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!

Capt'n Tom

Fishing was fantastic on Pier 60 in June.

June gave us clear waters, mild temperatures, and little in the way of hostile weather. Pods of Manatees traveling up and down the beaches were a daily sight. Family groups, including newborn calves seemed to relish swimming near the numerous bathers in the popular swim zone near to shore.

Spanish Mackerel were caught early in the mornings. The bite was best just after first light, but then continued on and off throughout the day. Fish were running 15 inches and better, with some fishermen bringing fish up to 24 inches over the rail. Anglers were using plugs, live shrimp and small minnows to catch the toothy Macks.

Pompano also made a good showing during June. Pompano up to 15 inches were taken on live shrimp and goofy jigs. These golden-bellied fish are some of the best-eating fish in the Gulf of Mexico.

Lady Angler with a Large Snook

Snook action heated up as the summer spawn continued. There are a good number of Snook around the Pier, both in the deeper areas and even up into the shallow places closer to the beach. Fish seem to be hungry after the mating rituals. Snook were caught and released both in the mornings and late afternoons, with the best Snook fishing late at night. Fish up to 40 inches were successfully fought and released here this month. Fishermen were using live shrimp and greenback minnows to hook the Linesiders. Key to success in Snook fishing is to use minimal terminal tackle; just a smallish dark hook with a frisky bait tied to a length of 40-lb Fluorocarbon leader. For best results, no weights or swivels are employed. The Snook fishery is going to remain catch-and release only until at least September of 2012 in the Gulf of Mexico.

Spotted Sea Trout fishing has been consistently good. Although some Trout are taken in the afternoon, most fish are caught in the evenings under the lights. Trout over 20 inches were caught using live shrimp, grub-tail tandem lures, and small live minnows.

Joe Quintania of Tampa with a Cobia

We saw quite a few Cobia this month on Pier 60. These large curious predators can show up at any time of the day, both as loners or in pairs. Live Pinfish, Greenback minnows, and even cut baits were picked up by Cobia. Most fish got away, some in spectacular fashion. One large Cobia was hooked, and then made a bee-line for an anchored buoy off the corner at the end of the pier. The fish knocked the buoy over as he sped past, and successfully shed the angler’s hook. Some anglers fought Cobia for 10 minutes or so, only to have the fish get off in a final burst of energy upon seeing the landing net. Successful Cobia fishermen know that vigilance and patience pays off, as does a quiet but determined approach with the landing sequence. Minimum length for Cobia is 33 inches, and we had fish both over and under that this month on Pier 60.

Quite a few Gag Grouper were caught on the pier this month, with some fish going over 24 inches. Gag season was closed however, so all Grouper were released.

Ian with 21 inch grouper caught and released 12/13/09

We saw a smattering of Flounder on Pier 60 in June. No real doormats, but fish over the minimum of 12 inches up to 16 inches were taken on live shrimp and small minnows.

A few big Redfish over the slot size of 27 inches were caught and released recently. The tenacious and strong fight of the Redfish is legendary, with head-shakes and straight-pull runs that sometimes breaks fishing gear, and wears fishermen out.

Tarpon up to 100 lbs were hooked off the end of the pier this month. The Silver Kings all jumped off or successfully wrapped a piling or buoy to get away.

On a few days schools of large Jack Crevalle mobbed the pier, slashing and thrashing into bait pods in a coordinated Jack-attack lasting a minute or so.

Some Black Sea Bass were caught and released here, as most fish are shorter than the 10-inch minimum here in the Gulf of Mexico.

We also saw White Grunt up to 10 inches caught here in June, as well as quite a few Sting Rays. Some of the Rays went upwards of 20 lbs. All were released unharmed.

Whiting have been available for fishermen in the sandy areas mid-pier. Squid, shrimp, and even grub-tail lures are effective for them. Sweet-tasting Whiting are a treat when filleted and fried.

