Capt'n Tom

We saw some fine fishing on Pier 60 in November. With air temperatures in the high to mid-70′s and water temperatures hovering around 70 degrees, fishing action was non-stop most days here.

We saw lots of nice Spanish Mackerel during the mornings. Macks were hitting the usual- live shrimp, small minnows, and lures such as spoons or flashy plugs.

We also saw a fair number of Redfish, some in the keeper slot of 18-27 inches, and some bruisers more than three feet long released here.

Pompano were taken on many mornings, with some nice fish of 12-15 inches caught on live shrimp and Pompano lures like the Goofy Jig.

Flounder have made a great showing this month. Keeper flatties from 12 inches up to about 20 inches were commonplace, with some anglers landing 3 or more in a session.

Gag Grouper were caught in November on Pier 60. Although the season to keep Gags was only open the first half of the month, a couple of keepers were taken. Numerous smaller fish were caught and released. One young angler was able to fight and release a 20-incher on his light spinning outfit, and that is a lot of pulling on a light rod and young 10 year-old arms!

Ten year old William catches a Bonnet Head Shark while visiting Pier 60 from Wisconsin.

The Spotted Sea Trout closure for November and December continues. There are a lot of Trout around the pier at night, with some fish seen that easily went longer than 24 inches. You can still fish for Spotted Sea Trout, but they must be released. They tend to swallow a J-hook, and don’t do well unless they are handled delicately. My advice is to use circle hooks, and unhook them at the rail without touching the fish. Use pliers. You don’t want the Spotted Sea Trout to flop around on the concrete and lose their slime coat. It will probably kill the fish needlessly.

Sand Sea Trout have made a good showing here in recent weeks. Looking like its cousin minus the spots, there is no size or bag limit.

Silver Trout appear in schools around the pier after dark, and can be taken on squid, shrimp, or lures. These fish have been running 10-12 inches. Along with them we have seen lots of Silver Perch. Small, shiny silver, and tasty, they are known to crackers as Butterfish. Try some, and you’ll find out why.

The Whiting have been biting fairly well. When we have seen them, they have been larger than the summer fish, and many have the tan and brown coloration seen this time of year.

There have been a lot of Sharks in the waters surrounding Pier 60 this month. Bull Sharks, BlackTip Sharks, and Bonnethead Sharks were the most commonly seen.

Weather patterns in December vary local conditions widely. As cold fronts press into the area, winds blow towards the advancing front. Fishing can be great as the fish know what comes next. The front arrives with a change of wind, strong squall lines, and tremendous white-caps clear to the horizon. Temperatures plummet, and the fishing becomes poor, except for Saltwater Catfish. After the front passes, things warm up, and the fishing gets better in a couple of days.

Pier 60 will be closed on Christmas Day. Happy Holidays and Good Luck Fishing!

Capt'n Tom

October is always one of the nicest months of the year here. The severe heat from the summer has dissipated, and fall migrations are in full swing. Water temperatures have fluctuated from the high-70′s down to the low 70′s, and even dipped into the 60′s for a brief while. With the passage of cold fronts, the water gets churned and sandy, then slowly clears as the winds subside and sunny weather warms the water up.

We saw a great variety of species in October.

Spanish Mackerel continue to be caught in the mornings, with the bite returning later in the day. The Mackerel have been biting on live shrimp under a float, cut baits, lures, and even Sabiki rigs. The Autumn Mackerel are some of the largest of the year, with many good fish above 20 inches. Mackerel are a great-eating fish, but you must take care to insure the best taste. Ice your Mackerel down right away, and cut the dark red meat away when filleting. Another way to enjoy Mackerel is to smoke them. Their oily flesh lends itself nicely for the smoker, and preserves them as well.

Lots of Pompano have been around, with fishermen getting some beautiful fish in the 15-20 inch range. Pompanos love shrimp, but can also be caught on a variety of lures we stock in the tackle store. Yellow jigs and goofy jigs target the Pompano, and both work well with a little practice and luck.

Tarpon were still around in October, and a few nice fish over 50 pounds were jumped, fought, and released. Early morning and late evening were the times the fish were hooked here. Once water temperatures get down into the 60′s, the Tarpon will leave this area for warmer winter abodes.

