Fishing around Anna Maria Island is about to get real.
With the arrival of warm breezes from the south trade winds this month, you can count on spectacular fishing.
As long as we follow the warming trend, we should start seeing catch-and-release snook, redfish and spotted seatrout migrating to the flats to fill up on the springtime bait schools.
It’s time to start checking your backcountry fishing holes and monitoring the numbers of fish.
With all three of the species being closed to harvest for the past three years, we can expect to experience an abundance of fish.
But remember, redfish and trout are closed until May and snook won’t open for harvest until September.
This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t target these fish, as it could be a great spring bite. For sheer catch-and-release action, you really can’t go wrong.
If you’re looking for a fish dinner, the sheepshead bite should carry on for a couple of more weeks.
By casting live shrimp on a bottom rig around any structure in Tampa Bay, you stand a good chance of reeling up a sheepie and mangrove snapper are taking up residence in the same areas.
Another quality fish to catch for dinner is pompano. Surfcasting with jigs tipped with shrimp or just plain live shrimp on a weighted rig is yielding pompano, as well as whiting and ladyfish.
On my Southernaire charters, I am concentrating on catching sheepshead. Limits of the tasty buck-toothed fish are caught daily. I’m finding numerous mangrove snapper in the same areas as sheepies when fishing wrecks and reefs.
Fishing along the beaches is yielding pompano, whiting, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel. Also along the beaches, I’m seeing black drum and a few permit.
Hamilton Brown at the Rod & Reel Pier at the north end of Anna Maria Island says pompano are keeping pier fishers occupied with bent rods on this great table fare. Casting shrimp-tipped jigs — or live shrimp — away from the pier to the bottom of Tampa Bay is yielding acceptable numbers of this popular inshore species.
Those not targeting pompano are casting live shrimp on a bottom rig under the pier, which is resulting in numerous sheepshead. Most sheepies are 12 to 14 inches, but larger fish are being caught.
While targeting sheepies, anglers are experiencing random hookups of black drum, flounder and small mangrove snapper.
Capt. David White is putting clients on his offshore trips on plenty of red grouper action. Bottom fishing with either live or frozen bait is working well for these hefty bottom feeders.
Also while offshore, White is seeing good numbers of yellowtail snapper reeled up from the depths.
Moving inshore, White is targeting sheepshead over any structure in Tampa Bay.
Also, fishing the flats in the bays for catch-and-release redfish and snook is starting to turn on.
Capt. Aaron Lowman is working inshore throughout the grass flats of Tampa Bay.
Casting live shiners around mangrove shorelines is proving to be good for both catch-and-release snook and redfish for his charters. Fishing deeper grass areas away from the mangroves is yielding plenty of catch-and-release spotted seatrout. Mixed in with the bite are ladyfish and some Spanish mackerel.
For anglers looking for a fresh fish dinner, Lowman is targeting sheepshead around the wrecks and reefs in Tampa Bay.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.
FWC invites anglers to
catch a memory
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission invites anglers to catch a Florida memory by hooking a fish.
And the FWC recently expanded the pool of fish that earn anglers kudos — “Reel Big Fish Achievements” — to include saltwater catfish and vermilion snapper.
To qualify for an achievement, a fish must reach or exceed the qualifying length listed for each species.
The qualifying length for the snapper is 17 inches for adult anglers and 13 inches for a youth, while the qualifying length for saltwater catfish — gafftopsail or hardhead — is 22 inches for adults and 16 inches for youths.
All “Reel Big Fish” catches must be photographed over a qualifying measuring device. Also, a photo of the fish with the angler submitting the catch is required.
Anglers who participate will receive a certificate, T-shirt by Tony Ivory Art and Apparel, Tervis tumbler and other prizes.
For more information, go online to catchfloridamemory.com or call the FWC at 850-487-0554.