If you enjoy hot humid weather to go with your fishing adventures, now is a good time to get out on the water around Anna Maria Island.
Bring a cooler full of water or your drink of choice, as you must hydrate to beat the heat all day.
Fishing in Tampa Bay for catch-and-release species — snook, redfish and trout— is quite good. Actually, the trout bite is better than good, it’s excellent. Spotted seatrout 10-24 inches are being caught frequently over deep grass flats during strong outgoing tides. Free-lining live shiners is proving deadly for the trout, although I’m seeing plenty take small pinfish as offerings, too.
Catch-and-release redfish are being caught frequently by casting baits along the edges of mangrove shorelines where good tidal flow exists. These reds are being caught in all sizes, ranging 15-30 inches.
Catch-and-release snook are following suit, although they were a little tough during the August full moon. Now that the full moon has waned, you’ll see linesiders responding as expected to live shiners as bait. They can’t resist them.
Although recreational harvest for snook opened Sept. 1 statewide, waters from Pinellas/Hillsborough counties — including Tampa Bay — south to Collier County’s Gordon Pass are excluded from this opening due to impact from red tide. Snook, redfish and spotted seatrout remain catch-and-release only in all Florida waters of Manatee County north of State Road 64 until Oct. 11. For more information visit myfwc.com.
Moving offshore mahi-mahi — or Dorado or dolphin fish — often are being caught. In fact, good numbers of these fish are making a showing, which is encouraging considering we don’t see them as often in the Gulf of Mexico as they do in the Atlantic Ocean.
Another migratory fish being caught offshore is blackfin tuna — good for sushi fans.
Bottom fishing offshore also is resulting in many yellowtail and mangrove snapper, as well as some red grouper.
On my charters, I’m seeing a lot of catch-and-release trout taking the hook. Most catches are 18-22 inches, with smaller and bigger ones in the mix.
Catch-and-release snook fishing is going well for my sportfishing clients. Most catches are occurring in the first few hours of daylight, during good tidal flow, and the catch-and-release redfish are mixed in with the snook bite.
For those who want a fish dinner, I’m seeing mangrove snapper being caught throughout the day while working the flats. On some days, I’m putting a couple of limits in the cooler and on other days only a few.
Capt. Warren Girle is finding schooling catch-and-release redfish in Sarasota Bay. This is a good indicator the waters of Sarasota Bay are healing after being stricken by red tide.
Also while in the bay, Girle is finding some spotted seatrout, ladyfish and jack crevalle. These species are being found over deeper grass flats, where large bait schools are present — and it’s easy enough to find these bait schools, just look for diving shorebirds.
Lastly, Girle is finding some mangrove snapper and juvenile grouper while fishing nearshore structure in the Gulf of Mexico.
Capt. David White is mostly spending his days fishing offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, where bottom fishing in depths of 100 feet is offering the best action for White’s clients. On these trips, White is putting anglers on catches of red grouper, yellowtail snapper and catch-and-release American red snapper. Also, while in these depths, White is seeing numerous mahi-mahi. Casting free-lined surface baits on medium spinning tackle keeps White’s clients busy reeling in these colorful fish.
Moving inshore, White is finding plenty of redfish and snook to satisfy the sport fishers.
Capt. Jason Stock says he’s enjoying a good blackfin tuna catch while fishing offshore wrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. While targeting the blackfins over the wrecks, Stock is spotting many schools of mahi-mahi. The tuna are averaging 15-20 pounds, while the mahi are in the 10-pound range.
After free-lining baits for the tuna and mahi, Stock is switching to bottom fishing, which is quite productive. Yellowtail and mangrove snapper are the primary catches for Stock’s anglers.
Finally, moving inshore, Stock is targeting large catch-and-release redfish in Tampa Bay, where some of the reds are reaching 40 inches in length.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says fishing is quite good this week at the northernmost pier. Anglers there are using live shrimp on a knocker rig to hook numerous mangrove snapper. Most of these snapper are 10-12 inches, but if you can catch your limit of five fish, you’re on your way to a nice fish fry.
Catch-and-release redfish are being caught on the shrimp-knocker rig combo. Most of these catches are falling in the slot of 18-27 inches. Using larger baits — pinfish, mojarras and ladyfish — is attracting some hefty-size catch-and-release snook.