Pier 60 Fishing Report

April fishing on Pier 60 has shown a great improvement!

Anglers were able to get out and enjoy the sunshine and catch quite a few fish.
Silver Perch or Butterfish have been showing up in good numbers, and are caught either with small pieces of cut bait, or a multiple-hook rig with cut baits. Though they are small, Butterfish provide a tasty meal of tiny fillets. The old-timers would pan-fry them whole and serve with grits for breakfast.
Whiting have also been caught in decent numbers at night, biting best on cut baits. Squid is usually the bait of choice for them.

Water temperatures have moved into the 70’s in April, and a variety of species followed this warmer water close to shore.

Spanish Mackerel

Spanish Mackerel are around in good numbers, taking small baitfish suspended under a float, or biting well also on live shrimp under a float. The Mackerel also readily take a variety of lures; practically any lure that has a bit of flash and looks like a small wounded fish will usually draw a strike. Got-Cha plugs and small spoons work very well here, as do some of the larger Sabiki rigs.

When the waters reach the mid-70’s, King Mackerel make an appearance along the beaches. The solitary “Smoker Kings” ambush smaller fish, including Spanish Mackerel, with an unusual and exciting aerial display we call “Skyrocketing”. The Kingfish will jump high out of the water, arching upwards of ten feet high, and crash down on the intended victim, jaws agape, slicing it in half. It’s quite an awesome sight to behold, and by fishing with a large Blue Runner or other baitfish held near the surface, is one favorite way to hook a big King Mackerel. They are both strong and fast, and have a lot of stamina to test the abilities of even the most experienced fishermen.

Paul of Safety Harbor with Mackerel

Cobia are also showing up in good numbers, prowling about the pilings looking for an easy meal. The Cobia is curious and not at all shy, and usually shows up as a solitary fish swimming just under the surface. Cobia are also known to follow larger animals, like the Manatee, Eagle Rays, or Sea Turtles, and are hooked many times by tossing a fish or crab behind one of these larger cruising denizens. Cobia are one of the fastest-growing of our gamefish, and can get over 50 lbs in just a few years. To be a keeper, Cobia must be at least 33 inches long, measured to the fork of the tail. The Cobia will also seem unafraid of a hook and line, sometimes not seeming to be aware that he has been hooked until well into the fight. When he does wake up to the fact that he is in a battle, he becomes a thrashing torpedo, and will fight with abandon until he is totally whipped or breaks off.

We have seen many different kinds of undersize gamefish caught and released this month, including a few undersize Redfish, Flounder, and Snook. There have also been undersize Gag Grouper, Black Drum, Black Sea Bass, and Mangrove Snapper.

In addition, there have been some nice Pompano up to 16” taken, but they have been spotty. Bluefish and Ladyfish have been caught here and there, and is another sign that recovery from the cold winter is well in progress. Good quantities of Sheepshead are gathered around the pilings, nibbling on barnacles and small crustaceans.

Angelo from Tampa with a Spanish Mackerel

Spotted Sea Trout fishing has been good, with quite a few keeper Trout taken at night. Best baits for them are live shrimp free-lined or small live minnows under a float. Trout need to be at least 16”, and one fish of the daily bag limit of four may be over 20”. We have seen quite a few fish over 20” this month, with a few Trout going over 24”.

Bonnet head shark caught by Carlos

With all the sealife around the Pier, there are bound to be Sharks, and many different species were seen or caught and released in April. Bull Shark, BlackTip Shark, Bonnethead Shark, and Great Hammerhead Shark were all seen recently here, but please remember that we have a no-kill policy here for all Sharks. We want them released unharmed, and that may mean just cutting the line once they are close, or de-hooked gently if they are small.

Bonnethead shark caught and released by Jose of Tampa

We are looking forward to a great summer season of fishing here on Pier 60. Tarpon will show up any day now, and there will be many exciting runs, jumps, and break-offs due to the “Silver King”.
We do have a fisheries emergency in place because of the oil well blow-out in the northern Gulf of Mexico, but it is too early to tell if and when we may see oil fouling our area. We can only hope that winds and currents keep the oil away from our beaches, and that the well is capped soon.
Good Luck Fishing!

YMCA fishing tournament - awards ceremony at the Pier 60 Pavilion

On April 24, 2010, the YMCA Kid’s Fishing Rodeo was a fun day of catch and release fishing for ages 5-12 at Pier 60, Clearwater Beach. Presented by the YMCA of the Suncoast, with the help of a great group of sponsors, children had the opportunity to fish in a non-competitive environment. Check-in began at 8 a.m. at the Pier 60 Pavilion. Each child received a new rod and reel, tackle box, a t-shirt and lunch for a donation of $10.00. Scholarship recipients were able to fish for free! An awards luncheon was held at the Pavilion from 11 a.m. – Noon.

