Flea-Flicker
As you know , the Gulf-side doesn't really have surf as the Atalantic side does have. That being said , yes , there are areas where a long-rodder can have some good experiences, especially as gagzilla says , at the passes , inlets , and at Tampa bay ( due to the large tidal flowage). Best deep-water (while land based) fishing occurs at the SkyWay with pompano ,spanish macks, and kingfish ( 20-30 # ) showing up on the pier ; even a few albies were taken last weekend . Also , Grouper, Mango , and Snapper are taken regularly off the pier , or in the pilingsor adjoining rubble to the pier . Or if you and your equipment are up to it , Tarpon are available as well . The North SkyWay is 3/4 mile long and the South SkyWay is 4 miles long ; both are mostly illuminated , have bathroom facilities (arggh !), and have 24 hour bait shops with supplies and rigs with pay ($) access . The pomapno have been showing for about the last 2 weeks , although not yet in great numbers. The consistant fishery recently has been the spanish mackeral and the frequent kingfish ; the amount of bait in the Bay has been outstanding this year.
The average depth of Tamapa Bay is 15 - 18 feet , so much of the area is flats fishing ( ie: Sheepshead , pompano , whiting , redfish, drum , speckled trout, etc...). There are few jettys , and most fishing is either beach on Gulf-side , or flats fishing in the Bay , or pier fishing SkyWay or at Fort DeSoto which has both a Bay pier and a Gulf pier. Another growing fishery is kayakfishing.
As gagzilla said , there are many piers , beaches , and inlets in the area as well as all the numerous passes of the intercoastal. The city of St Petersburg is actually a penninsula , surrounded on 3 3/4 sides by water , with half of it being Tampa Bay and the other 1 3/4 being intercoastal , or passes on the gulf-side.
If the proposed re-location is job related , see if you can come over and see it for yourself ~ and bring your poles !!
Irish_Tinker