heyitskirby

This. I quit bass fishing when I moved here. Most of the ponds are private, the river is brackish, and the bay is just so inviting. You can catch bass anywhere in the US, I'd focus on something local. Tarpon season is coming up soon and there's always reds and snook and a variety of table fare that fight better than a bass and offer a different set of challenges. If you want to hit a bank on foot, I've heard there is some bass fishing to be done in the bypass canal. I've just never bothered with it.

PM'd. My wife graduated from Flagler in 2006 and I've got a lot of close friends from a music scene I used to be involved in, so we spend a lot of time there (even before we moved to FL from VA). St. Augustine has changed a lot just in the last 10 years, but I'm with you - it would be my top pick if we ever relocated in state.

I guess I failed to mention that the state is absolutely beautiful, some of my best friends in the world live here (including near you in St. Augustine with super secret backwoods fishing spots off the intercoastal), and I will never hate on the weather (unless it gets below 70 here in Tampa). We moved here about 4 years ago for my wife to attend a PhD program at USF and have no intention on leaving after she graduates in a few weeks. Some positivity to counter my negativity.

Thanks for this info. Another reason for me to hate this state and the way it caters to rich folks, corporations, and the margaritaville crowd. But they also need me to build highways, so I shouldn't complain. Anyways, I think plenty have answered, but as someone who gave up bass for bottom fishing in my last days in freshwater, all of my catfish gear is saltwater based. Check out the ugly stick spinning rods for striper and catfish. If I remember correctly they are basically the same and they are definitely cheap. I use the catfish rod with a Penn Fierce 5000 for both catfish and bottom fishing in salt.

Even the mud/gizzard shad can get bigger than that on the east coast. I used to gill net them with a buddy for catfish bait on the James near Dutch Gap outside of Richmond. American shad and hickory shad, though...best fishery Richmond has to offer if you ask me, even if it's only seasonal. I've found similar fun with ladyfish down here in Florida.

I've kayaked it, but didn't bring a rod and reel. There's supposed to be some great bass fishing from what I hear. This place claims to be a fishing resort, so they may have some info... https://www.blue-gator.com/

Found them schooling on Buggs Island Lake in VA once. I was throwing a senko and they kept hitting it, but I couldn't get a hookset until I foul hooked one through the eye (I guess I really just snagged it). He made a mess out of my net and my boat. Only one I've ever caught.

I've never seen them in Tampa. Biggest thing we have to worry about this weekend is falling drunks, it's Gasparilla this weekend. (Mardi Gras in Tampa for those that don't know).

It's almost better just to leave your doors unlocked at that point.

Fish before a front. Not during.

Everything salt likes shrimp. You can catch anything from big reds/snook to little pinfish (these can be used for bait as well). I usually use a 1/0 circle hook on a leader and put split shot on the braid. Most people will tell you to tie a leader directly to your main line and don't use swivels or other hardware. I use swivels and still catch fish. I have friends who use jig heads with no leader and catch more fish than I do. Gulp baits on a jig head always work. Try kayak fishing around Weedon Island or down around Ft. Desoto and Shell Key. As others have said, freshwater access can be difficult (there a privates ponds EVERYWHERE). Other than the public lakes mentioned above, the bypass canal is supposed to hold a good amount of decent bass (and from what I understand tarpon as well). I actually haven't done any freshwater fishing since I moved here.

I'm not real familiar with Naples, but you can catch inshore fish a decent ways inland and the best part is pinfish don't like fresh water, so even in brackish you won't have to worry so much about them stealing your shrimp. A kayak will put you anywhere you need to go. Look for flats, not open water.

You'll be near world class inshore fishing and you can fish bass the other 307 days of the year, try fishing as the locals do.

