Avoid the worst heat — fish early or late to get hooked up
Fishing around Anna Maria Island in the peak heat of July can be a challenging venture to say the least. With water temps hovering near 90, choosing the right time and spot are imperative.
Most fishers in the backcountry are making an effort to fish in the early morning. The waters have had a chance to cool down overnight and, let me tell you, that drop of a couple of degrees can make a difference. Spotted seatrout and snook on the flats are both primarily being caught before 9 a.m. After that, it’s best to move to deeper water to find a bite. Early morning is proving to be the best time to target mangrove snapper on the shallow nearshore reefs. Try chumming with fresh dead shiners and then drop a livey on a weighted rig to get a strike. Again, the best bite is before 9 a.m.
Another option is fishing at night. Try venturing out around 10-11 p.m. to find trout and catch-and-release snook around dock lights. Whether they’re traditional “snook lights” that hang a short distance above the water’s surface facing down or the new green underwater lights, these lights attract fish. And usually the fish will bite. Live shiners or shrimp free-lined around the lights will get you connected. Also, the lights provide a prime opportunity to try your skills with a fly rod.
Capt. Warren Girle is working the flats of Sarasota Bay. Free-lining live shiners over deep grass flats. He’s hooking up clients with a multitude of spotted seatrout. Although most trout being caught are under-sized, the abundance of fish is enough to keep eager anglers busy for a couple of hours. Mixed in with the trout are ladyfish, jack crevalle and bluefish. On some occasions, schools of larger trout are found. These bunches contain trout 15-22 inches, with most being at least 18 inches.
Snook fishing is another option for Girle. Small, schooly snook are being caught on free-lined shiners in depths of 3 feet or less. Larger snook are being taken on fresh-cut chunks of ladyfish. The largest snook hooked on a dead bait this past week came in at 41 inches.
Finally, on days when the westerly breezes stay under 20 mph, Girle is venturing out to structure in the Gulf of Mexico. Structure in depths of 20 feet is providing his clients with ample mangrove snapper and Key West grunts. Both are being caught on weighted bottom rigs combined with live shiners.
Capt. Aaron Lowman at Island Discount Tackle in Holmes Beach is catching mangrove snapper around inshore structure —rock piles, reefs and residential docks. Live shiners — either free-lined or on a weighted rig — are Lowman’s bait of choice. Most mangrove snapper being caught are 10-14 inches, although the occasional 18-incher is being reeled up. Mixed in with the snapper are flounder, grunts and juvenile grouper.
On the flats, Lowman is targeting spotted seatrout. These fish, when abundant, are readily taking free-lined live shiners. Lowman is targeting trout in depths of 3-6 feet of water. Grass flats and edges of channels are prime locations to locate these tasty speckled fish. Sizes are running small, although his persistent clients are catching a few keepers for a toss in the cast iron skillet.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says mangrove snapper are the top species to target. Considerable numbers of snapper are taking up residence under the pier, feeding on small shiners. Pier fishers using bottom rigs baited with shiners or shrimp are catching snapper in the 10-inch range. Many smaller snapper are mixed in, so determination is key at the R&R.
Pier fishes wanting to catch slightly larger fish are using silver spoons, Gotcha plugs or jigs to target ladyfish, blue runners and jack crevalle. All three of these fish, although not considered edible, are great adversaries on light tackle. At times, the fish can be abundant, especially around daybreak. This provides great action for fishers looking for an early morning bite.
Lastly, catch-and-release snook fishing is an option at the R&R. Live shiners, pinfish and even ladyfish are excellent bait for these linesiders. Fish 20-40 inches can be hooked, especially during evening and overnight hours. Remember, snook are out of season, so handle with care and release.
Send high-resolution photos and submit fishing reports to fish@islander.org.