Pier 60 Fishing Report

Some fishing photos of Summer 2011.
Enjoy!

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!

Pier 60 visitor Anna Roztocki contributed these great photos of young anglers with their catches from May 2011.

Photos of May 2011′s memorable catches on Clearwater Beach’s Pier 60.

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!