Springtime brings increase in boaters, fish to target
Springtime fishing is in full swing in the surrounding waters of Anna Maria Island — and so are the springtime boaters. In fact, I can’t remember a spring with as many boats as I’ve seen this year. Even with all the boat traffic, the weather is beautiful and the fish are biting.
For this week’s Southernaire Fishing Charters, my clients were eager to go snook hunting on the grass flats. And with water temps reaching the mid 70s, the snook are on the feed. Live, free-lined shiners are resulting in fish 20-32 inches. Most catches are in the 20-26 inch range, which is typical, although slot-size snook — 28-33 inches — are being caught, too.
On the morning low tides, I’m working the edges of sandbars where the shallow flats make a slight drop to deeper water. As the day goes on, we target mangrove edges right along the shore on afternoon high tides. Both tides are producing excellent action.
Spotted seatrout also are on the menu this week. Numerous trout 18-22 inches are being found in water depths of 2-4 feet. Live free-lined shiners are not lasting long when cast in areas where these big specks are lurking. On morning lows, I’m finding big trout in the same areas I’m catching snook. During afternoon tides, sandy potholes on shallower flats are holding concentrations of fish.
Finally, mangrove snapper are providing great action on nearshore structure. Limits of fish 12-20 inches are a great confidence-builder to start off your day. It seems like the fishing gets a tad bit easier when you’ve got an ample amount of fish in the cooler and this bite should remain steady for weeks to come. Live or fresh-cut dead shiners on a 1/2-ounce knocker rig are working just fine.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier is seeing pier anglers targeting a variety of species with shrimp as bait. Combining live shrimp with a bottom rig is resulting in sheepshead, black drum and flounder. Most catches are occurring during the hours just after sunrise. Keeper-sizes of all species are being landed.
Pier fishers using small pink or chartreuse speck rigs are finding jack crevalle, ladyfish and even a few mackerel willing to take the bait. Tipping these jigs with a small piece of fresh-cut shrimp also is resulting in pompano for a few anglers.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing the flats of Sarasota Bay for redfish. Afternoon and evening high tides are producing slot-size reds on live shiners. By using his trolling motor for stealth, Girle is quietly patrolling the shallow flats until he comes across schooling reds. Once upon the fish, Girle has his clients cast live shiners to the school to achieve a bite. Most catches are falling within the slot of 18-27 inches.
On these same shallow flats where the redfish are present, Girle is finding good numbers of snook. Sandy potholes amid the grass are great ambush points for snook, which in turn are where Girle directs his baits. Live, free-lined shiners cast into these potholes are resulting in snook measuring 20-30 inches.
Finally, offshore fishing for snapper is proving prosperous for Girle. In depths of 30-50 feet of water, Girle’s anglers are reeling up mangrove snapper in the 12-20 inch range. Live shiners on a knocker rig are producing the best action.
Capt. Aaron Lowman is snapper fishing around artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico, where live shiners sent to the bottom on a knocker rig are resulting in hookups of 12-20 inches. Limits of fish are being caught, while some juvenile grouper and flounder are mixing up the action.
Spotted seatrout are being found in abundance by Lowman on deeper grass flats in Anna Maria Sound. Live shiners under a cork are attracting trout 15-18 inches. Along with trout, Lowman’s clients are reeling up Spanish mackerel and ladyfish.
Finally, Lowman is putting his anglers on good numbers of snook along the mangrove edges during high tides. By casting free-lined live shiners right up against the mangrove roots, he’s hooking up many 20-24 inch snook. Larger, slot-sized fish are mixed in with the small linesiders.
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business Charters is finding some great snook action in southern Tampa Bay. During morning incoming tides, Gross is working on the outside edges of sandbars and grass flats. On these edges, there typically is a small drop off where the snook congregate during low tides, as they stage their move back to the sanctuary of the mangroves. By anchoring and chumming in these areas, Gross is managing to create rallies of fish for his clients. Snook 20-26 inches are most frequent, although keeper or slot-size fish also are present.
Fishing deep grass flats ranging from Miguel Bay to Emerson Point is resulting in limits of spotted seatrout for Gross. Live shiners free-lined or under a popping cork are luring slot and over-slot trout to the hook. Expect to encounter ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle while targeting trout in these areas.
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