Nice Trout Catch

Spotted Sea Trout fishing was very steady this month. Sometimes we may see a few Trout in the morning, but the vast majority of them are caught at night under the lights. Live shrimp is one of the best baits to use for Spotted Sea Trout. You can also use small minnows caught on a Sabiki rig to trout-fish, but it is frustrating to lose live baits to a hoarde of ravaging Pinfish. Grub-tail lures work well, as do the MirroLure swimming minnows. Top-water plugs can also be effective, with the added bonus of watching the fish strike and slash the lure. We carry some of the best patterns in the tackle store. Spotted Sea Trout season will be closed for the months of November and December here in this region of Florida. Catch-and release fishing is permitted.

Sand Sea Trout and Silver Trout have no closed season, and have been seen with more and more regularity as the seasons progress. Both can be taken on cut baits, shrimp, and lures. Best fishing for these is in the evenings.

Whiting have been more common catches in the evenings as the waters cool. Whiting can be taken on cut squid and cut shrimp. Multiple-hook rigs are a common practice here, and produce well once the fish are located. With no size or bag limit, Whiting provide a small but tasty fillet.

Silver Perch are showing up in the evenings more and more, and will also take a variety of baits.

October was a great time to catch a nice Flounder here on Pier 60. We saw some nice flatties in the 20-inch range taken on live minnows and live shrimp. Flounder are also likely to bite a grub-tail lure bounced around on the bottom.

Emma of North Carolina with a Redfish

Redfish have been feeding around the pier in big schools that “mud” the water up in a clearly-defined area. Casting ahead of the fish may result in a hook-up with a “Bull” Redfish in excess of 25 pounds. The Redfish is a fighter of great renown, with a head-shaking pull that tests both gear and fishermen. Baits include shrimp, cut baits and lures. Redfish are also known to have a liking to a gold spoon fluttering within striking distance. Although the big Reds must be released, they are a worthy opponent. Red Drum must be in the “slot” of between 18 to 27 inches, and some pretty keeper Redish were caught this month.

Grouper season was opened to recreational anglers from October 16 to November 15. We saw a few Gag Grouper caught here, but all were under the 22″ minimum size limit.

Sheepshead have been feeding around the pilings, and can be caught by chumming then using a small but strong hook weighted with a split-shot. Crabs are favorite bait, but shrimp also works well, and is more available.

A few Bluefish are making an appearance, and will be more common here in the weeks ahead. The Blues feed with abandon, targeting the schools of small minnows around the pier. Anything getting in their way is apt to get bitten. Lures and cut baits work well for them.

Lots and lots of small Sharks have been seen around Pier 60 this month. BlackTip Shark, and BonnetHead Shark are the most common, but we see other species here as well. Pier 60 has a policy of No Shark Fishing, but by-catch and release is okay.

November brings more cold fronts with the accompanying rains, wind and high surf. As the fronts clear through the area, winds and seas moderate and good fishing returns. Keep an eye on current conditions by clicking on the link to the NOAA weather station out on Pier 60. Be flexible with bait and lure selection, and you may find a new way to catch fish.

Good Luck Fishing!

Spanish Mackerel have been biting early in the day on live shrimp, small live minnows, and lures. Live shrimp are usually fished under a float, but free-lining shrimp is a good tactic too. Small minnows are caught on a Sabiki rig, and fished in the same fashion. Using a float allows the angler to cast further, and keeps the bait suspended in the water column where Mackerel and other predators roam. Lures have been working well for the Mackerel, and there are several advantages to this approach. The casting plugs and spoons allow you to cover a great area of water in a short time, and there are few nibbles or stolen baits. The plugs are armed with multiple hooks, and strikes usually result in a fish on the line. Fish are removed easily if you use a pair of pliers to hold the plug and the fish usually shakes right off. The same lures used to target Mackerel also attract strikes from other species. These other fish may include King Mackerel, Ladyfish and Jack Crevalle.

We saw a flourish of Sand Sea Trout this month on Pier 60. Fish were adults in the 15-inch range, with some larger. The Sand Sea Trout look like the Spotted Sea Trout, minus the spots. We saw the bite for these fish mostly in the afternoons. Although there is no size limit or bag limit for these, fish over 15 inches provide a reasonable fillet when cleaned out.

