Snowbirds depart, migratory fish species arrive
Springtime fishing is heating up with a host of migratory species making a showing in our local waters.
Kingfish, Spanish mackerel and cobia can be found in depths as shallow as 20 feet of water, as well as out to deeper water. Casting free-lined live shiners to any of these species will get you connected. You may even wonder who’s making the catch when a 40-inch king or cobia dumps half the line off your spool inside of 10 seconds. The sheer abundance of these fish — especially the kings and the Spanish macks — is providing rallies where even the most die-hard fishers are complaining about sore muscles. Anchoring and casting free-lined baits or slow trolling baits are both top producers.
Mangrove snapper are on the prowl around nearshore structure. Hungry mangoes are aggressively motivated to surface to annihilate free-swimming shiners thrown out as chum. Simple rigs of a few feet of 20-pound fluorocarbon leader and a size-1 long shank hook are resulting in mangrove snapper up to 20 inches. The reason for the long shank is there’s Spanish mackerel mixed in with the bite. The snapper don’t seem to mind and that long shank hook will save you from having to tie on hook after hook due to the mack’s razor sharp teeth.
Finally, although they aren’t a migratory species, spotted seatrout are worth mentioning. Fish exceeding 24 inches are being caught with some regularity — and for 24-inch trout, that’s darn good. Free-lined shiners or artificials such as top water plugs are attracting attention from the rogue trout. Remember most of these big gators are egg-bearing females so a couple in the box is a good thing, but don’t go crazy. A picture can be worth 1,000 words and, in this case, it could be worth 1,000 baby trout.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing offshore structure with great results. By using live shiners for bait, Girle is catching a variety of both migratory and reef species. While bottom fishing, Girle is catching limits of mangrove snapper 15-18 inches in length. At times, the snapper are schooling up and hitting free-swimming baits as chummers. When this occurs, Girle is changing rigs from bottom gear to just a simple free-lined shiner. This is the most exciting way to catch mangoes and it can result in bigger fish on the hook.
Girle is catching other bottom fish, including catch-and-release gag grouper, red grouper and the other usual suspects — Key West grunts and flounder. These species are being caught on a bottom rig with a live shiner or pinfish.
King mackerel are frequenting offshore structure in abundance and Girle is cashing in on the bite. A long shank hook with a small piece of wire is keeping these toothy fish on the line. Live shiners free-lined on this rig are resulting in fish up to 30 pounds.
Moving inshore to the flats of Sarasota Bay, Girle is finding snook, redfish and spotted seatrout. All three species are being caught on live shiners. Keeper-size seatrout are the most abundant. As for the snook, rallies of 24-26 inch fish are common with a keeper here and there in the mix. Slot-sized reds are being caught.
Capt. Aaron Lowman at Island Discount Tackle in Holmes Beach is working the flats of Anna Maria Sound to Sarasota Bay and finding limits of spotted seatrout. Free-lined shiners cast over sandy potholes and the edges of grass flats that drop into deep water are delivering catches of numerous 20 inch trout. Adding a little variety, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and jack crevalle are filling the gap between trout bites.
Shallow grass flats during high tide are producing respectable numbers of snook for Lowman. Linesiders ranging 20-30 inches are being caught on live shiners. Redfish are mixed in with the snook bite, with most in the slot.
Moving offshore, Lowman is fishing structure for mangrove snapper, king and Spanish mackerel. All three species are being caught on live shiners. For the snapper, a knocker rig baited with a frisky shiner is triggering the bite. Free-lined shiners combined with a long shank hook are resulting in drag-screaming hookups.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says although a few sheepshead are still biting, the bite is sporadic at best, while the fish that bite are barely the minimum size — 12 inches with the tail pinched. Don’t be discouraged because springtime at the Rod & Reel has a lot to offer.
Spanish mackerel are making a showing with 20-inch fish being caught on small pink or white speck rigs. Mixed in with the macks are ladyfish and jack crevalle and an occasional pompano.
That’s right, its time to start tipping those speck rigs with shrimp. Pompano can be found around the R&R during the springtime months and that time is now. Typically, if there’s one pompano, there are more lurking.
Finally, flounder are worth targeting around the pilings and under the pier. Live shrimp weighted with a split shot will get you in on the action. Malfese says fish up to 15 inches are being caught with some regularity.
Capt. Mark Howard of SumoTime Fishing charters reports red-hot action and nice fillets coming to the dinner table for his clients. The inshore bite has produced plenty of rod-bending, tackle-busting action on the inshore trinity — snook, redfish and spotted seatrout.
Snook fishing has exploded on the inside. On a recent charter, three generations of the Oja family found the fish were on fire — nearly chewing the bottom of the boat. Family patriarch Bill Oja, fishing with son and grandson, landed a whopper — a 38-inch snook. After pictures, the monster snook was safely released to fight another day.
Spotted seatrout have been feeding in the same areas as the snook and are cooperating. The trout have been eating a fresh, lively shiner rigged on a size 1 SSW Owner hook. Big trout —25 inches and up — have been abundant in shallow water. Getting enough fillets for the dinner table has been easy, according to Howard.
Redfish have finally shown up but are scattered — running around in small schools. Few are coming to the dinner party as most have been over-slot. Look for the reds to continue to chew as the water temperature heats up.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.