Thread: Moving to Tampa

Originally Posted by CrappieTim

Unfortunately I knew that I would miss out on some good crappie fishing this year. The wife and I decided to rent an apartment for the first year so we could get the lay of land before we buy a house. Once we get into a house I be back in the boat with the electronics and other essentials. Crappie are my favorite but big gills are a close second. I should be able to catch some nice gills from the kayak.

Ha! And Redfish, Snook, Speckled Trout, Jack Cravelle, Flounder, Tarpon, Drum,Spanish Mackeral, cobia, Sheephead, very large Bass, Sharks, you are moving to a very very fishy area. Epic adventures await you. The kayak will not slow ya down on the catching once ya get a feel for everything. Heck there is even a population of Gag Grouper in the Bay around the skyway bridge. You should be very excited. All the talk and press that Mosquito Lagoon gets, I feel that the area you are moving to dwarfs Mosquito Lagoon on quality and diversity of fishing.

We will be at the Island Walk apartments in the Town and Country area. Our unit is right by one of the freshwater canals. There is two ponds on the property as well. I won't have to go far to get the kayak onto water. I am hoping the canals there have a few decent gills and bass.

Cant tell for sure, but looking at google earth I bet those are saltwater canals as close to Tampa Bay as that is. Either way should be a plenty of fish. A great place to fish is just southwest of you at Ft Desoto. Heck everywhere around you is great fishing.

What company are you working for down here?

Tim The area around Island walk is mostly salt. If you look at Google maps you can follow the canals to Moody Bay. Moody Bay and the areas north of Courtney Campbell Causey are known as Upper Tampa Bay. You are just south of Lake Tarpon. Lots of yak water in that area. The farther inland you go on the canals the fresher the water will be. Rocky Creek is a good area as is Double Branch. Double Branch has a County or State Park with a canoe or kayak launch. Lake Tarpon has 2 parks to launch from. Very good area for a kayak. Get a GPS so you can get back home. Easy to get turned around in those salt marshes. Also gators in salt water, but few.

Thanks Yelim, this helps me plan my immediate fishing. Before your note I was thinking the canal by the apartment would be freshwater so I was planning on attacking gills and bass. I am a rookie at saltwater fishing but it looks like it should not be a difficult transition from gills and bass to redfish and trout.

Mullet, mud minnows and Pilchards ILO minnows and shiners, and Shrimp ILO crickets and worms. Bass tackle and baits work remarkably well just have to be vigilant on clean up afterwards. Biggest difference is the saltwater fish are mean and have no mercy on the fight, and lots of teeth. A Spanish Mackeral and Speckled Trout will make a Pikes mouth look like a meth addict. And do not get anywhere near the gill plate on a Snook things are like razor blades.

Salt water everything bites. Don't walk barefoot on the rocks (barnacles) or on oyster beds Rocky Creek and Double Branch. Remember The Online Fisherman for salt water inshore fishing, join in and read the forums. Most members will help you get started. Like HS said watch the teeth and gill plates on Snook. You can lip snook like bass, same kind of teeth. Be sure to let us know how do when you get here.