Spotted Sea Trout have been active late afternoons and evenings. Live shrimp is a favorite bait, but grub-tail lures also work well. Lures also have the added benefit of catching mostly targeted species, and not having Pinfish steal the bait.

We have seen some nice Sheepshead come over the rail in September. The Sheepshead bite small cut shrimp fished next to the pilings. These members of the Porgy family will be around well into the colder months, so look for more of these tasty convicts in the weeks ahead.

Flounder have made a showing all month, with some fish from 12 to 16 inches. Look for the flatties to stay around for awhile, with larger fish taken as waters cool more.

Shoals of big bull Redfish have been seen swimming off the end of the pier, and large “muds” are a sure sign that a school of Reds is lurking below. Not a picky feeder, the Redfish fights with tenacity and power fishermen respect. Keepers must be slot-sized, 18 to 27 inches. Bag limit is one fish per day.

We have seen Tarpon almost every day on Pier 60. Fish are seen early in the mornings feeding on schools of small minnows. Anglers can still jump a Silver King here in September, and fish hang around well into October.

Most evenings Whiting can be found roaming the sandy areas around the pier. They like a variety of cut baits such as squid, finger mullet, or shrimp. Silver Perch have been seen here and there also.

One good way to fish for variety here is to use one of the larger-hooked Sabiki rigs we keep in the Tackle Center. Tipped with a bit of shrimp or squid, these rigs produce great results and fast action. Gamefish like Trout are attracted to all the excitement, and can be caught as well.

As usual, Sharks were seen, hooked and fought here on the pier this month. As more fish migrate through the area, the Sharks naturally follow and feed on the bounty.

Look for good fishing action to continue into October. As waters cool into the mid-seventies, there will be better water clarity with bait pods swarming around Pier 60. Cold fronts will trigger more fish migrations, and once the disruptive fronts pass, conditions should improve quickly.

Good Luck Fishing!

A beautiful sunset at Pier 60

August is the hottest month of the year here on Clearwater Beach. In addition to the high temperatures, we are likely to see squalls, winds, and waves associated with tropical storms, either as a glancing blow, or a more direct hit. With water temperatures in low 90′s it becomes more important to fish early or late, as the sweltering heat of mid-day drives both fish and fishermen to cooler abodes.

We saw a good variety of fish caught this August on Pier 60.

Spanish Mackerel were not abundant every day, but decent catches were made by fishermen using live shrimp, small minnows or lures. Mackerel feed in mid-water, so bait presentation is key. Using a float or very little weight allows the bait to lie off the bottom or just under the surface. Keeping the bait in the strike zone gives the angler the best chances of success for the toothy Mackerel.

Snook are still feeding around the pier at night, but they are wary and have not been showing up until the wee hours of the morning, usually after most fishermen leave for the night. Snook will stay around until water temperatures dip into the mid-70′s. The high water temperatures seem to push hard feeding times into late-late night or just before dawn. Still, we have seen dozens of Snook milling about, awaiting that secret signal to feed. Snook remains a catch-and-release fishery until September 2012.

Some quite decent Sheepshead were caught off the pier recently. The Sheepies like small live shrimp, crabs, or other mollusks. Small hooks, patience, and a heightened sense of feel for the hook all offer advantages to the angler targeting the Sheepshead.

We have seen some nice Flounder caught this month on live shrimp. Good eating-size fish were not uncommon, and we also saw many undersize Flounder caught and released.

Spotted Sea Trout have been showing up most evenings well after dark. Although some fish are taken both in the mornings and afternoons, the best time to catch Trout has been well after dark. The fish seem to be very picky and tentative when biting, and it does not help when the water is alive with hordes of Pinfish ready to pick off a nice live shrimp. At these times it is perhaps better to use a white grub-tail lure tipped with a bit of fresh shrimp to get the Trout to bite.

Gag Grouper have been caught and released with some regularity this month. Grouper season has been closed to recreational fishermen all summer, but will open from September 16 to November 15. Minimum size of 22 inches, bag limit two fish.

Cobia were regular visitors to Pier 60 this month. All of the Cobia we saw were undersize, and were released. A few big fish were hooked, but eluded the landing net and got away.

There was a smattering of Whiting taken in August. The Whiting, although small, are a tasty treat to enjoy. Fishing on the sandy areas surrounding the Pier, a two-hook rig baited with squid or shrimp is frequently a successful tactic.

