Trying to find a window of opportunity to fish around Anna Maria Island is challenging as winter settles in.
Numerous cold fronts occurring every 4-5 days bring high winds, rough seas and send the water temperature plummeting, making boating uncomfortable and harder to find fish receptive to your offerings of either live bait or lures.
Timing is everything, so plan accordingly. Try to schedule your excursions between the cold fronts. Sometimes the longer you wait before the next front, the better the fishing.
On days when the winds are from the east, fishing along the beaches can be productive. Soaking live shrimp on a bottom rig can lead to action from black drum, sheepshead and whiting. And, if you’re not into sitting around waiting on a bite, you can try jigging. Casting small jigs tipped with shrimp will attract pompano, as well as the other mentioned species.
For those who live on a canal, this time of year can be your productive season. Casting live shrimp into the canals can lead to action on spotted seatrout, redfish and even an occasional snook. You also might hook up with some sheepshead, black drum and mangrove snapper.
But, if you just have to be in the boat, be selective with your days.
The artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico are holding sheepshead, snapper and grunts, but it has to be fairly calm to be comfortable enough to fish those areas. If it’s not, you can migrate into the canals to dock fish or into the back reaches of the bays — Terra Ceia, Palma Sola or Sarasota. Fish migrate into these areas to find warmer, calmer water. And, if you time it right, you may find success.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m adjusting my daily plan to suit the weather pattern. On calm days, fishing structure in the Gulf around ledges and artificial reefs is productive for sheepshead, snapper and grunts. On windier days, I’m sticking to fishing docks in canals or sheltered areas around mangrove shorelines to find a bite. In these areas, I’m seeing redfish, black drum and an occasional under-slot snook.
Lastly, drifting and jigging in Sarasota Bay is producing some action on pompano, although that bite has been hit or miss.
Capt. Warren Girle is working the inshore waters of Sarasota Bay. Using live shrimp as bait is producing action on a variety of species for Girle’s clients. Fishing residential canals around seawalls and dock pilings is leading Girle to some black drum, sheepshead, redfish and snook. He’s also seeing some keeper-size mangrove snapper while fishing select docks.
Out in Sarasota Bay, Girle is casting jigs tipped with shrimp, which is working. Pompano and spotted seatrout are reacting, as are bluefish and jack crevalle.
Capt. David White is working nearshore structure in the Gulf of Mexico on his charters. Fishing over areas where ledges and hard bottom exist is leading his anglers to a bite from a variety of species, including sheepshead, mangrove snapper, Key West grunts and an occasional hogfish. Fishing the artificial reefs in the Gulf is producing similar action, excluding the hogfish. Live shrimp as bait is preferred.
When the Gulf is rough, White is taking anglers to the inshore bite, casting live shrimp around residential docks and canals for action on redfish, black drum and sheepshead.
Capt. Jason Stock is still working offshore — when the seas are calm and the winds light. In depths of 100 feet, Stock is finding some big red grouper willing to take his clients’ offerings of live pinfish. Fishing slightly deeper with the same bait is yielding large American red snapper for Stock’s anglers. Also offshore, Stock is finding plenty of yellowtail and mangrove snapper to round out the bite. Live shrimp as bait works well for those two species.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier reports that although the cold weather and high winds at the northernmost AMI pier are discouraging some anglers from fishing, determined pier fishers are being rewarded with a variety of species. Live shrimp as bait is attracting black drum, redfish and sheepshead. A few mangrove snapper and an occasional under-slot snook also are taking the hook.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.