bucket ready to throw is one great option, and a white bucktail jig with an eel-imitating trailer is yet another. Putting as much pressure as your tackle outfit will allow whenever the fish ties to run underneath the pier span is required. Breaking off 20 yards of line is better than 80 yards of line and your odds of landing the fish are dramatically increased.

As the Spring Break season comes to a close for many Florida residents & visitors, the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers at the mouth of Tampa Bay are one of the finest and most family-friendly places for vacationers to experience the fun of saltwater fishing. This holds true during the summer months as well, and all that really changes are the names of the fish species available. The piers offer visitors a drive-up fishing location open 24 hours per day and 365 days per year. There are restroom facilities and full-service bait & tackle stores with food and beverages. You can park right where you want to fish and a Florida Fishing License is not required on the piers. Rod rental is available and convenient access points are located on the piers for folks with disabilities. As the summer travel season approaches, a night visit to the Skyway Piers can be a great way to beat the heat.
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Paul Bristow
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