When the winds blow and the water gets muddied up, Catfish appear. Both HardHead and SailCats were a frequent catch here this month. Catfish will bite most any bait, including live Pinfish. Please be careful of the sharp spines this fish possesses. The Catfish will often struggle and flip about when it is time to remove the hook, and a serious wound can be the result. Saltwater Catfish have become more acceptable table fare in recent years, so there is some potential for a meal in poor weather conditions at least.

There are still Tarpon off the end of the Pier in the mornings. We see fish of 40 to 60 lbs. rolling in pods, and a well-placed live bait or large oily hunk of fish soaking in their path could incite a thrilling jump-and-run.

There are plenty of Sharks about, including BlackTip, Bonnethead, and Sand Sharks. Although we do not permit Shark fishing here on Pier 60, hook-ups are frequent. We ask that anglers do not land the larger Sharks, just break off once the fish has been fought and tired out.

Capt'n Tom

Redfish have made an appearance here, with fish both over and under the slot size of 18 to 27 inches. Some fish in the 40-inch range were successfully fought and released this month.

Pier 60 hours of operation will change Oct. 1^st back to Monday-Thursday 6 Am to 9:30 PM. We will still be open 24 hours Fridays and Saturdays.

Good Luck Fishing!

July fishing on Clearwater Beach’s’ Pier 60 was full of variety.

Spanish Mackerel fishing was spotty in July. The middle part of the month, high water temperatures drove the fish offshore. Once water temperatures relaxed, the fish returned. Most days fish were taken on live shrimp and lures during the morning. Afternoon success was less consistent.

We saw quite a few Flounder showing up in July, with fish in the 15 to 20-inch range. The flatties were biting on live shrimp and small minnows.

Catch-and release Snook fishing has been good, with the best success in the wee hours of the mornings. Snook have been biting on large shrimp, greenback minnows, Pinfish, and live Ladyfish free-lined near the ends of the Pier at the edge of the lights. During the night, Snook also move towards and from the beach, giving rise to additional opportunities to hook one of these fish. The State of Florida is not going to open the Gulf fishery for taking Snook until Sept. 2012.

Spotted Sea Trout fishing has been good in the evenings, with keepers 15 inches and up taken nightly. The Trout have been partial to live shrimp, but will also bite the tandem grub-tail lures.

Quite a few Gag Grouper were caught and released in July, with the closure of the Gag Grouper fishery for recreational anglers still in effect.

Tarpon are still seen rolling off the end of the pier, and a few anglers hooked up with the jumping & shaking Silver King. Live natural baits are the usual fare, but the Tarpon will also take a fresh-dead baitfish on the bottom.

Cobia are visiting the area, with quite a few undersize fish released. The large Cobia that were hooked managed to defeat the anglers and get away. I saw a pair of Cobia prowling up and down the pier, and the larger of the pair would have topped 50 pounds, easy. A Cobia of that size usually manages to wrap a piling or buoy, or snap the rod or line of most anglers.

Sheepshead fishing has been decent, with some jumbo fish caught next to the pilings on live shrimp. Many anglers overlook fishing under the pier with its reef habitat, casting their baits out as far as they can beyond the fertile pilings.

We have had a fair showing of Pompano in recent weeks, as long as the wind and waves were not roiling the waters up too much.

Black Sea Bass keepers were taken in July, biting on squid and cut baits.

We got to see some baby Barracuda caught this month. Barracuda are plentiful on the reefs offshore, but do manage to get close in during the summer heat.

Quite a few Whiting were taken off the sandy areas surrounding the pier, with evening catches the norm. Whiting are taken on shrimp or squid, and are a tasty treat!

We saw a good variety in incidental catches this month, including Moray Eel, White Grunt, Jack Crevalle, and Ladyfish.

Looking on towards August, we should see good fishing interrupted by stormy weather. Fish will bite hard in advance of bad weather. Once the weather arrives, the waters may become churned up by high winds and waves. In those conditions, usually the only fish we see caught are Hardhead Catfish, or SailCats. Just be careful of the spines of the Catfish; we have had more than one angler suffer a very painful puncture wound from the sharp spines.

Good Luck Fishing!