Pier 60 Fishing Report

YMCA Fishing Tournament

The YMCA Kids Fishing Rodeo took place on Saturday, April 28, 2009 at Pier 60 on Clearwater Beach. Open to children ages 6 to 12, the $10 registration fee included a rod and reel, T-shirt and lunch. Over 100 enthusiastic, excited young participants attended, along with many volunteers.

A pier visiter posted this review -
Pier 60 – Over 100 fish landed before noon

A Great Turn Out

2009 YMCA Fishing Tournament Sponsors

Organizers prepare the bait

Some participants …

Little Girl’s First catch	Dad helps land a fish	A young man presents his catch for weigh in.
A participant brings his fish to be weighed in.	Proud fisherman	Hermit Crab

Spanish Mackerel

December was a great month to fish on Pier 60.

On the sunny warm days, the Spanish Mackerel were around, hitting on small Glass Minnows, Shrimp, small live Sardines, and live shrimp. Larger sabiki rigs also induced flurries of action.
A few Gag Grouper were caught and released, but no keepers.

At night, Silver Trout, Whiting, and Sand Seatrout were caught, with some fishermen taking home up to 25 assorted fish.

There were a variety of species, including Lane Snapper, Key West Grunt, Black Seabass, Searobin, Sheepshead, and Jack Crevalle.

The water remained clear most of the time, but when the winds churned the waves into froth, water visibility quickly deteriorated, and it takes a few days of clear calm weather to bring the water visibility back.

It seems that the baitfishes are still around, and on some days the water was dark with schools of fish. The larger predatory fish attacked from below, while the Pelicans and other diving birds feasted from above.

Snook have moved inside the passes into warmer areas, creeks cuts, and deep canals. It will take a sustained stretch of warm weather to entice them back to the Pier area.

A few nice stringers of Sheepshead were taken, and the fish were fat and healthy, averaging about 3 pounds each.