What we have is the perfect recipe for fishing success.
As we approached the May 26 full moon, fishing around Anna Maria Island was heating up. Light winds from the east combined with stellar tides were promising great days on the water.
Whether you’re fishing offshore or inshore, you are in store for some excitement.
The offshore waters are yielding many species, including bottom dwellers — groupers and snappers — and migratory species — cobia, blackfin tuna and amberjack.
And, to top it off, there have been several whale shark sightings 15-20 miles offshore. So keep your eyes peeled.
Generally, if you can find those graceful giants, you also are likely to find cobia swimming nearby.
Moving to the inshore, catch-and-release snook fishing is quite good. You can find the fish on the flats and along the beaches. On the flats and along mangrove shorelines — where turtle and eel grasses exist — expect good action. Look for good tidal flow and water free of lyngbya, or gumbo, to increase your chances.
If you’re targeting snook along the beaches, you should be able to sight cast to them. Live shiners work best for these fish, although artificials such as DOA TerrorEyz or a YoZuri pins minnow will attract some attention.
Catch-and-release spotted seatrout are abundant, especially in the deeper grass flats of Tampa and Sarasota bays.
Again, areas with a good tidal flow and free of gumbo are great places to get started. Early morning fishing with a top water plug is productive. As the sun gets higher, switching to live bait is a good bet.
Lastly, patrolling the beaches for schools of tarpon is getting better by the day.
Large numbers of fish have yet to arrive, although determined anglers are finding a bite here and there. Live threadfin herring seems to be getting the most action for bait, although live crabs are working in the passes during the outgoing tide.
On my Southernaire charters, I spent most of last week trying to hide from the wind and found plenty of action along the mangrove shorelines of southern Tampa Bay. The most predominant bite has been catch-and-release spotted seatrout. I’m seeing 20-40 trout a day coming to the boat.
Catch-and-release snook are cooperating, with fish caught measuring 20-30 inches.
Lastly, catch-and-release redfish are more frequent. The biggest this week was 30 inches.
Remember, starting June 1, there are new regulations for the inshore trio — snook, redfish and trout.
For Tampa Bay and any waters north of Manatee Avenue, normal regulations will resume for snook and redfish. For the spotted seatrout: The daily bag limit is three trout per person and the slot is 15-19 inches.
For waters south of State Road 64/Manatee Avenue, snook and redfish will remain closed to harvest through May 31, 2022. Spotted seatrout harvest will resume with a six-fish recreational vessel limit. The fish must fall 15-19 inches. Captain and crew are not included in the bag limit.
Capt. Jason Stock is fishing offshore on days when the winds stay down enough to venture into the Gulf.
The highlight of this past week was spotting a whale shark and numerous cobia schooling around it. Casting any live bait in the vicinity of these brown bombers can result in an immediate hookup. After boating several cobia, Stock said the whale shark quietly moved on.
Other action occurring offshore includes blackfin tuna reacting to live baits on the surface. These highly active fish are readily taking bait over offshore wrecks. And, Stock reports, bottom fishing is hot right now, especially for mangrove snapper. While targeting snappers, amberjack are taking the hook.
Finally, with numerous days of strong east winds, Stock also spent time closer to the beach, where tarpon were the target. Casting threadfin herring or live crabs is yielding fish 70-150 pounds and trophy photos for Stock’s clients.
Capt. David White is working the flats of Tampa Bay for catch-and-release species — snook, redfish and spotted seatrout. All three species are reacting well to offerings of live shiners as bait. The snook and trout are dominating the bite. As for the reds, most are being hooked while targeting the snook along mangrove shorelines.
As a bonus, White is hooking up clients with juvenile tarpon, 20-40 pounds. These fish are taking live shiners as bait. For the larger, mature tarpon, White is patrolling the beaches of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, where the silver kings are 80-125 pounds. These bigger fish are accepting live threadfin herring or crabs as bait.
Capt. Warren Girle is hiding from the strong winds by fishing the eastern shorelines of Sarasota Bay. By doing this, Girle is putting clients on some great action on catch-and-release snook and redfish. This bite is occurring in depths of 3 feet or less along mangrove shorelines where oyster bars exist.
Moving out to the deeper grass flats, Girle is finding plenty of spotted seatrout to keep his sport fishers busy. Mixed in are some ladyfish, bluefish and jack crevalle. Moving out to the Gulf beaches of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key, Girle is targeting tarpon, with catches running 150 pounds. Live baits — threadfin herring and crabs — are working well.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.