After several days of substantial rainfall, Anna Maria Island anglers are getting back on the water to find a bite.
Much of the water surrounding AMI is tainted and dark, resembling iced tea, due to the mass amount of freshwater — and the accompanying runoff of fertilizers and pesticides — flowing from the Manatee River into Anna Maria Sound.
But don’t fret, this could yield good redfish action, as well as some good snook fishing.
Many reds and snook reside in the Manatee River and most likely will be moving into Tampa Bay as they search for water with slightly higher salinity levels than what they’re finding in the river.
And, remember, the river is not included in the “catch” area for snook.
Terra Ceia Bay, Perico Bay and Anna Maria Sound are great staging points for these fish, especially during the flood tides we should experience before and after the Sept. 7 full moon.
The higher than normal tides could produce good shallow-water fishing along mangrove edges and grass flats adjacent to the river’s mouth.
As for spotted seatrout, they can be found on the flats, although you may find better conditions closer to the Gulf beaches, where deep grass flats and structure exist. This could be due to salinity levels or the fact that bait schools are congregating in these areas.
You should find other predators around bait schools, including macks, jack crevalle and lady fish.
When looking for a bite, you may want to check around the nearshore reefs. Mangrove snapper will have moved out into the Gulf of Mexico to escape the high levels of freshwater mixing into the waters of Tampa Bay and surrounding inshore waters.
Ultimately, there’s plenty of fishing to do as long as you’re willing to do your homework, brave the heat and get out there on the water.
On my Just Reel charters, I am catching mangrove snapper between the tides. Free-lining live shiners with the addition of a split shot leads to plenty of action on the feisty snappers. Most are 12-14 inches, with a few larger examples mixed in.
Spotted seatrout are hanging around the deeper grass flats on the western portions of Tampa Bay. Slot-size fish are harder to come by, although I anticipate seeing a new wave of fish after the full moon.
Targeting snook along the beaches and passes is yielding decent action when using live baits, such as shiners or pinfish. Linesiders are present along some mangrove edges, but they seem less motivated to bite compared to the fish along the beaches.
With numerous days of inclement weather, Capt. Johnny Mattay of Anna Maria Charters is working on inshore fishing. Targeting redfish along mangrove edges and oyster bars is working well for Mattay and his clients. Live bait — shiners and pinfish — are a good bet, although he says dead baits such as chunks of ladyfish are working, too.
Spotted seatrout are being found around deep grass flats, with a host of other species, including ladyfish, jack crevalle and macks. Freelined shiners are Mattay’s bait of choice here.
With the snook season opening Sept. 1, Mattay was trying out his favorite flats where he frequently finds larger slot-size fish.
He says numerous snook, just under 28 inches, are being caught and released with a few slot-size fish in the mix. Mattay also is putting his anglers on some snook action along the beaches and passes.
Meanwhile, fishing over structure in the Gulf of Mexico is leading to hookups on gag grouper, blacktip sharks and Spanish mackerel.
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