YMCA fishing tournament sponsors

Capt'n Tom

Fishing on Pier 60 during March was somewhat challenging, as more late-season cold fronts, winds and waves churned the Gulf of Mexico. Water temperatures ranged from the low-60‘s to the mid-60’s during the month, with winds blowing somewhat more than usual. While these weather systems made it difficult to fish, some anglers were able to get out between fronts and have some success.
Silver Trout and Silver Perch were around during early March, along with some Whiting. Most anglers had best results using cut squid, as it stays on the hook well, and is difficult for the fish to nibble off or steal. Fishing when the water is not clear usually results in Hardhead Catfish and Sail Catfish appearing on the end of the line. Sail Cats up to 5 lbs. were caught, and as mentioned last month, have become accepted table-fare. Sharks were also active this month, with many small sharks caught and released.
In addition, some Sheepshead were taken, along with Black Sea Bass and a few Sting Rays.
Longer days and more direct sunlight are bringing air and water temperatures up, and as the warming trends continue, fishing also improves.

Nick and Ryan from Wisconson with Spanish Mackerel

The fishing forecast for April is optimistic and bright. Baitfish have spawned, and small fry bring in the more aggressive species. Spanish Mackerel are starting to show up, and a few King Mackerel should also make an appearance. Whiting and Silver Trout fishing will also improve greatly.

Tom from Manchester, England and Spotted Sea Trout

Many anglers are looking forward to good-sized Spotted Sea Trout activity, and some good catches. There will be some Cobia cruising about looking for an easy meal, and also more large Sheepshead to be caught around the pilings. The variety and numbers of fish here will only improve as air and waters warm. Winter is finally over, and fishing is looking up.
Good Luck Fishing!

Fishing at Pier 60 in January has been cold.

John with some nice Sheephead

The first few days of the New Year were not bad for catching on Pier 60. Whiting, Flounder, Butterfish, Sheepshead and small Sharks were all active and hungry.

The next two weeks were challenging and unproductive. Frigid arctic air cold-fronts repeatedly pushed through the area, sending both sea-life and fishermen to warmer abodes. The weather has been unusually cold, with some freezing temperatures and strong winds from the North. Water temperatures dipped to as low as 44 degrees in the Gulf of Mexico. All of the warm-loving species of fish retreated into the bays and creeks, trying vainly to survive. Many Snook were spotted belly-up in the bay waters, and it is too early to tell just how bad the fish-killing weather was. I also saw Mullet, Jack Crevalle and Ladyfish dead in local waters. It took a couple of weeks for all the fish to get gassy and float where they could be seen.

As a result of the damage to fish stocks around the State, the FWC has issued a catch and release order for Snook until September 2010. Tarpon and Bonefish are not to be harvested until April 1st. Scientists are re-assessing the fish stocks, and might change any number of regulations to assure the rebuilding of the resource.

From what I have gathered, I suspect we fared better in our area than many others. Our fish were used to some cold, and had moved inside, close to warmer creeks and holes when the big chill hit. Further south, I hear, damage was more severe. And even Tampa Bay’s causeways were littered with tons of dead fish.

Ralph with a mess of Whiting

There are some bright spots, however. Whiting are biting in the early evening until well after dark. Cut squid seems to work best for them, and it stays on the hook well. Silver Perch or Butterfish can be found at the end of the Pier, and they are usually caught on cut shrimp, although many have good luck using one of the larger Sabiki rigs, typically rigged with small pieces of cut bait.

Spotted Sea Trout have been seen here and there, with Silver Trout showing up too. Black Sea Bass and Gag Grouper were also caught during January, along with Sheepshead.

The fishing steadily improves with the weather, and as it warms up between fronts, a brief opportunity arises to get some nice fish before the next cold air mass arrives with wind, rain, and heavy surf. So time your fishing accordingly, and let’s hope for warmer days ahead.

Good Luck Fishing!

Capt'n Tom

Heavy Sea Fog on Pier 60

Fishing in December on Pier 60 was as varied as the weather. The first few cold fronts of the season pushed through bringing sea-fog, or winds and rain. In spite of the varied conditions, anglers enjoyed many days and nights of successful fishing.

Spanish Mackerel continued to be caught regularly, throughout the days, and on some nights, too. Best bets for Mackerel were live minnows or lures, fished mid-water. With the cooler waters of January, the Mackerel have moved off, and we don’t expect to see many of them again until warmer waters return to Pier 60.

