Have no fear, AMI has fishing piers
There are three fishing piers on Anna Maria Island: the Rod & Reel Pier, the Historic Bridge Street Pier and, perhaps the most well known, the Anna Maria City Pier.
All three are worthy of fishing, although you have to be at the right place at the right time.
Both the Rod & Reel Pier and the Anna Maria pier jut out off of the north end of the Island into Tampa Bay. The Rod & Reel has been a destination in Anna Maria since it opened Feb. 10, 1950. The city pier is twice as old and is celebrating its centennial this weekend. The history of these two piers is very interesting, but we are here to talk about fishing.
Techniques for fishing these piers are similar from one pier to the other. Basically, the first step is to find out what’s being caught so you know what to target. In spring, summer and fall you can bet on catching Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, Jack crevalle and bonito. These are migratory species, which means they’re passing by while chasing bait and then they’re gone. Using light tackle rigged with silver spoons or jigs is a great way to target these passing fish. Remember, the more bait around the pier, the better your chances of catching migratory fish. Also during the warmer months, pier fishers like to target shark. Many varieties of size and species are caught from these two piers. You can catch anything from small bonnethead and black tip sharks in the 2- to 3-foot range to 17-foot hammerhead sharks like R&R owner Frank Cavendish did back in 1960. That 17-footer weighed 1,386 pounds.
Snook also frequent these two piers during the summer months while preparing for their spawn. I have personally seen the schools of snook that congregate under these piers. To see 300-500 snook under the pier is not an exaggeration, although after the freeze we had in late 2009 and early 2010, the numbers dwindled.
Other warm weather species you can catch at the piers include mangrove snapper, redfish, bluefish, cobia and tarpon. I know I didn’t mention every species, but that is part of the allure of pier fishing. You never know what you might get.
Fishing the winter months around the northernmost piers primarily results in sheepshead, black drum and flounder. Each pier has a group of “pier regulars” that are there at dawn every morning to fish. These guys are hardcore sheepshead fishermen. It can be 40 degrees with 20-mph winds out of the north and they’ll still be out there fishing for sheepies.
Fishing the Bridge Street pier is a little different due to its location in Sarasota Bay. The pier was built from the remains of the first bridge to connect Anna Maria Island in Bradenton Beach to the mainland. Since the pier runs out to the edge of the Intracoastal Waterway, the species of fish caught there can differ from the other piers, but not by much. The summer months are typically the same as the other two piers, although the shark bite isn’t as good. Spotted sea trout can be caught in abundance due to the productive grass beds near the southernmost pier. Also, gag grouper seem to congregate around this pier year-round. Keeper gags can be caught, although most are juvenile.
The Bridge Street pier is a good wintertime spot for sheepshead and flounder. Using small crabs or sand fleas is a great way to target the sheepies. The Bridge Street pier has a large number of barnacle-encrusted pilings, which in turn attract those black-and-white striped fish we love so much.
Since we are talking about our Island fishing piers, I feel obliged to mention the pier at Manatee Public Beach in Holmes Beach. Built in 1964 on the Gulf of Mexico, it was the first anti-erosion groin built in Florida. Although it’s no longer standing, I feel it was one of the best piers on the Island. My earliest memories of fishing on Anna Maria Island were on that pier. That was in the late 1970s when the pier was low to the water and had no railings. It was there that I learned how to fish the Island-Gulf waters. When it was removed, it felt as though a piece of my childhood went with it.
Being an employee at Island Discount Tackle and a charter captain, I hear a lot of comments, or should I say complaints, about the county’s lack of action and funds to replace this pier. I remember when the Island used to be a fishing community. Those were the good old days.
To voice your opinion about replacing the Manatee Public Beach pier, contact local county commissioners. Here is some contact information to help you with that:
Call the county commission to speak to commissioners at 941-745-3700, or e-mail them at john.chappie@mymanatee.org, carol.whitmore@mymanatee.org, donna.hayes@mymanatee.org, joe.mcclash@mymanatee.org, michael.gallen@mymanatee.org, robin.disabatino@mymanatee.org and larry.bustle@mymanatee.org.
Fishing on Anna Maria Island can be great fishing, and it’s always a lot of fun. The piers provide a great opportunity for families to spend a day experiencing what locals love so much about Anna Maria Island. Even people who don’t fish enjoy our piers. They get to see plenty of shorebirds and dolphins as well as experiencing what old Florida was all about. Don’t forget to go join the fun this weekend at the centennial celebration of the Anna Maria City Pier.
Dave Sork at the Anna Maria City Pier says fishing is picking up as the bait thicken around the pier. Migratory species such as Spanish mackerel and Jack crevalle are being caught as they pass by to feed on whitebait. Try using white crappie jigs for the Spanish and yellow jigs for the jacks. Pier fishers are hooking up and jumping tarpon from the pier. Live pinfish, threadfin herring or mullet are good baits to try to entice these acrobatic tackle-busters. Make sure you have heavy tackle and use a reel with a lot of line capacity. On the first run, a tarpon can easily dump 200 yards of line off of your reel before you know it. On a final note, Stork says, “Whitebait is showing in increasing quantities.”
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says sharks are the most consistent bite. Bottom fishing with chunks of cut bait is the best approach to target these toothy-predators. “Most of the shark have been in the 3-foot range,” Malfese says. “But we did see a 7-foot great hammerhead landed early in the week.”
