For yet another week, tarpon are the highlight for anglers around Anna Maria Island.
As the fish are popular to target, you can bet they are receiving quite a bit of pressure as they meander up and down the beaches of Longboat Key, Anna Maria Island and Egmont Key.
If you are among those angling for a hookup, your tackle box will need an extra supply of patience.
Here’s some more advice for tarpon season.
I recommend finding the fish on your own and avoiding hoarding in on other boats as they are working a school of silver kings. Try to set up ahead of a school and wait your turn, as multiple boats working a school typically results in nobody hooking up.
Like any fish, there are times when tarpon become naive while feeding and don’t seem to be disturbed by boat traffic but these instances don’t happen often. In fact, your best approach is to assume the fish could be spooked at a moment’s notice — so be quiet and lead the fish when you present a bait.
And if you hear “fish on” or see a fish take the hook from an angler on another boat, be courteous enough to “give the angler the road.” Watch where the fish is going and stay out of the way. If that means you have to reel up, so be it.
When fighting a fish upwards of 150 pounds, it’s difficult to control where they go. So it’s up to the good sports on the water to move out of the way. The last thing you want is to get an earful because you made no effort to accommodate another angler’s catch.
Let’s just say, finding your own fish is the best scenario. Then you don’t have to worry about obstructions. You can sit back and enjoy the punishment in store for you as the large fish kicks your butt. And, if you mess up, spook the fish, overrun or cast a bait right on top of its head, there’s nobody around to see. Save yourself some embarrassment.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m enjoying the tranquility of the backcountry while everyone else is hunting tarpon.
The catch-and-release snook bite is going well, with numerous hookups during morning tides.
Free-lining live shiners along mangrove edges and along sandy beaches is resulting in many fish being reeled to the boat.
Spotted seatrout also are being caught by my clients, especially around deeper grass areas during incoming tides.
Lastly, we’re starting to catch mangrove snapper around structure and on deeper flats.
Capt. David White is spending most of his days targeting tarpon along local beaches on the Gulf of Mexico.
Using live crabs before sunrise or during evening outgoing tides is working well to get the silver kings to bite. In between, while the sun is high in the sky, live threadfin herring are the bait of choice. White says most hookups are running 75-100 pounds, with larger fish mixed in.
On days when he’s taking a break from tarpon hunting, White is working in Tampa Bay for inshore species, where he says catch-and-release snook fishing is producing good action on the flats and along the beaches. Spotted seatrout are another species being reeled up by White’s clients, as well as some large redfish.
Capt. Warren Girle is targeting tarpon most days, and finding schooling fish along the beaches is bringing the best action.
Live crabs as bait work well before sunrise.
After sunrise, Girle is switching to live threadfin herring for bait.
With numerous boats on the water in search of tarpon, Girle says he’s traveling to find fish that have yet to be tampered with by the pack. The fish seem to bite a lot better, according to Girle.
On other days, Girle is backwater fishing in Tampa Bay, which is yielding the top bay trio — catch-and-release snook, spotted seatrout and redfish.
At the Rod & Reel Pier, anglers are enjoying action on redfish and catch-and-release snook. Both species are being caught on a variety of baits, including live shrimp pinfish and mojarras.
Mangrove snapper are making a showing and are taking offerings of live shrimp as well as small shiners as bait.
Lastly, casting jigs and spoons away from the pier is luring Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle to the hook.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.