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Fishing the World’s Longest Fishing Pier – The Tampa Skyway Fishing Pier
Having to be down within the Orlando space this yr again in July to go cowl ICAST this yr, I made a decision to drive down a day early to get some fishing in. I went over to the world-famous Skyway Pier in Tampa. That is the longest fishing pier on this planet, constructed from the unique cantilevered Sunshine Skyway Bridge. This bridge had a partial collapse again in 1980 when a freighter crashed into the pilings. However now after eradicating all of the broken sections, it has change into an ideal fishing vacation spot. The state utilized the rubble from the previous pier to make lengthy sections of synthetic reef on each side of the pier. These are literally giant sufficient to see on Google Maps. Whereas I left within the early AM to start out my means all the way down to Florida, I arrived to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge space round midday. Following I-275 down I acquired off on the exit proper earlier than the Sunshine Skyway bridge, make certain to concentrate and never find yourself on the bridge itself, following the indicators to go in direction of the Skyway Fishing Pier State Park.
When you get previous this part of breakwaters and riprap you lastly get to the doorway onto the pier itself. Whereas at each different pier I’ve fished that is the place I’d park after which begin loading my gear onto a pier cart, the Skyway is totally different. As a substitute of loading up a cart you drive as much as the pier entrance sales space, pay $8 for a day move, and simply hold driving onto the pier itself. After all, it’s gradual going, the velocity restrict on the Skyway Pier is listed at 5 mph for the protection of everybody fishing the pier. Anglers are sometimes crossing backwards and forwards so listen as you drive out.
As you go additional out onto the pier and farther from the brand new Sunshine Skyway Bridge you may see sections of the previous east span of the previous bridge. Whereas the east span was initially linked to the west span and fishable, again in 2008 they deemed it unsafe attributable to corrosion and failing concrete. In order that they disconnected it from the newer west span and demolished parts of it. That rubble together with older rubble is within the water to the west of the Skyway Fishing Pier as synthetic reefs. About 2/3rds of the best way down the pier you run into the Skyway Bait Store, a 24/7 bait store that has deal with, stay bait, snacks, and drinks. Additionally linked to it’s a toilet, which is good in comparison with the porta-johns which are scattered alongside the size of the pier. I made a fast cease right here grabbing some lengthy shank j-hooks incase the Spanish mackerel made a displaying, and noticed they’d a ton of stay shrimp on the market for not too horrible of a value. I additionally observed an indication right here speaking in regards to the Skyway Fishing Pier Training Course. It is a required course you should take to fish on the Skyway Pier, this was put in place by FWC to assist with chicken entanglement and mortality on the pier. The course consists of a number of video segments and a quiz on the finish, most likely take you 20 minutes to do.
After ending the course and at last making it the one and half miles out to the tip of the pier I lastly acquired began fishing. I’m not gonna lie, it seemed lifeless out. That is July in center Florida, proper on the solar’s highest level for the day. It’s sizzling out and the wind is blowing a bit, moreover, the tide was nearly to complete going out. These have been very sub-optimal fishing situations, however there was some bait seen shimmering across the pilings on the east aspect of the pier. So I dropped down a tiny Measurement 6 sabiki and began getting some stay bait in brief order. I used to be getting a mixture of small to giant LYs or greenies because the locals name them. I threw them into my livewell after which put a chilly canned drink in there as nicely. In the summertime warmth, you wish to put chilly drinks into the stay nicely to maintain your bait frisky, colder water holds extra oxygen. Additionally, you don’t wish to overfill a stay nicely within the warmth, you’ll simply find yourself with quite a lot of lifeless bait if you happen to do.
