Fishing around Anna Maria Island is resembling springtime fishing for yet another week despite the calendar.
Many anglers are finding live shiners for bait to target the flats-dwelling species trio of snook, redfish and spotted seatrout. And with the water temps in the low 70s, fish are responding positively to the offerings.
But don’t despair if you don’t have shiners, as live shrimp work well for the snook, reds and trout. Also, black drum, sheepshead, snapper and pompano are frequenting inshore waters and they generally don’t pass up a tasty shrimp if you put it front of their nose.
Live shrimp also are handy for fishing structure in the Gulf of Mexico. Artificial reefs, wrecks and hard-bottom areas are holding plenty of fish that can’t resist a live shrimp. Mangrove snapper, Key West grunts, flounder and hogfish are just a few of the species you can encounter in the Gulf. You might even find some hungry jack crevalle or Spanish mackerel that’ll eat a shrimp.
For anglers who pass on live bait, many species are responding to artificials. Try casting top-water plugs or suspending plugs over your favorite trout holes in the backcountry for explosive action. MirrOlure has a great selection of both. Meanwhile, soft plastics on a jig head are deadly for trout. Carry an assortment of colors to see which color works best. You also might find the snook and reds will respond to these jigs.
Lastly, take advantage of the mild weather now because eventually it’s going to get cold and the bite will change.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m patrolling the Gulf beaches in search of a bite. Using live shrimp as bait is yielding a range of species, including black drum, redfish, sheepshead, pompano and permit. Finding the pompano and permit requires persistence, so I’m using jigs tipped with shrimp to cover larger areas of water. As for the reds, drum and sheepies, live shrimp on a small knock rig will get the job done.
Capt. Warren Girle is putting his anglers on a variety of species by working both Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. While fishing the inshore waters of Sarasota Bay, Girle is finding quite a few catch-and-release redfish. Casting free-lined shrimp into sandy potholes during morning low tides is resulting in many hookups. Most reds are exceeding the maximum-size limit of 27 inches, which is fine considering they have to be released — in this case, the bigger the better.
Also while in Sarasota Bay, Girle is finding migratory species — jack crevalle and ladyfish — most accommodating. These species are great to fill in the gaps between redfish hookups.
Moving into the Gulf, Girle is bouncing around the artificial reefs and other structure. He reports that live shrimp as bait is luring Key West grunts and mangrove snapper to the hook, as well as some permit, which are measuring 5-10 pounds. As for the snapper and grunts, fish in the 12-inch range are common — perfect for a fish fry.
Capt. David White is finding good action on the flats for catch-and-release snook. Using live shiners as bait works well despite a recent drop in water temperatures. White reports fishing afternoon tides is producing better results after the waters warm from the sun.
White says switching over to live shrimp for bait is working for a variety of species. Fishing along the Gulf beaches and around structure in Tampa Bay is yielding black drum, sheepshead, pompano, permit and some redfish. Mangrove snapper are responding to live shrimp fished around structure — reefs and wrecks.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says pier fishers baiting with live shrimp are hooking into numerous redfish. Live shrimp on a bottom rig cast under the pier is being devoured by hungry redfish. While soaking shrimp under the pier, anglers are hooking into sheepshead, mangrove snapper and a few catch-and-release snook. Malfese also mentioned that the water temps around the pier are ideal for pompano and he’s expecting the tasty fish to arrive in force in the days to come. Casting small jigs tipped with shrimp is a great way to target these wintertime pompano.
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