st pete

any place to crappie fish near st Petersburg from shore?

Across the bay from you is Lake Manatee (state park). I haven't fished it but there are several articles about crappie in the lake. Not too sure about shore fishing there. I know most parks have piers of some kind. You might have seen this from the FWCC listing lakes in the area:
Southwest Region
Some of them have to have shore access.

Lake Tarpon is your back door - 2,585 acres excellent fishery off highway 19, Anderson Park, Open 24-7
has 4 launch ramps plus good parking lot.