A few days of rough weather pushed through, with squalls and rough seas. When the water gets roiled up, the Catfish appear. Sail Cats and Hardhead Cats bite readily, and are sometimes taken for dinner. Just be very careful when handling them, as their spines can cause a painful wound.

My advice for successful fishing in the heat of summer is to come early to fish the morning bite, and then retire as the fish seem to do during the middle of the day. Come back in the evening and fish for Trout, Whiting, or catch-and release Snook. Try using different tactics and lures which we carry in our Tackle Shop. You may be pleasantly surprised with the results you get with some of these proven baits.

Good Luck Fishing!

Ken With 6 Spanish Mackerel

Great weather in May allowed fishermen to reap a good variety of fish here on Pier 60.

Spanish Mackerel start biting just after first light. These toothy speedsters will readily take live shrimp, lures, and small minnows brought up on a Sabiki rig. Fish have been mostly in the 15-20 inch range, with some fish both smaller and larger. Macks bite well until the late morning, then on and off throughout the day.

We have seen a good showing of Pompano in recent days. The Pompano will take small live shrimp, but most fishermen targeting these fish use a small lure, sometimes tipped with a bit of fresh shrimp. The Pompano have been good size, averaging about a pound and a half; perfect size for a meal.

Nakita With a Sheepshead

Sheepshead are feeding around the pilings of the pier, nipping small crabs and barnacles from the encrusted concrete structure. Small pieces of fresh-cut shrimp fished on a small hook will entice this striped drum into biting. Sheepies up to 15 inches are available for those who want to try for them. Small crabs are also a favored bait.

Spotted Sea Trout are showing up in the late afternoons and into the evenings. Some nice fish have been taken on live shrimp and grub-tail tandem lures. Keepers must be over the minimum of 15 inches, and each fisherman is allowed one fish over 20 inches in his bag limit of four fish.

Milos With a Large Snook

Snook are parading around the pier at night, mostly in groups of of three or more. Large females are followed by a bevy of male suitors. The Snook are leader-shy, but have been striking free-lined live baits fished at the edge of the shadows. We have had plenty of catch-and-release Snook action this month on Pier 60, and it looks to continue well into June.

Pods of Tarpon feed off the beaches in the quiet of the morning, and as these schools move past the pier, hook-ups with the Silver King are possible. Strictly a sport fish, the Tarpon is a powerful adversary that will break tackle and provide thrilling aerial antics in his bid to escape the hook.

Cobia prowl local waters in singles or pairs, and we have spotted some truly large ones in the waters around the pier. Cobia must be a minimum of 33 inches to keep. We have seen anglers catching fish up to 40 inches, but there have been fish over 60 inches seen haunting the structure and swass channel close to the bait house. Big Cobia have been hooked but have been so powerful that they wrapped the line around a buoy or piling and so got away.

Our summer Flounder are generally not the doormats we see in the fall, but most of the flatties are above the minimum 12-inch size limit, with fish up to 16 inches this month. Flounder have been biting live shrimp, but will also take a small live minnow or even a lure.

David From Tampa With Black Sea Bass

A few nice Black Drum were caught in May on live shrimp. These fish are striped much like a Sheepshead, black-on-white. Although Drum grow quite large, the ones to eat are smallish, in the slot size of 14 to 24 inches.

There have also been a few Whiting caught recently. We see lots of small ones on the sand bottom areas around the pier. Whiting of 12 inches or so are worth targeting, as they have a sweet and mild flavor.

Gag Grouper season was open for state waters until June 1^st, and there were a few keepers caught here on Pier 60 in May. Most Gags here are a bit smaller, but do provide a challenge for anglers to try and keep them from pulling into the snags, rocks, and pilings.

Jack Crevalle show up occasionally, usually in the middle of the day as a “Jack Attack” when they rush, en masse, into schools of baitfish biting, slashing and creating a boil of carnage in their wake.

Capt'n Tom

Look for good fishing action to continue into June. It’s going to get hotter out, so plan your fishing for early in the day or later in the afternoons, and then into the evenings. Stay flexible, and vary your baits and lures to take advantage of the great variety of fish available here.

