Pier 60 Fishing Report

Some great fishing photos on Clearwater Beach’s Pier 60:

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!

Lots of fishing and lots of fun on Clearwater Beach’s Pier 60.

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!

Beautiful sunset on Pier 60

February is a month of weather changes, and the fishing on Pier 60 was quite good.

Butterfish or Silver Perch were a common catch most days and evenings. Small pieces of shrimp were a productive bait, and the larger Sabiki rigs tipped with cut shrimp allowed some to catch multiple fish on one drop.

Silver Trout or Sand Sea Trout of good size have been showing up after dark, and many fishermen were able to get quite a few of them using the same rigs and baits as for the Butterfish.

A good number of Whiting were taken this month on Pier 60. Whiting like cut shrimp, but will also feast on cut squid.

There were a few nice Spotted Sea Trout taken in February, but the Trout usually move in after dark and feed in schools that may prefer one area of the Pier or another. Trout like live shrimp, but will also strike a grub-tail lure, especially if tipped with a bit of fresh shrimp. The artificial shrimp also work well for Trout, and one bait can be used to catch multiple fish if one is careful and lucky.

Kevin from England with a sheepeshead and a mackerel

There have been a good number of Sheepshead feeding on the barnacle-encrusted pilings that support the pier. Anglers have been able to catch the Striped Convicts using a small hook baited with Sand Fleas, Fiddler Crabs, and Shrimp. Some of the Sheepshead have been quite chunky, and require the landing net to raise them within grasp. Successful Sheepshead fishing is an acquired talent, so lighten your terminal tackle to the minimum to be able to feel the bite. A Sand Flea or Fiddler Crab on a small hook is irresistible to a browsing Sheepshead.

Rieann with Sheepshead catch

We carry both blanched Sand Fleas and Fiddler Crabs in the Tackle Shop here on Pier 60. Ask for assistance, and we will get you set up with the right rig and baits to catch these tasty fish that some say taste a bit like Lobster.

Spanish Mackerel catch

Spanish Mackerel have been showing up in the mornings as the water temperatures have climbed past 65 degrees. When the Mackerel show up, there are usually several other species of fish close behind. The Macks will devour a live Shrimp dangled mid-water under a bobber, but will also readily strike a plug or small silver spoon. Some anglers have been successful using one of the larger Sabiki rigs, and the multiple hooks have enabled some to catch multiple fish on one drop. Mackerel have a minimum size of 12 inches to keep, and we have seen fish both under that and up to 18 inches or so.

Naser and Mariah of Springfield, NY with a Spanish Mackerel

When the Mackerel are feeding, the action is continuous and may last for a few hours. The bite stops for a few hours, then begins again. Mackerel have been caught at night here, because of the lights we have shining down into the water.

In recent days, water temperatures have been flirting around the 70-degree mark. This heralds springtime, and with it some of the best fishing conditions of the year. A couple of small King Mackerel have already been taken, with more and larger fish certain to follow. The lone “Smoker Kings” will soon be prowling off the beaches, looking for a live fish to devour. Get prepared.

There have been a lot of BonnetHead Sharks cruising the Pier, with the larger gravid females most visible. Some BlackTip Sharks have come over the rail in recent days also.

We have seen a smattering of Bluefish in the last week of the month, along with a few small Flounder. Schools of Glass Minnows have been gathering under the lights at night, along with schools of BallyHoo.

Capt'n Tom

March brings with it varied weather that can either mimic summertime, or winter. Clear waters and calm seas with temperatures into the 80’s can be replaced with winds, surf, and cloudy water within the space of a single day. Look for the warming trends to bring in even more variety as conditions improve.

On April 1st Pier 60 goes back to being open 24 hours, 7 day a week.

Good Luck Fishing!