Tampa Bay Fishing Report

Fishing Around Tampa Bay
Published: Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 11:23 p.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, October 6, 2011 at 11:23 p.m.

1 - At Big Pier 60 in Clearwater, lot of keeper pompano this week on shrimp and jigs, reports Kelly Dacey. Also trout, Spanish mackerel, jacks and silver trout.
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Strike Zone Areas: 5 , 6 , 7, 'elsewhere'

2 - At Madeira Beach, kingfish starting to show, free-jumping at times, but main migration not this far south yet, reports Capt. Dane Karcher (727-647-6919) of John's Pass. Capt. Jason Lineberger said the largest kings he's got so far are 12-15 pounds slow-trolling live bait over hard bottom off Redington Long Pier and John's Pass from 20 feet out to reefs, but he's catching Spanish mackerel up to 6-7 pounds along with spinner and blacktip sharks. Karcher catching limits of keeper gag grouper in 20-60 feet, but said keeper red grouper from 60-100 feet. Lineberger reports nice gags 8 and 12 pounds on Treasure Island reef with pinfish. Cobia starting to migrate into area, with 65-pounder in 35 feet over rock pile off John's Pass, Karcher said.

3 - At John's Pass, schools of flounder starting to show on beaches, reefs, in passes and on flats along Intercoastal, said Capt. Dane Karcher. Angler caught a 23-inch flounder off seawall at pass on Berkley Gulp! Shrimp. Pods of baitfish and Spanish mackerel within 1-2 miles of beach with strong easterly winds. Trout in slot and a few in 20-inch class on flats along Intercoastal on Berkley Gulp! New Penny.