Good Luck Fishing!

There’s been a great variety of fish on Pier 60 in April.

Spanish Mackerel continue to be taken daily on Pier 60. The Mackerel bite usually is good starting at first light, and continues on and off throughout the day.  These fish will take a live shrimp, small minnows, lures, and cut bait fished under a bobber. Mackerel don’t nibble; they rush with open mouth towards prey or activity. As one fish slashes bait or lure, another one follows to pick up any pieces left behind. Long-shanked gold hooks work well for the Macks; they like the color, and the long shank is usually all that’s need to foil a cut-off. Heavier rigs cut the number of strikes you get. Fish have been running from the minimum 12″ up to 25″.

King Mackerel migrate through these waters twice a year, once in spring, and again in fall. Most of the fish stay offshore, but a few loner King Mackerel have been caught this month, with plenty of missed opportunities.

Cobia have been showing up throughout the month. A few keepers over 33″ were landed, some undersize fish released, and there have been reports of big Cobia over 48″ prowling about the end of the pier.

Gag Grouper are around the rocks and rubble, with a few fish over 22″ caught. Many undersize fish were released.

Redfish well over the slot size 18″-27″ were caught and released this month. These fish are strong and fight with tenacity. Reds are usually hooked with a live Pinfish on the bottom here. The fish we have been seeing range in size from 30″ up to 48″.

Snook activity has been picking up steadily this month. Warmer waters are bringing the Snook out of the backwaters and off the beaches to spawn. Big female Snook are followed around by consorts of smaller male fish under the lights at night. A few Snook over 30″ have been fought and released here in recent weeks.  Snook are catch-and-release only until Sept. 1^st. Slot size for Snook in Gulf waters will remain 28″-33″. Please use care when releasing Snook. We have landing nets for you to bring the fish up, and the Snook usually benefits from some revival back in the net before release. Work the fish in the net until the fish remains upright, and seems ready to swim out on his own. A fish “torpedoed” off the rail is likely to remain stunned, float belly-up, and die. It also makes a target for roving Sharks.

A few Barracuda were spotted under Pier 60 in April. Structure, clear waters, and plenty of bait suits the ‘Cuda. A couple of smaller fish were caught and released here recently. Usually we get a few big ones this time of year, setting up station under the maze of pilings at the end of the pier.

The Pompano bite has really turned on recently. We have had anglers catching multiple Pompano of 15″ or larger. The Pomps like the weighted-hook jig fished with a companion teaser. We have these available in the tackle shop. Pompano have also been taken using live shrimp.

Sheepshead are around the pilings daily, and there have been Sheepies up to 5 lbs. taken recently. Sheepshead like small crabs or cut fresh shrimp best. Read earlier reports for a how-to.

Flounder have been showing up with regularity, but they have been small. Although the minimum size is 12″, most anglers opt to keep only larger fish for dinner.

Spotted Sea Trout have been around in good numbers this month. Sometimes fishermen catch a few during daylight hours, but the best time to find the Sea Trout is at night. Schools show up after dark, and can be caught using live shrimp, small minnows, or lures. Size limit is 15″-20″, with one fish over 20″ per fishermen. Bag limit is 4.

Sharks are common on Pier 60, but we have a policy of not fishing for them. Please leave your Shark-fishing gear at home. If you hook a Shark, we ask that you cut your line once you get the Shark close. All Sharks are to be released unharmed.

We have seen schools of large Jack Crevalle moving up the beaches. One angler fought, landed, and released a 10-pounder. Black Sea Bass over the 10″ minimum have been coming over the rails in April. Big White Grunt have been caught frequently, and even a few Spadefish. Big schools of Ladyfish have been showing up at night, and provide acrobatic thrills for those who hook them.

In recent days, Tarpon have been spotted around the pier and off the ends in the morning hours. May is the beginning of our Tarpon season, and will last throughout the summer. Pods of Tarpon will be moving up and down the beaches, and feeding on forage around the pier.

