Tampa Bay area welcomes anglers

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- Joe Atkins reared back and set the hook. Up came a scrappy black drum that went right into a bucket.

Nearby, angler Paul Wasco had his eyes glued to the tips of his two spinning rods when one of them suddenly twitched with a violent, downward motion. Wasco carefully slid the rod out from the holder and set the hook. A small, spotted trout made the upward trip to where Paul had staked out his fishing spot on the pier.

Action like this was happening with many other fishermen who came for a morning of angling.

This area is well-known for providing plenty of opportunities for a day in the sun, and lots of room for fishing. Bridges and causeways have always been prime locations for shore fishermen, and the Tampa Bay area is no exception.

Once a heavily polluted repository for the uncaring, this vast waterway has slowly fought its way back to become a prime attraction for many different species of saltwater fish.

All up and down this fishing pier situated yards below the actual causeway, locals and visiting snowbirds can do this on the cheap. In fact, bait stands dot the various hot spots, giving anglers everything they need for a successful day -- except the fish, of course.

Stiff tidal currents rolling through the bridge pilings often put the fish right on the bottom.

You don't have to be a Bill Dance or Roland Martin to get the job done. All it takes is some fairly decent mono line, a spinning rod and reel, and a willingness to wait out the schools of fish that traverse from spot to spot at any given time of the day.

And for those who shun the sun, you can usually find these fishing piers doing a very swift business during evening hours when the cooling breezes waft over the cadres of what I call the "pier rats."

Atkins likes to show off his bait bucket, fully laden with small shrimp that he says almost guarantee a big catch every time he goes to his special spot.

Former Wisconsin resident Michael Anderson told me he should have moved here 20 years ago instead of toughing it out in the badger state, fighting the long, cold winters that limited his chances for this kind of fishing.

As he bragged about his catches, Anderson's rod doubled over. He threw his weight in to a hard hook set and hoisted a 5-pound Crevalle on to the pier.

"Who needs ice fishing up north when I can have paradise down here most of the year?" he jokingly yelled out.

And for the largemouth bass fanatics, there are hundreds of ponds and waterways just waiting for a spinnerbait or top-water lure.

But allow me to give you an idea of the variety of fish in this massive bay. The various species include Jack Crevalle, spanish mackerel, bluefish, snook, red drum, black drum, permit, cobia, black sea bass, Florida pompano, speckled sea trout, mangrove and red Snapper, and flounder.

Just bring your rod and sunscreen and enjoy. There's always room for another visitor.