With the bait secured, I rigged up a few rods to fish the pier. You’re solely allowed to have two rods out per individual out right here so do concentrate on laws on the pier, they alter seasonally. One rod was a 7ft medium St. Croix Mojo inshore rod with a JDM Daiwa Certate on it, and the opposite was my king setup of a 9ft customized Cavitt rod and a brand new Penn Spinfisher VII 6500 Bailess. So on the St Croix & Daiwa combo, I set out some cut-up LY on a Carolina rig, and on the king setup I had a bigger stay LY on a 40lb fluoro chief on a circle hook. The purpose was to hopefully hook up on a tarpon as they handed by means of. I had seen a pair roll proper on the floor as quickly as I had gotten to the tip of the pier.
So utilizing the outgoing tide to my benefit I began to flatline out my stay bait, just like how I fish for king mackerel up within the Panhandle. I pitch the bait out, leaving the road off the curler so the bait can go together with the present. Moreover, when one thing does take the bait there isn’t a resistance to spook the fish off. So after letting out the road for a bit, I observed the fellows fishing the west nook of the pier had considered one of their rod doubled over on one thing. This turned out to be a dolphin that had taken the bait and was utilizing the strain to tear their bait off the hook.
Then one thing took my flatline bait as nicely, instantly pulling the road off my index finger and taking line. Hoping for a tarpon I gave it a second to soak up the bait and circle hook earlier than flipping the road onto the curler. As quickly as I do the drag begins singing for a second then the road goes slack. Sadly this “fish” comes up for air, I had a dolphin messing with my bait as nicely. It had used the drag to only steal my bait. Dolphins are clever and have good eyesight so they simply seize the bait and keep away from the hooks. This was just about how the subsequent few hours went for me, I flatline out a bait for a dolphin to return and take it. Finally, although I did have one play a bit too shut with the bait. I believe it acquired the circle hook snagged on itself someplace, after this occurred the dolphin actually made a run for it. I cranked down my drag to try to pull the hook once more, inflicting the dolphin to show earlier than the hook did pull free fortunately. After that I stated to hell with it and stopped fishing the flatline. It simply wasn’t definitely worth the effort within the warmth.
I packed the king rod away and simply began fishing the underside rig, utilizing chunks of LYs that I assume have been sufficiently small to not be price messing with for the dolphins. I’d get bites right here and there on this, however was getting picked clear. There will need to have been a ton of pinfish on the market simply mauling no matter bait I put out. Because the afternoon went on although I struck up dialog with a few cool native dudes, Gerise of 392.Fishing and Ant of antwentfishing. Speaking to them Gerise picked up actual fast that I fish up within the panhandle, solely individuals who fish up there name greenies, LYs. I fished and talked with them for the remainder of the afternoon, studying learn how to fish the Skyway Pier. Studying from locals in individual is actually one of the best ways to discover ways to fish a spot. Whereas on-line I used to be advised that shrimp was a waste of time on the pier, they confirmed me that was flawed fairly fast. They began decking some mangrove snapper instantly on the stay shrimp. Properly at the very least when you can get the bait previous a pinfish. The pinfish have been brutal on the market, shredding shrimp and baitfish virtually immediately.
Together with fishing for mangroves, additionally they put out some set traces to fish the rubble piles. Ant getting a small lane snapper off that rod. I additionally watched how they floated out baits to fish on the far aspect of the east span of Skyway. We chummed and netted a bunch of small “greenies” and tried to chum up some extra mangroves however all we acquired was extra pinfish. Ant did catch one of many largest pinfish I’ve ever seen, this factor was greater than a number of the snapper I noticed coming over the rail. We thought it was a porgy initially earlier than it cleared the rail. This factor was a monster.
Finally, although the solar began setting and dolphins have been simply getting thicker, watched these guys have each single shark bait stolen by a dolphin, so it was about time to go out. I had an extended drive over to Lakeland that night time earlier than heading to Orlando within the morning for the primary day of ICAST. Whereas the fishing wasn’t what I hoped for, it was nonetheless a cool expertise to fish the longest fishing pier on this planet. Additionally, give Gerise of 392.Fishing and Ant of antwentfishing a observe on IG if you happen to can, they’re fishy dudes and helped me out a ton.
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