With a recent cold front, raising awareness that winter is around the corner, Anna Maria Island anglers can finally gear up for the fall bite.
With the dog days of summer behind us, it’s time to experience some great fall fishing on the inland waters throughout Tampa Bay and the adjoining waters to the south.
We should expect to see popular flats species — snook, redfish and spotted seatrout — beginning to stage up on the flats to gorge themselves on as many bait fish as they can in preparation for the colder, leaner times to come.
Migratory species — Spanish mackerel and kingfish — also should be making a showing sooner than later in the Gulf of Mexico and in Tampa Bay.
Other migratory fish — bonito and blackfin tuna — also will be making their presence known around the wrecks and reefs farther from shore in the Gulf of Mexico.
And with the migratory fish, you can bet the sharks will not be far behind. Spinner and blacktip sharks will be the most common, although don’t rule out other species, such as hammerhead and bull sharks.
So now is the time to get a head start. Make sure your tackle is up to par and be ready to go out and experience the long-awaited fall bite. There should be plenty of action in store for you.
Capt. Jason Stock says while fishing offshore in the Gulf, he’s targeting mangrove and yellowtail snapper, as well as some almaco jacks. He’s also seeing some keeper-size cobia mixed in with the bite.
Finding schools of bait while offshore is lending to action on amberjack, jack crevalle, bonito, blackfin tuna and various types of sharks.
Capt. David White is finding black grouper, as well as mangrove and yellowtail snapper while working offshore. He says he anticipates the arrival of blackfin tuna and kingfish as a result of the dropping water temperatures.
Moving inshore, gag grouper and Spanish mackerel are being caught on White’s charters in Tampa Bay around rocks, reefs and wrecks.
Snook fishing on the flats is going strong when using live shiners as bait.
Finally, large jack crevalle are being caught — always a crowd-pleaser — on medium-heavy, spinning gear.
Capt. Warren Girle is finding an exceptional bite on Spanish mackerel while fishing the artificial reefs in the Gulf. On one morning, White reports his clients counted more than 100 macks on their hooks in a two-hour period. Mixed in with the mack bite are blue runners and jack crevalle, as well as ladyfish.
Moving inshore, spotted seatrout are being cooperative while working the deeper grass flats in Sarasota Bay. Casting free-lined live shiners in these areas is working best.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says a variety of species are being caught by anglers using live shrimp as bait. Redfish top the list, with all sizes being caught. Most are 15-22 inches, with a few fish over the maximum size limit of 27 inches.
Another species — a welcome sight to pier fishers I might add — are sheepshead. Malfese says sheepies up to 16 inches are being caught, and although not in herds, they are worth targeting. Mangrove snapper are in the mix at the northernmost pier on AMI, as well as black drum. To round out the bite, a few snook are being caught.
Those anglers opting to use artificials, such as small jigs or silver spoons, are hooking into an occasional Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and jack crevalle at the pier.
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