Hillsborough or Pinellas for fishing license? (Tarpon Springs: to buy, live, price)

[algia]

OK...This fishing thing is starting to be confusing...

How do you know what kind of license you need? and where do you get that from? AND......do you have to have a list of fish available to choose from? as in since I am NOT going to try to fish a Dolphin I shouldn't have the most expensive license. I mean...I have no idea what swims around here (My dad and I only went for Trout in the mountains)...so, how do I know what license I need for whatever other people fish (amateurishly) around Howard Park for example...I mean this one guy caught a squid, looked really gross...does he have a different license for that? Also, if you don't want to catch a squid do you just let it go back? if you hurt it do you take it to the vet first and then let it go back? I want to take the kids fishing, FIL gave us fishing rods, and I looked at Target for bait...but I stopped there because I didn't know what bait went for what fish....I remember my dad used to have several boxes for all sorts of fish...but since "I" don't know what fish will eat my bait....how do I know what bait to put in the rod?

People at Howard Park were catching some smaller gray-ish fish, no idea what the name is...others in St Pete were catching bigger fish...

Can anyone help me sort this out?

Thank you...

[FloridaKash]

Yes - The fishing license around here are confusing since there are so many. My suggestion - go to a tackle shop and talk to them. They'll be able to give you the best advice.

[Sgt. Buzzcut]

Google FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission), you probably just need a resident recreational saltwater license. I suggest this becasue some unscrupulous bait shop employees may try and sell you more than you need. Also looks like on the FWC site you can order one online.

I wouldn't get bait at Target, go to a bait shop and get live shrimp or ask them what lures are good. Be aware of what species you've caught and size and bag limits if any. I've never caught or seen anyone catch a squid, but I would cut him up and use him for bait too. Sometimes you may catch a little pinfish, throw him right back out there on hook and line , something bigger may come by and eat him.

some common species around here.
Redfish (Red Drum)- live shrimp, crabs, lures
Sheepshead- oysters, fiddler crabs, clams.
Speckled Trout
Silver Trout
Whiting
Snook (has a season and needs special permit stamp)
Saltwater Catfish (get a more experienced fisherman to take the hook out, the spines can be painful if they pierce ya)
Flounder
there's a bunch more , but that's what you'll most likely encounter.

Stingrays are fun to catch, they fight like heck.

[crazynip]

It's a state license, buy it at wal-mart salt or fresh, they are separate

[algia]

Thank you for expanding on that.

I'll need to print photos to see which fish is which...LOL

OK...about the "live bait"...do you have to have live bait? r they gross?

So, if I go fishing at Howard Park, do I have to sign in? or I just throw the bait in the water? who checks the licenses?

Thank you.

Originally Posted by Sgt. Buzzcut

Google FWC (Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission), you probably just need a resident recreational saltwater license. I suggest this becasue some unscrupulous bait shop employees may try and sell you more than you need. Also looks like on the FWC site you can order one online.

I wouldn't get bait at Target, go to a bait shop and get live shrimp or ask them what lures are good. Be aware of what species you've caught and size and bag limits if any. I've never caught or seen anyone catch a squid, but I would cut him up and use him for bait too. Sometimes you may catch a little pinfish, throw him right back out there on hook and line , something bigger may come by and eat him.

some common species around here.
Redfish (Red Drum)- live shrimp, crabs, lures
Sheepshead- oysters, fiddler crabs, clams.
Speckled Trout
Silver Trout
Whiting
Snook (has a season and needs special permit stamp)
Saltwater Catfish (get a more experienced fisherman to take the hook out, the spines can be painful if they pierce ya)
Flounder
there's a bunch more , but that's what you'll most likely encounter.

Stingrays are fun to catch, they fight like heck.

[Sgt. Buzzcut]

You don't have to buy live bait....there are lures, frozen shrimp, plastic shrimp (DOA is a good brand). I don't think they are any grosser than the fish itself, just slimy and smell like seafood. I don't think you have to sign in, (although I can't picture where Howard Park is unless your talking about the one in Tarpon Springs). The FWC is the main ones who will check licenses, they are LEO's with arrest powers, although I don't think it would be common to encounter them on land.

The FWC can issue warnings or notice to appear for infractions, but if you get caught with say e.g a snook in your cooler or on a stringer out of season with no snook endorsement on your license, it could result in a trip to jail and boat seziure if you were on one. They are more particular about some fish than others. The bait shop should have a chart with pics and size limits and seasons at a reasonable price.