Snook were still caught off Pier 60 this month. In the first two weeks of December we had some great catch-and release Snook fishing here. One of our fishermen, Jared from Palm Harbor, caught and released 3nice Snook on artificial topwater lures one evening, providing thrilling strikes and jumps. One of the Snook measured 42”. Those fish have now moved inside to find warmer waters in creeks and deeper inlets. Snook will not return to Pier 60 until the waters warm back up into the low 70’s. Snook season is closed until March 1st in the Gulf of Mexico. We can only hope that the freezing cold weather of January won’t have a big impact on the mortality of the Snook, and they will return to the passes and the beaches once the waters warm up. We had some fantastic Snook fishing on Pier 60 this year, and we need those fish to survive this cold winter.

Whiting have shown up regularly this month, and fishermen were able to catch a few, or dozens, depending on the day and the fisherman. Whiting were biting best on cut squid. Whiting should remain one of the mainstays of winter fishing here, and anglers who brave the cooler temperatures will no doubt be rewarded with ample catches of them if they fish from dusk into the evenings. Whiting are an unregulated species; that is to say there is no size or bag limits on them.

Silver Trout and Butterfish showed up in force this month, and will continue to give anglers a tasty batch of fillets. Silver Trout bite best on small pieces of cut fresh shrimp, and the butterfish likewise, but some anglers have good luck on lures, too.

Spotted Sea Trout season is open now, and there have been good numbers of them seen schooling under the pier lights at night. Live shrimp or lures entice the Trout to bite, but when the winds have turned the water to an opaque froth, very few are seen. A few days of calm weather will bring the Spotted Sea Trout to the forefront, and we should see many anglers getting their limits. Spotted Sea Trout need to be at least 15”, and only one of an angler’s daily bag limit of 4 fish may be over 20”.

Sheepshead provide a challenge to most, as they tend to take the bait off the hook without the fisherman realizing that he has even had a bite. Once you get the rigging and technique down pat, fishermen may be rewarded with a stringer full of some of the best-eating fish the Gulf of Mexico has to offer. Small crabs, Sand-fleas (Mole Crabs), Fiddler Crabs, Snapping Shrimp, and Ghost Shrimp are some of the live baits used, but Sheepshead will also take frozen chunks of fresh shrimp or frozen crabs. The key to fishing them is to rig lightly, use a small stout hook, be patient, and put the bait right next to a barnacle-encrusted piling. When your line quivers, raise the rod to set the hook, or put another morsel on your bare hook. Don’t get discouraged, as you may have to feed the fish for quite awhile before you get the feel for timing the hook-set. It is well-worth enduring the initial dismay of coming up empty-hooked, but you will get the feel for it eventually, and you too can have a stringer full of Sheepshead. Because of their diet of small crustaceans, Sheepshead taste a bit like lobster.

There were quite a few small Gag Grouper caught off the Pier this month. Most of the fish are under a foot long, but there have been some notable exceptions. Fish of 18 inches or better have been fairly common, and a few keepers of 22 inches and up were landed. We may see more keeper Grouper come over the rail this month, as they don’t seem to mind the cooler water. Keep in mind that there is a seasonal closure on Grouper during February and March.

Flounder action off Pier 60 has been better than we have seen it in years, but there were just a few flatties caught this month. When the weather stabilizes, and the cold fronts quit blowing near-gale force winds, we will see more, I’m sure. Flounder like small live minnows, shrimp, and lures.

Ryan with a feisty Little Tunny

Some out-of-the-ordinary catches occurred this month on Pier 60. Albacore or Little Tunny, commonly but mistakenly called Bonito, showed up at the end of the Pier this month. No doubt they were attracted to the schools of baitfish present. One of our seasoned fishermen was literally spooled by one of these powerful tunas, but his son, Ryan, was able to muscle his fish to the landing net successfully.

Incidental catches this month included Lizardfish, Blowfish, Mangrove Snapper, Black Sea Bass, Grey Grunt, and Clear-nosed Skate. We also saw some Drum, including a Black Drum of 36”, and a Redfish of 33” caught on cut bait.

Lots of small Sharks were caught and released this month. They included BlackTip Shark, BonnetHead Shark, and most interestingly, Florida Smooth Hound Shark. The latter has blunt teeth, and feeds on live squid. The literature says they are not uncommon in these waters, but it is the first I had heard of them. All Sharks were released unharmed, as we have a no-kill policy here on Pier 60 regarding all Sharks.

Pick your days to fish here in January with an eye to the weather.

Capt'n Tom

When the water is stirred up, and the winds are howling out of the North, you probably won’t do well unless you can stand cold winds and have a lot of patience. Best to wait until the weather stabilizes between the cold fronts, when the fish will be hungry, and they can see or smell the baits.

Good Luck Fishing!