Back to the Sunshine Skyway

[DeepCMark58A]

So lucky my wife has a Florida fetish, headed back down for valentines day. We probably will not fish the first day, have my oblatory trip to the beach to walk after the wife has a few sangrias at the Sand Bar on Sunday. Depends on the fronts and the tides when we do fish. I love salt water fishing know the weather and pay attention to the tide and the fish bite like crazy.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Stop by for a Beer...... I drive over the Skyway to and from work in Largo from Casa Danforth in Bradentucky

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I will be in touch Scott. I actually have to work one day that I am down and babysit the contractors working on the family compound.

 

[Scott Danforth]

FYI - Florida contractors down in the bay area really do suck.... I fully understand the need to babysit them

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Yeah full kitchen empty for new tile and the TV and associated reception equipment removed in the family room. But hey you can not turn down an upgraded flight and a week in sunshine and salt water fishing.

 

[sphelps]

I have relatives that live in Largo .. My grandfather settled there from England and started an orange grove .
‘The UF agriculture dept bought most of it years ago but I think most of the grove has houses on it now ..
I remember when we used to visit when I was a kid . Every morning we would jump in the back of the farm truck and ride out to the grove . Back up to tree and pick fresh oranges and grapefruit for breakfast ..

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I am just excited to get back to smell green growing vegetation. Get out and catch some fish, all catch and release because of Red Tide from last year. I like saltwater fishing if you know a few spots and watch the weather and the tides it is pretty easy to catch a mess of fish.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Some things about Florida drive me nuts. I thought I had found a reliable bait shop the last couple of trips. Yesterday I go to pick up shrimp and they had no mediums or larges just small. Search is back on I guess.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Annies in Cortez is my go-to bait shop. however that is an hour from the skyway by car (about 15 minutes by boat)

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Annies in Cortez is my go-to bait shop. however that is an hour from the skyway by car (about 15 minutes by boat)

Yeah that is a no go zone this time of year, we went to the Sand Bar yesterday morning for breakfast. We got there early for our pre brunch walk so traffic was not bad. On the way off the island the cars were backed up for miles on 64 trying to get on the island.

 

[Scott Danforth]

my bud lives on 51st and Cortez. we rode bicycles from his house to the Cortez seafood fest because traffic on and off AMI is nuts.

 

[dingbat]

Interesting... great aunt lived off Cortez for many years. Fished off the old green bridge at night many times as a kid

 

[DeepCMark58A]

Fishing has only been so so, 1 tide per day and not much movement. Bite is not real strong.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I also found decent shrimp at a bait shop on the Snead Island cut, makes Annies look like a palace.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Bud from Wisco was down working the Miami Boat show...... showed up last night. Taking him and his family to the Sage Biscuit on Cortez (in the AMOB plaza). Been to that bait shop on Snead.

have you tried fishing the old fort east of eggmont?

 

[DeepCMark58A]

We launch off the North side of Emmerson Point, go thru the mangrove tunnels then fish the reefs of Tera Cia bay.

 

[dingbat]

Fishing has only been so so, 1 tide per day and not much movement. Bite is not real strong.

Looks like to you an early morning and a early evening to play with. If it where me, I'd be there 2 hours before the incoming morning tide, even if it's o dark 30

Movement is over rated. Had some monumental days fishing dead low tides. Fish orient differently on slack tides, just have to know where to look

 

[DeepCMark58A]

I like low tides my preference we have been dealing with primarily high tide or close. Stagnant water stagnate tide slow bite.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

So today went to the new reliable this morning to get shrimp, they had zero shrimp. Went to another bait shop, no shrimp. Thing is about shrimp every fish in the gulf will eat a shrimp. Ended up with 3 dozen shiners instead. Slow bite but bigger fish, trout and snook. My wife got hooked into a jack I tucked in my rod and pulled the anchor, she set the timer it was a 20 plus minute battle chasing in the kayak to land it with no net. It was caught and released, as all the fish we catch.

 

[DeepCMark58A]

We are also limited with our launch point Emmerson Park Reserve is sun up to sun down.