Few places have the extraordinary sportfishing opportunities awaiting anglers living on Florida's "Suncoast," a chamber of commerce moniker used to describe a Gulf Coast area roughly from Sarasota to Tarpon Springs and including St. Petersburg, Dunedin, and all of Tampa Bay.
Depending upon the time of year, most any fish that swims in tropic or sub-tropic waters can be found somewhere along the Suncoast.
For example, Capt. Charlie Cleveland and the writer recently attempted to duplicate a trip I took with Capt. Tony Renkert and Chuck Ray out from Port of the Islands Resort, east of Naples in the Ten Thousand Islands where we managed to hook up with The Big Four--tarpon, snook, redfish and trout--all in a single afternoon.
"I think we could do the same thing in Tampa Bay," said Cleveland, as we discussed the prospect over coffee while relaxing in the living room at his comfortable north-Tampa home.
The retired Tampa police officer, who has been guiding fishing parties to outstanding catches in local waters for a decade or more, found immediate acceptance at his suggestion that we give it a try on the following morning.
So sure was Cleveland that we could hook a tarpon, snook, redfish, and trout in a relatively short time that he accepted a proposed wager which consisted of dinner at Bern's Steak House. If we were successful, I was to pick up the check. If not, he paid the tab.
Our first stop that morning after launching Cleveland's 20-foot Mako at the Davis Island ramp was in a spot west of Davis Island where we were greeted by one of the most thrilling sights an angler can experience...dozens of rolling tarpon, many of which appeared to be in the 125-pound or above class.
After quietly easing into the sphere of activity, I cast a 52M18 Mirrolure near a point where three giant silver kings seconds before had rolled on the surface. I was using a six-foot Daiwa baitcasting rod, Daiwa reel, and 12-pound-test monofilament line, the same outfit that I frequently use in bass tournaments.
No sooner had I engaged the reel and started a slow but steady retrieve, than I had a taker in the form of a tarpon that appeared to weigh on the plus side of 100 pounds. It roared from the depths in the first of a half dozen spectacular leaps before finally throwing the lure and departing for unknown destinations.
"A good fisherman would have landed that one," said Cleveland as he cranked up his 200 hp Mercury outboard engine for a quick aqua-hop across to Bishop's Harbor and a shot at snook.
After entering Bishop Harbor we both began casting into a deep channel near a mangrove shoreline. I continued using my Mirrolure while Cleveland tied on a splashy Zara Spook which created quite a surface disturbance.
"We're lucky that we got here at the top end of a falling tide," the guide observed. "We should pick up a snook without any trouble."
No sooner had he made his prediction than a good-sized linesider snatched his lure offering and made a dash for the exposed mangrove root systems.
Fortunately, Cleveland was able to turn his adversary short of its goal and, following five minutes of give-and-take combat, lead the bruiser to a wide-jawed landing net where we were able to scoop it up and release it unharmed. This fish weighed a solid 10 pounds.
"Hope you noticed that I bring my fish to the boat," he said, a bit smugly I thought.
"I always bring the little ones in too," I countered.
Next stop was Pinellas Point, a mecca for trout where, in rapid succession, we each caught a half dozen fish that weighed between one and two pounds each while tossing 1/4-ounce jigs.
With three down and one to go, we traveled to the Clam Bar where we boated and released three redfish between six and eight pounds each. We saw several other bull reds in the area that would scale in the neighborhood of 15-20 pounds.
Since we were near the Sunshine Skyway, the dynamic duo decided to look around some marker buoys in the main ship channel to see if any cobia or tripletail were at home.
Not only did we land and release one small cobia of about five pounds, we boated a pair of nice-sized Spanish mackerel, a couple of leaping ladyfish, and a half dozen jack crevalle. We were each cut off by hammerhead sharks that probably scaled 20 pounds each.
Still, on the inside of the Sunshine Skyway, we decided to deep jig for a few moments to see if we could catch some of those grouper which are known to hang around the rocky bottom in deeper water.
Yes, we even brought in five black grouper to seven pounds that, needless to say, went into the cooler for dinner later in the week.
By 1:00 p.m., we had a jumped tarpon, caught and released snook, redfish, trout, cobia, jacks, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, some silver trout, a porgy or two, catfish (on lures), and a mangrove snapper; had cutoffs from sharks and bluefish; and kept five keeper grouper.
Even more noteworthy, perhaps, is the fact that we never left Tampa Bay which is centered in Florida's most densely populated area with nearly three million people living within a 75-mile radius.
Those with access to a boat and who would like to get offshore anywhere along Florida's west coast can also cash in on such piscatorial gamesters as kingfish, Spanish mackerel, amberjack, grouper, snapper, sail fish, blue and white marlin, bonito, giant sharks, and barracuda.
Even if you don't have your own craft, there are a host of charter boats and party boats based throughout the Suncoast area that will, for a fee, practically guarantee that clients will catch a wide variety of game fish.
Or, you can fish from miles of shoreline, seawalls, bridges, and piers that dot the landscape from Bradenton to Crystal River and beyond.
Some of the best and most exciting fishing adventures lay right beneath our noses just about anywhere along the Gulf Coast, and we'd be remiss by not suggesting that you cash in on the existing opportunities.
Oh, yes. I did honor my bet and took Cleveland to Bern's for a thick, tender filet with all the trimmings. Although I didn't object to paying the dinner tab, I thought the bottle of Dom Perignon he ordered to accompany the meal was a bit much.
Copyright (c) 1997 Herb Allen. All rights reserved.
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