There’s a chill in the morning air.
In the aftermath of our first real cold front of the season, Anna Maria Island anglers are searching to identify the patterns fish are adopting. A drop in water temperature is all it takes to trigger fish to move in search of comfort and a food source.
Changing fish patterns are a reality when it comes to fall and winter, especially during the onset of a new season. A drop in water temperature as much as 10 degrees can make a difference on where the fish go and how they feed, which means anglers have their work cut out for them.
Fishing becomes challenging when the fish are on the move. They’re leaving their summertime areas but haven’t settled in to their wintertime haunts, resulting in frustrating moments on the water for anglers. You might find less consistency on the bite or possibly no bite in areas where a week prior you caught plenty of fish.
This is the “in-between” time. It’s not quite time to adopt a wintertime pattern but your summertime pattern might not work either.
Determination and patience will play a role in the weeks before we settle into winter. So be prepared. This is a good time to experiment in areas you don’t normally target fish or at least try to fish the warmer days combined with some good tides to increase your chances of success. Nothing is better than spending as much time on the water as possible during these weeks. And with the pleasantly cooler temperatures, that shouldn’t be a problem.
The hunt is on.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m hooking clients up on spotted seatrout while working the deeper grass flats of Sarasota Bay, where free-lining live shiners is our best for a bite. Many of the trout are coming in just under the 15-inch minimum, but we are putting limits of slot-size fish in the box.
Redfish are being caught around mangrove edges during high tides and the same goes for snook. Spanish mackerel are a good bet as we are hooking up with many along the beaches and over structure in Tampa Bay.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier is seeing plenty of fish being caught at the pier, although not as many as before the last cold front. Pier fishers using live shrimp as bait are hooking into black drum, redfish and sheepshead. All three species are being caught on morning tides. Plus, all the catches are of legal size, which is nice if an angler is looking to have a fish dinner.
Migratory fish such as Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and jack crevalle also are being caught at the R&R. To hook these species, anglers casting artificials such as jigs and spoons are having the best luck.
Also, a few snook are being caught on large live baits — pinfish, ladyfish and live shrimp. The larger linesiders are taking the big bait, while smaller fish are taking the shrimp.
Capt. David White is working inshore, where fishing over structure in Tampa Bay is yielding Spanish mackerel. The fish are readily taking offerings of free-lined shiners. Some 30-pound leader combined with a long-shank hook completes the rig and most macks are measuring 20 inches. Mixed in are lady fish and jack crevalle. Also, while over structure, White is putting clients on some catch-and-release gag grouper. Using a weighted rig baited with a live pinfish attracts the strong-fighting reef fish to the hook.
Lastly, working around docks and canals is providing action for clients on snook and redfish with both taking live shiners as bait. White says casting baits under the docks is working best, especially for the reds.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.