Outdoors

Daily fishing report

By LARRY HOFFMAN
Published January 15, 2006

Many times when the winds are too strong to get offshore, we send our customers to a flats guide or an area pier.

I checked with all the piers Saturday morning and received current fishing reports from four. The North Skyway reported some grouper, mangrove snapper and sheepshead. Manager Sam Tyson said fishing has been slow, but the pier is covered with live pinfish and whitebait.

The South Skyway pier reported few anglers fishing lately because of the cold weather. Pier 60 in Clearwater also is experiencing slow action, according to Harvey Goldstein. Anglers there are catching silver trout, whiting, butterfish and a few spotted trout.

Weather continues to be the challenge for pier fisherman. Winter fishing is for snapper, speckled trout, sheepshead and grouper. In the spring and fall most catch Spanish mackerel, kingfish, cobia and snook. Summer produces tarpon, sharks, redfish, drum, trout and snook.

Pier fishing is the easiest way for children to have a good time. It is inexpensive compared with an offshore charter, and it can provide quality time with a friend or family member. I have seen 40-pound kingfish and 150-pound tarpon caught off area piers on a regular basis. Give your pier of choice a call first and ask the workers what is biting.

This most recent cold front has messed up nearshore waters. Just before this front, there were excellent catches of gag grouper, mangrove snapper, grunts and porgies in 80 to 100 feet. Amberjack are plentiful over springs and shipwrecks in 80 to 120 feet.

Larry "Huffy" Hoffman charters out of John's Pass, Treasure Island. Call 727 709-9396 or e-mail him at huffyl@tampabay.rr.com

[Last modified January 15, 2006, 01:48:18]