The southern end of Madeira Beach is where you'll find the heartland of Pinellas County's angling community - John's Pass. John's Pass fishing charters have a well-deserved reputation for being able to cater to the needs of almost any angler under the sun. Whether you'll be staying in Boca Ciega Bay to fish shallow water, or you plan on going far out into the Gulf of Mexico, you'll have more than your share of world-class angling.
John's Pass Fishing Spots
A lot of professional fishing charters in John's Pass run their trips with a 'no fish, no pay' guarantee, which just goes to show how confident they are both in their abilities and the fishery in general. If you want to experience everything John's Pass fishing has to offer, make sure to clear your schedule for a couple of days. You'll need it.
Boca Ciega Bay
While people absolutely adore Boca Ciega's bigger cousin, Tampa Bay, there's a reason why plenty of anglers pick Boca Ciega instead. The both have very similar inshore fishing opportunities, while Boca Ciega is in a better position for anglers who want to go into federal waters later.
There's no real need to stray out of the bay if you're looking to get some good table fare. There's a huge number of resident Redfish, Flounder, Speckled Trout, and Sheepshead for you to go after. Other species like Bonefish, Snook, and Tarpon will keep the sporting anglers busy all day long as well.
Madeira and Treasure Island Reefs
If you've only got time for a shorter trip, that doesn't mean you'll need to stick inshore. Treasure Island Reef is less than five miles out, and is a great fishing spot for most of the year. Along the Madeira Beach Reef, which is some six miles out, you'll find droves of Snappers, Hogfish, Groupers, and other delicious bottom feeders. You shouldn't have too much trouble filling your coolers even on a half day trip.
Those spoiling for a fight can look forward to Kingfish and Barracuda coming down to the reefs in spring and fall to hunt. If you're skilled enough, the hunter will become your prey.
Federal Waters
As any experienced angler knows, the deeper you go, the bigger fish you're bound to find. This is why you'll have people going up to 100 miles out to catch some really huge bottom fish. From Red, Mutton, and Lane Snapper, to Red, Black, and Gag Grouper, you'll have a real field day if you go out far enough. Of course, if you're interested in a trolling trip, there'll be a fair share of Mahi Mahi, Blackfin Tuna, and Sailfish for you to hook up.
Deep sea fishing trips targeting big gamefish can be much longer than your average inshore trip, so bear in mind you're looking at some 10-12 hours on the water when going deep into federal waters.
Fishing Techniques
Just like in any other shallow water fisheries, light spinning rods will be your weapon of choice when fishing the bay for Reds, Snook, and others. The choice between live bait such as Shrimp or Crab, and artificial lures like topwater plugs and jerk baits depends on you preferences as well as what you hope to catch. For example, Redfish are very susceptible to Shrimp, while jerk and topwater plugs work best when going after bigger Snook.
More or less the same rules apply out on the reefs as well. When going from reef to reef during a longer trip, you are free to troll for Kingfish, Mahi Mahi, or Sailfish if you've gone far enough. Once you're at a reef, chumming is a foolproof method of getting the fish to come to you.
When it comes to Tarpon, however, not much compares to trying to hook a Silver King on the fly. Try patterns that utilize crustacean colors for the best results, because Tarpon really like Crabs. If you plan on fishing in the late-afternoon, or any other time with low-light conditions, darker patterns such as purple/black can be used to great effect.
Need to Know
Most inshore charters have a standard trip time of 4-6 hours, with $100 per hour being the norm (though the most experienced captains may charge a little more). The same applies for nearshore reef trips, with longer trip options if you're looking to tackle reefs a bit further away. If you plan on going on your own, you'll need to be aware of the current state and federal regulations when it comes to size and bag limits for your catch.