With slightly cooler temperatures and breezy days, Anna Maria Island anglers are staying inshore to target flats-dwelling species such as redfish and spotted seatrout.
Other inshore species, such as pompano, black drum and sheepshead, also are moving into the crosshairs.
Live shrimp is the primary bait in these conditions.
Fishing around residential docks and canals can be favorable during cooler days in winter, especially when strong winds are forecasted. These areas tend to be slightly deeper than their surrounding waters, creating a more consistent environment, devoid of large temperature fluctuations and rough water. And they can provide shelter from the wind.
Predatory fish will take up residence in these waters. In fact, you may encounter many species of fish while working the canals and docks: snook, jack crevalle, ladyfish, bluefish, small grouper, flounder and snapper.
There’s some homework to be done for successful dock and canal fishing. Learning which canals and docks hold fish can require some time on the water. But doing your homework can open the door to a successful day of fishing in even the hardest days of winter.
On my Just Reel charters, live shrimp is yielding my anglers a variety of bites, including jack crevalle, pompano, permit and black drum while working along the Gulf beaches. In some areas, I’m finding sheepshead and redfish mixed in the bite.
On windier days, I am taking cover in the back bays, casting shrimp under docks for redfish, black drum and sheepshead. Either way, we’re finding some good action and putting a few fish in a cooler for dinner.
Capt. David White is working inshore on days with persistent winds. Using live shiners or live shrimp is working well for a variety of species — redfish, black drum and sheepshead. White is locating the bite around docks, rocks and along the Gulf beaches.
While fishing the beaches, White is finding that chumming with pieces of shrimp keeps the bite going.
Switching to live shiners is working for White’s anglers in the back country flats of Tampa Bay. Snook are the primary catch, as well as some spotted seatrout, while live shiners, if you can find them, are attracting attention from jack crevalle and ladyfish.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says due to a string of windy days, fishing at the pier has been challenging. Those willing to brave the wind and rough, choppy water are being rewarded with a variety of species.
Using live shrimp as bait works when fished on a bottom rig soaked under the pier. Redfish are being caught in this fashion, as well as black drum and sheepshead.
Casting shrimp away from the pier works but it requires some patience. Again, Malfese says the use of a bottom rig works best and has yielded some bonnethead sharks. Other species being caught at random include jack crevalle and ladyfish.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing nearshore structure, artificial reefs and hard bottom areas when the seas are calm. Using live shrimp, Girle is leading his clients to a variety of fish. Combining shrimp with a bottom rig is resulting in sheepshead, mangrove snapper and Key West grunts. Simply free-lining live shrimp is attracting permit to the hook.
On windier days, when Girle remains in the inshore waters of Sarasota Bay, he’s putting clients on catch-and-release redfish, as well as catch-and-release snook and spotted seatrout. For the reds and snook, casting baits under docks is working well. As for the trout, Girle says jigging over deep grass flats works best.
Send fish tales and photos to fish@islander.org.