Capt'n Tom

Look for a good variety of fish to show up in coming weeks. May is one of the best fishing months of the year on Pier 60. We get a plethora of species, the weather usually cooperates, and water temperatures are in the mid-80′s.

Pier 60 is open 24 hours a day from April 1^st through the end of September. Your fishing privileges for a daily fee run from 6 AM to 6 AM the following morning.

Good Luck Fishing!

The Gulf water temperatures are well into the 70′s, and there are plenty of baitfish around the pier, which in turn, draws other species into the area. Greenback minnows, Glass minnows, and BallyHoo can usually be found holding somewhere around the pier structure. Many seasoned pier anglers use a Sabiki rig to obtain baitfish. The larger Sabiki rigs can be used to catch most of the other fish here too, including Mackerel, Trout, Whiting, and Butterfish.

Geoffrey of North Carolina with Spanish Mackerel

Spanish Mackerel are showing up in the mornings. The Mackerel are being taken on live shrimp, small minnows, lures, and cut baits. The Spanish are showing up throughout the day, and into the evenings under the lights.

A few Silver Trout have been taken here and there. Although most have been caught in the evenings, some fish have also been taken in the afternoon, or even the middle of the day. Shrimp are the bait of choice for them. The Silver Trout have been averaging about 12 inches.

Whiting are being caught around the pier’s sandy areas, mostly in the evenings. Shrimp and squid both catch these tasty fish. Whiting have been running 10 to 12 inches.

Only a few small Flounder have been caught thus far, but we hope to see more of them as the waters warm.

When the wind blows, and the waters get cloudy, Sail Catfish show up. Some of these fish are going up to three pounds or more, and they do fight quite strongly. Many are filleting these cats, and report that they taste great. Just be careful of the sharp spines which can make a nasty and painful wound.

pompano caught on Pier 60

A few nice Pompano have been caught in March, with some of the fish going well over a pound. The Pomps have been taken on live shrimp, but will also hit a goofy jig tipped with a bit of shrimp. Pompano are also known to love a fiddler crab or Sand Flea (Mole Crab). We stock blanched Fiddler Crabs and Sand Fleas in our bait freezer, and these baits have been prepared to stay on the hook better than plain raw ones.

Theo of Lakeland with a Pair 0f Chunky Sheepshead

Sheepshead are around the pilings, and can be caught by persistent anglers who have learned the technique. Key to catching the Sheepshead is using a small hook, only a little bit of weight, a small morsel of shrimp or a Sand flea or Fiddler Crab.

Spotted Sea Trout are showing up in good numbers after dark, and have been partial to live shrimp. Lures also work well for them, as do the artificial shrimp baits we carry.

Jeff of Riverview, Fl with Ladyfish catch

Thousands of large Ladyfish showed up the other night, and they provide a lot of action, including acrobatic jumps. This smaller cousin of the Tarpon is a voracious feeder, and will readily take a variety of baits and lures. Ladyfish are fun to catch, but not known as good table fare. Lures like GotCha plugs, Bucktail jigs or any of the soft grubtail lures work well for this silver dancer.

Puglisi Family of Ontario Canada Spanish Mackerel

Snook have been seen cruising off the end of the Pier at night, but so far, we have had no reports of any hook-ups or Snook landed. Season is still closed for the Snook, and we hope to see more of them here off the beaches as the days get longer.

Sharks are common on Pier 60, but we have a policy of not fishing for them. Please leave your Shark-fishing gear at home. If you hook a Shark, we ask that you cut your line once you get the Shark close. All Sharks are to released unharmed.

As Spring progresses, look for waters to fill with even more variety. Jacks, Bluefish, and Cobia should be visiting the pier soon. We should see some large King Mackerel, and perhaps some Barracuda around the pier any day.

Capt'n Tom

Pier 60 is open 24 hours a day from April 1st through the end of September. Your fishing privileges for a daily fee run from 6 AM to 6 AM the following morning. You can leave and come back as many times as you like during that period.

Good Luck Fishing!