# Headed to tampa march 29 thru 1 of April.



## Riplukelee (Jan 19, 2016)

I'm headed to tampa with my job and I'm gonna drive down early and would love to fish a few days. Couple of questions: Are sheepshead biting this time of year down there? Can you catch them from the bank? (Not gonna take the boat) and if not what is biting that I could catch from the bank? Thanks


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## Use Enough Gun (Jan 20, 2016)

Sheepshead can be caught around bridge pilings  this time of the year, nice size also.
They are bait stealers, need to be quick with a hook set. Use pieces of shrimp.


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## Riplukelee (Mar 8, 2016)

Any specific pier or bridge that can be recommended?


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## Riplukelee (Mar 16, 2016)

Anybody got any advice for bank/pier fishing in tampa ... The week of 3/28 thru 4/2. Or is there a party boat worth taking.


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## Atlanta Dawg (Mar 16, 2016)

A lot of people fish on the Clearwater Causeway....I don't fish so I have no personal experience...but I have observed folks fishing there.


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## FishingAddict (Mar 17, 2016)

I enjoy taking Hubbard's party boat. I like the 5,10, and 39 hour. Not a fan of the 12 hour-they try to make it out in deep water and you don't end up with a bunch of fishing time compared to travel time. The other shorter trips are grunts (and grouper on the 10 hour). The 39 hour goes to the middle grounds.

There is a long bridge that is not longer in service for normal traffic over tampa bay. It's now a very long pier you can fish off of. There's no limit to what you can catch there, but ya kinda gotta know what you're looking for.


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## Riplukelee (Mar 17, 2016)

Thanks I'm thinking the party boat mentioned will be the best option for me.


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## Boondocks (Mar 17, 2016)

Skyway pier.north or south.Good fishing and easy to get to.


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## Riplukelee (Mar 26, 2016)

So I've bought my Hubbard party boat ticket and I've decided to fish the skyway pier on Monday night and Friday night. Has anyone been there recently and how should I rig up.


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## Riplukelee (Mar 26, 2016)

*Skyway pier*

Planning on fishin the pier Monday nights/Tuesday morning as well as Friday afternoon and evening. Has anyone been recently? How should I rig up?


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## FishingAddict (Mar 28, 2016)

I've never fished skyway, but there if you do a search on google there are some good insights about it. 

It's hard to give advice about, because there are so many different species to target. I'm not exactly sure what's going on at skyway, but I've heard the sheepshead bite has been good (may be changing soon) and the kingfish are due in the waters at any moment. Also, if you look at areal photos from google maps, you can see where the old concrete spans are under the water, and you can catch grouper out of them with live bait.

Good luck.


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## deers2ward (Mar 30, 2016)

Riplukelee said:


> Planning on fishin the pier Monday nights/Tuesday morning as well as Friday afternoon and evening. Has anyone been recently? How should I rig up?



4-5ft leader of 20-25# fluoro. 1/16 oz jighead with a live shrimp, dead shrimp, or piece of shrimp. Drop up current but close to piling and let it sink to bottom with your spool open...watch for your line to shoot or come tight. Fatty mangos, sheepshead, grunts.

For something larger like a king or cobia, try to sabiki some bait, then throw it out away from the pier with a stinger rig or plain #1 mustad and wire king rig.


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