@bulldog1935 - Thanks for the in-depth response. I was surprised by the price of the Omen Green (I was expecting more) and will probably go in that direction. I definitely need to get a couple of set ups, but since I'm just getting back into it one will be good enough for now. @Chris at Tech - good info. I hadn't though much about needing a heavier rod, but will keep this in mind once I get a better handle on what I'm fishing around here. Would be good for trying to drag fish away from deeper structure too. I do have an Ugly Stik Striper rod (currently with a Penn Fierce 5000) that I used to use for catfish that could probably become that rod for now.

Found some back and forth I had with Sam about River's Rest and figured I would share this... Went over Thanksgiving week to pull the boat out (it's been stored there since 2015). The new dock looks great and the camping area project is coming along. My dad has retired from boating, so we bid farewell and I dragged the boat down to Florida where a bay boat belongs. The most important thing my dad noted while we were there is public use of the ramp is NO LONGER ALLOWED. There were some folks pulling a duck hunting boat out when we got there, but my guess is no one was there enforcing the new rule and I'm not sure how tight they are on it. Anyways, this may not be news to some of you, but I know this has been a valuable ramp for folks pre-fishing the Chick for big tourneys and I know clubs have been blasting out of there for years.

Finally got my boat down to Florida and I've started fishing in Tampa Bay. I've been using a couple of Penn Battle II combos I bought a few years back for bottom fishing the James River for croaker, both are 4000 reels on 7' rods and work well for inshore. I'm looking to get another set up so I can accommodate some non-fishing friends and figured I would get another Penn Battle reel, but wanted to look into trying out a better rod than the combo (not gonna lie, this set up will be for me). Any suggestions? Mostly focused on reds, trout, and snook, but also willing to fish for whatever is biting at the time. I've never really paid much attention to my saltwater rods, so outside of length and action I'm not totally sure what to look for.

Oddly enough, scientifically speaking, they are all part of the sunfish family.

A little bit off the beaten path, but I grew up fishing a bunch of spots for rock bass and trout on Cripple Creek and Reed Creek in Wythe County. I would recommend Ravens Cliff, can't say its the best fishing, but its a beautiful area and some good hiking. I haven't been there in years, but my dad still goes on occasion when he's visiting what family we still have left in the area.

If you have nightcrawlers, catch smaller fish and use them for bait.

Hey I'm at an advantage, I worked in the area for 2 years and stayed in Clarksville. Glad to hear the weather finally broke up there, means my dad can take the boat out. It's already getting hot and humid down here in Tampa.

Sam - that is Rt. 58. Rt. 15 crosses at Bluestone and is the old bridge into town, both of which are high enough for a T-Top. Looking at Google Maps it also crosses further south towards North Carolina and there is a ramp, but I am unfamiliar with that one.

Assuming you mean Bluestone, you should be good. I put in at that ramp daily when I was working in Boydton and staying on the lake. There were bigger boats than a bay boat with a T going through there.

Try the causeway to Honeymoon Island just outside of Dunedin, there is a grass flat on the north side and it is easy wading. Also, grass flats around Fred Howard park. Incoming high tide is your best bet. I don't know much about flies, but anything shrimp will catch anything saltwater. For regular light tackle, 3" gulp on a jig head, or a circle hook with live shrimp. You will get eaten up by pinfish with the shrimp so I suggest having both available in case you end up in the middle of them (you can also turn them into bait). You can also use a popping cork or just free line with the shrimp. Also, you can saltwater wade or bank fish without a license. Spring breakers are here and it is busy, but you should find some quiet in the AM, especially on the north side of the Honeymoon Island causeway. Most people hang out on the south side. Good luck.

A little north of Isle of Palms, but I definitely recommend... https://carolinaguideservice.com/ Captain Jordan was great with my 10 year old nephew. Didn't quite put us on as much fish as we would have liked, but it was August and a storm moved into the spot he wanted to fish and he had to rework his plan, falling back on old haunts. He grew up in the area and knows it well. Boat was comfortable for kids as well.

If you are trying to thaw out frozen filets in a hurry, you can run cold water over them until they thaw. This works for almost all frozen seafood.