With unseasonably warm temperatures this past week, fishing around Anna Maria Island turned up a notch.
Kingfish are being caught offshore, as well as mangrove snapper, grouper and hogfish. The inshore bite is good, with catch-and-release snook, redfish and trout being caught with regularity.
Shiners are available for anyone with a bait net on the flats, which is typically rare this time of year. Live shrimp as bait also are working for pompano, sheepshead, redfish and trout.
On my own adventures with Southernaire Fishing Charters, I’m patrolling the beaches in search of pompano and permit. Neither are being found in large numbers, but I’m finding enough action to keep my clients busy. To target these fish, I’m using small jigs with a short skirt tipped with shrimp with success. In some instances, just a plain old knocker rig with a shrimp will do the trick.
On the flats, spotted seatrout are responding to shrimp and shiners under a popping cork. I’m looking for water depths of 3-4 feet, where lush grass and sandy potholes are present. Many small trout are being caught and, with persistence, we are putting limits of slot-size fish in the cooler.
Capt. Warren Girle is running offshore for snapper and grouper. Both mangrove snapper and gag grouper are being caught using live shiners as bait. While targeting these fish, Girle’s clients are reeling up Key West grunts and a few flounder.
Moving inshore, Girle is finding many spotted seatrout throughout the deeper grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Live shrimp under a popping cork are producing the bite. Mixed in with the trout bite is some action on bluefish and jack crevalle. On the shallower flats, Girle is hooking up anglers with redfish and catch-and-release snook. Both are being taken on shiners and shrimp as bait.
Capt. Aaron Lowman is working inshore with good results for his clients. Redfish, black drum and flounder are being caught around residential canals and docks, where casting live shrimp is attracting a bite. Inshore fishing on the deeper grass flats of Anna Maria Sound is providing action for Lowman’s anglers. Spotted seatrout are being caught with a popping cork combined with a live shrimp as bait.
Moving out along the beaches and nearshore structure, Lowman is finding cooperative mangrove snapper and hogfish. Both are taking live shrimp combined with a knocker rig. Flounder also are being caught by this method.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says pier fishers using live shrimp as bait are finding a bite. Black drum and sheepshead are coming up to the deck, but only by patient anglers. Dropping live shrimp under the pier on a weighted rig is providing the most action. While employing this method, pier fishers are catching an occasional redfish or flounder.
Capt. David White of Anna Maria Charters is fishing near and offshore for kingfish. By slow trolling or anchoring and casting large baits, such as threadfin herring, White is hooking into 10-20 pound kings. Also while fishing nearshore structure, White is finding numerous mangrove snapper on the feed. Live shiners and shrimp dropped to the bottom in these areas are resulting in limits of snapper.
Moving inshore, White’s clients are finding catch-and-release snook are taking live shiners free-lined over shallow flats and potholes, which is resulting in fish up to 26 inches. Sheepshead are making an appearance around docks and rock piles inshore, where White employs fiddler crabs, sand fleas and shrimp to get the tasty striped fish to bite a hook.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.