St. Pete Clearwater Fishing, Bait and Tackle Shops

Every fish chaser worth his or her salt knows that a bait and tackle shop has value that goes well beyond equipment. In addition to stocking the necessities like hooks, line and sinkers, rod and reel, lures and live bait, these shops are invaluable for the information that gets traded: Who's catching what? Where are they biting? What'd he use? How big? That big? No way!

One such spot is the Pier Bait House in St. Petersburg. Housed since 1926 in one of the original buildings at the end of The Pier, the Bait House is the place to gear up, or pick up a snack. Fishing pole rental also is available. The Pier extends to the east into Tampa Bay from Second Avenue North in downtown St. Petersburg. It is said that (depending on the season) catches there have included amberjack, shark, snook, flounder and sea bass. The bait house is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It offers fishing charters as well as the usual supplies.

On the southern edge of the St. Petersburg area is Skyway Fishing Pier State Park. It is the remnant of the old Skyway bridge, which was turned into the world's longest fishing pier. It sits in the shadow of the current incarnation and is open 24 hours a day for fishing. Fishermen can park just a few feet from their favorite fishing spot. The shop there provides the requisite supplies, snacks and drinks. Common catches on the pier include snook, tarpon, grouper, black sea bass, Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, cobia, sheepshead, red snapper and pompano.

On the bait menu at Hubbard's Marina at John's Pass in Madeira Beach are pinfish, shrimp, squid and sardines. The full-service bait and tackle shop is open seven days a week under the famous boardwalk at John's Pass Fishing Village & Boardwalk. Hubbard's offers half-day, full-day and overnight fishing charters.

With everything else that goes on at Pier 60 at Clearwater Beach, it should be no surprise that that includes an on-premises bait-and-tackle shop. T-shirts, cold drinks, souvenirs and snacks are available, in addition to equipment sales and rentals, bait and tackle. Helpful staffers will help newcomers get the most from their fishing time.

Now, as far as separating fact from fiction when it comes to some of that information that gets traded, as always, beware a good fish story.