need help with pre-wedding pier fishing

Snhominid · Post by **Snhominid** » Sun May 21, 2006 5:03 pm

Hi all,

I would appreciate any advice with planning a pier fishing outing. My father and brothers, my fiancee's father, and my best friend are coming in to Saint Pete Beach for my wedding in June. We want to go pier fishing the morning of Friday, June 9, and will be staying at a hotel on Saint Pete Beach. I know the Fort DeSoto piers and the Skyway Piers are nearby, but I don't fish often so am not sure what would be best. In fact, this will be the first time my family meets my fiancee's family, so we want everything to go well.

We'll likely only be available a few hours in the morning (maybe 8am-12pm) before we have to prepare for the wedding rehearsal. And I know a few of us don't own any gear. I tried to look up the tide info and it looks like high tide in Mullet Key channel will be about 9:44am. Any thoughts?

What will be the best fish to go for at that time of day? Where would it be easiest to go? Are there places to get rental gear nearby? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Jeff

BoatlessFisherman · Post by **BoatlessFisherman** » Mon May 22, 2006 4:40 pm

Ok I am tracking down some info for you, my knowledge of that area is a little limited.

But I will gladly offer it up.

This time of year spanish macks can be found in many areas.

Skyway bridge would be your best bet for a good variety I would think.

Kings, Sharks, Spanish Mackerel, Blue Runner, Grouper, tarpon and Jew fish can be common catches. at this time of year the kings I would think will not be thick because of the warmer water.

I would focus on Spanish Mackerel and tarpon and Bottom feeders like Snapper, Grouper, Sharks and Jacks and Blue runners.

There are bait shops and the piers are good for families. I believe they may rent rods - here are the phone numbers.
I believe these are still good numbers but I did not check them.
North pier (St. Petersburg side) 813-865-0668, and the South pier (Manatee side) 941-729-0117

I will see what else I can come up with in the next few days and ask any specific questions you like.

Tom....aka....Boatless fisherman

jad1097 · Post by **jad1097** » Mon May 22, 2006 7:50 pm

I don't know much about the area but these guys do

http://forums.capmel.com/tool/mb/capmel

Snhominid · Post by **Snhominid** » Thu May 25, 2006 2:26 pm

Thanks for the response, Boatless and jad!

From the info you supplied and then talking to the pier shop on the phone, I think the North end of the Skyway pier is where we'll go, especially since they rent rods and sell bait right there.

I'm planning on using the boards here to find out what fish are biting as we get closer to the date. Tight lines to everyone.

~Jeff

BoatlessFisherman · Post by **BoatlessFisherman** » Thu May 25, 2006 2:54 pm

I sent you a PM Message of a site I came across

Perichois · Post by **Perichois** » Thu May 25, 2006 6:05 pm

This is the skywaypier website lots of good info:

http://www.skywaypiers.com/

SteveG · Post by **SteveG** » Mon Jun 12, 2006 10:46 pm

Since you need gear and bait, the skyway is the way to go and the rent out everything you need as well as have restrooms on the end.

Both ends are nice for netting large Shark, Grouper, Makeral, Sheepshead, as well as just about anything else you could catch on a deep sea fishing trip. I've seen a mana-ray with a wing span longer than my car cruising the top of the water there once (freakin' huge, at least 6 foot from wing tip to wing tip.)

If you'd like to try the beaches Fort Desoto has a nice pier that Snook and Redfish love to hang out at. Fishing in and around the park however is usually hit or miss no matter the bait or tackle you use.

Edit: Sorry, didn't see you were going on the 9th which has already passed. Let us know how it went!