For the smaller sharks, try using cut frozen squid or threadfin herring. If you’re targeting bigger stuff, the hammerhead was caught on a whole Spanish mackerel soaking on the bottom.
Other species being caught at the R&R include Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, black drum and sheepshead. “The sheepshead bite is still here,” Malfese says. “Although it’s not what it was a few weeks ago.”
The black drum are being caught in the 3- to 4-pound range using live or frozen shrimp under the pier.
Ken Davis at Rotten Ralph’s on the Historic Bridge Street Pier says pier fishers targeting sheepshead are still getting decent results. Sand fleas and fiddlers are producing the better bite, although you can get those sheepies to hit a shrimp occasionally. Spanish mackerel are being caught from the pier. Best baits have been Gotcha plugs and silver spoons. Remember, you can try using 50-pound fluorocarbon leader for these toothy fish. You still might get cut off occasionally, but that’s part of mackerel fishing.
Flounder are being caught around the edges of the pier by fishing live shrimp on the bottom around the pilings. Night fishers are targeting and catching spotted sea trout. Most of the trout are hanging around the lights on the pier feeding on bait.
Jonny Keyes at Island Discount Tackle says beach fishers are still producing a mixed bag using fresh bait and artificials. Pompano are still cruising the shoreline, although the bite has been sporadic. Pompano jigs, live shrimp and sea fleas are all producing fish. Spanish mackerel and Jack crevalle also are cruising our shorelines eating any live baitfish they can find. Artificials such as silver spoons and jigs work well for these migratory species. Typically the Jack crevalle travel in schools. When you see a school of jacks, you have to be quick to get bait in front of them because they are on the move. You may get one or two fish before the school passes. Whiting are still abundant on our beaches. Try using small pieces of fresh-peeled shrimp for best results.
Bay fishing is holding steady with good numbers of spotted sea trout being caught. Berkeley Gulp shrimp on a jig head have proven to be the best offering due to the fact you can drift over the flat and cover more area. Redfish are around the oyster bars, although the bite has been sporadic. When all else fails, try soaking a piece of cut mullet or ladyfish on the bottom in an area where you know there are redfish.
Last but not least, the tarpon bite is improving day-by-day. Start looking for schools of fish around the passes and on the beaches in the weeks to come.
Capt. Mark Howard of SumoTime fishing charters says the clear waters of Anna Maria are warming up and are loaded with fish. Speckled trout continue to be the “sure thing” on the inshore fishing scene. They have been readily taking live shiners in 2-8 feet of water. Howard suggests tail-hooking the shiners “to get maximum action from the bait and to trigger aggressive bites by the trout.”
Tarpon have shown up inside Tampa bay and will only increase in numbers in May. On a recent charter, Howard’s clients put three in the air in a short time. Howard suggests using threadfins, crabs, pinfish, mullet, ladyfish, and pilchards to entice this premier game fish.
“Looking forward, the tides will be favorable for fishing this weekend and into next week. A big falling tide in the evening will set the stage for some fast-water movement and hot fishing action,” Howard says.
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business Charters is fishing Tampa Bay south to Sarasota Bay targeting spotted sea trout. Gross likes to use live shiners for bait rigged on a 1/0 live-bait hook and 20-pound fluorocarbon leader. Fishing water depths of 4-6 feet, Gross is catching spotted sea trout up to 27 inches with most fish being in the slot of 15-20 inches. While targeting trout, Gross is catching Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish and flounder in the same areas. Gross also is taking advantage of the catch-and-release snook bite that fired up this month. Snook up to 24 inches have been the norm. Around the oyster bars of Sarasota Bay, Gross is targeting redfish with the biggest coming in at a whopping 33 inches. To finish out his charters, Gross is catching keeper-size gag grouper in Tampa Bay on small structure and rock piles.
Capt. Warren Girle is working both offshore and backwater spots on his charters. On his offshore trips, Girle is producing gag grouper up to 26 inches as well as mangrove snapper to 18 inches. Bottom fishing is proving prosperous, but so is fishing the upper water column. Girle is free-lining threadfins behind the boat, catching kingfish in the 15-pound range. The big catches of the week were a 48-inch cobia and a 300-pound bull shark.
Inshore, Girle is fishing trout on the deeper flats of Sarasota Bay. “There’s tons of trout out there,” Girle exclaimed. Live shiners on a jig head are your best bet. Girle is catching redfish in the 24-inch range and snook up to 22 inches.
Jeff Medley at the south bait shop on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge Fishing Piers says pier fishing is getting better as the season progresses. Keeper gag grouper are being caught under the piers and around the rock piles off the piers. Pinfish have been the bait of choice. Other edibles brought to the deck include flounder, pompano and mangrove snapper. Flounder up to 20 inches are being caught by fishing shrimp or shiners directly on the bottom. “Try casting out and dragging your bait slowly back to you on the bottom,” Medley suggests.
The pompano are still hitting Love’s lures pompano jigs tipped with shrimp, says Medley. If you’re into night fishing, you may want to head to the Skyway piers to target mangrove snapper. Try drifting live shrimp or shiners with the tide under the pier for best results.
Send fishing reports to fish@islander.org.