Courtney Campbell Causeway Fishing

Courtney Campbell Causeway carries SR 60 about ten miles across Old Tampa Bay, and its bridge approaches have long drawn shore anglers. This spot is the Tampa side around the main bridge and the county boat ramp; the Clearwater end is in Pinellas County.

• Rock-lined shoreline beside the bridge approaches, with deeper water under the spans.
• Trout, snook and reds on the grass, ladyfish and mackerel in the channel.
• The Courtney Campbell Trail runs the length of the causeway.
• Fishing is not allowed from the trail's pedestrian bridge over the main channel.

The causeway runs from the Rocky Point area of Tampa west to Clearwater; the main bridge and the county boat ramp are about midway across the bay, on the Hillsborough side.

• Getting there: follow SR 60 west from Tampa International Airport and Westshore onto the causeway.
• Parking: pull-offs along the access roads beside the main bridge, where signs allow, and the county's boat ramp lot on the north side, built mainly for trailers.
• Boat ramp: four lanes, open 4 a.m. to 11 p.m., with a launch fee.
• Surface: riprap and some sand; the trail is paved.
• Stay off the travel lanes and the pedestrian bridge.

Upper-bay fishing with a strong summer and fall.

• Spring (Mar–May): trout on the grass, Spanish mackerel arriving, snook returning to the bridge.
• Summer (Jun–Aug): snook, big ladyfish schools, mangrove snapper and bonnethead sharks.
• Fall (Sep–Nov): redfish and trout feeding hard, mackerel on the bait.
• Winter (Dec–Feb): sheepshead and black drum around the bridge riprap; trout on warmer days.

Light to medium spinning gear with 10–20 lb braid and a 20–30 lb leader.

• Trout: live shrimp under a popping cork, or a 1/4 oz jighead and soft plastic worked over the grass.
• Snook: live whitebait or pinfish on a 1/0–2/0 circle hook cast toward the bridge current, or a bucktail.
• Reds: cut mullet on a light fish-finder rig along the rocks.
• Sheepshead and drum: fiddler crab or shrimp on a 1/0 hook with a 1/2 oz egg sinker beside the riprap.
• Ladyfish and mackerel: small jigs and spoons.

Old Tampa Bay has two uneven highs and lows on most days and only one on some; nearby NOAA stations show a daily range of about 2 to 3 feet, and the water is often stained.

• Best: moving water around the bridge on either tide; the incoming for clearer water.
• Early and late in the day are prime; midday summer heat is slow.
• Wind: the causeway is exposed; fish the calmer side when a strong north or south wind blows.
• Water: after heavy summer rain the upper bay runs dark and fishing slows.

Easy to reach but busy.

• Traffic: SR 60 is a fast highway; park fully off the road and watch children closely.
• Bridges: never fish from the roadway or the trail bridge; stay on the shoreline.
• Footing: the riprap rocks are uneven and slippery.
• Trail: walkers and cyclists pass close behind you; watch your backcast.
• Lightning and heat: summer storms and little shade.
• Access: some pull-offs are close to the water, but reaching it means stepping down onto rocks.

Limited on the causeway itself.

• Portable toilets at the county boat ramp.
• Boat ramp with docks and 25 trailer spaces on the north side.
• The paved trail for walking or biking to other stretches.
• Bait and food: none on the causeway; bring what you need.
• Lights: none dedicated to fishing.
• Shade: none on the rocks; bring your own.

• Fish the down-current side of the bridge approach on a moving tide for snook.
• Look for diving birds over the bay in spring and fall; mackerel and ladyfish will be under them.
• Choose the lee side of the causeway on windy days.
• Keep clear of the ramp lanes and docks at the county boat ramp.
• Carry out line and hooks; the trail is heavily used.
• Skip Ben T. Davis Beach at the east end for fishing; it is a City of Tampa beach where fishing is not designated.

The causeway and its trail are a state highway corridor (SR 60) run by the Florida Department of Transportation; Hillsborough County runs the boat ramp.

• No fishing from the trail's pedestrian bridge, which the state posted in 2013; obey all posted signs.
• At the county boat ramp: no swimming, wading or diving, and keep ramp lanes and docks clear.
• City of Tampa code allows fishing next to city park land only where designated; Ben T. Davis Beach is not.
• A Florida saltwater fishing license is required unless you are exempt; shore-based shark fishing needs a free FWC permit.
• Check current FWC rules for size, bag and season limits before keeping anything.