Springtime fishing is kicking off for anglers on Anna Maria Island.
The highlight this past week was the arrival of kingfish, which can be found up and down the coast due west of Anna Maria.
Kingfish, the largest species in the mackerel family, cause great excitement because they are one of the fiercest mackerels out there, attracting anglers in our area to get out on the water to experience the thrill.
If you’ve ever caught kingfish, you know the power and aggressive nature of the migratory fish makes for a long-remembered catch by both amateur and seasoned anglers.
Kings can be spotted skyrocketing to heights of 10 feet in the air as they swim full speed and break the surface when striking a bait. They get so high in the air that there’s enough hang time to get a good look at them, especially when they’re close to the boat. In some instances, you can even make eye contact with the fish as it soars, shaking as if it’s still swimming.
Once on the hook, be prepared for some record-breaking runs because kings are known for dumping vast amounts of line off the reel. The angler can be helpless to do anything but hang on and enjoy the ride.
As for table fare, kingfish are not high on the list, but the excitement of witnessing them and catching them makes up for the lack of flavor.
Preferred cooking method — in fact, the only cooking method I like for them — is smoking. Smoked kingfish dip on a cracker can be addictive if you’re willing to go through the process of brining, air-drying and smoking the meat, which is used to make a dip with cream cheese, mayo and spices.
Add some cold beers on a warm spring evening and you’ll feel the true satisfaction of the process. Your neighbors will, too, because there will be plenty to share.
Kingfish can be caught a variety of ways, including free-lining bait, slow-trolling bait and even artificials like spoons and diving plugs — which opens up the door to many anglers as long as they know where to find the fish.
Remember, kingfish regulations are as follows: you can keep two fish per day per angler and they must measure 24 inches to the fork of the tail. Only keep what you think you need, as again, they’re suited for fish dip and that’s about it.
On my own Just Reel charters, I am seeing the backwater bite finally starting to get good. Water temps in the low to mid- 70s are really getting species like snook, redfish and trout fired up and eager to eat.
Fishing deeper grass flats is yielding a variety of species, including spotted seatrout, ladyfish, bluefish and some large Spanish mackerel. Despite all the macks, bluefish and ladyfish, I am putting limits of trout in the box for anglers looking to have a fish dinner.
After getting worn out on this bite, I’m moving to the shallow flats of Tampa Bay to target snook and redfish. Both are being caught frequently, with snook being more apparent. Some large spotted seatrout are mixed in with the shallow-water bite, with some exceeding 24 inches.
Capt. Johnny Mattay of Anna Maria Charters says he’s finding a good bite on his runs offshore in the Gulf. Using live pinfish as bait in depths over 100 feet is resulting in some exceptional red grouper action. Many fish being reeled up on Mattay’s charters are in the 30-plus inch range, well-suited for even the heaviest grouper rods. Limits of fish are being found on most days, as well as some large mangrove snapper.
The larger mangrove snapper, some 27 inches, are taking pinfish as bait. If you know about mangrove snapper, you know a 27-incher is a force to be reckoned with, as they are some of the toughest fish on the reef.
Amberjack, another tackle-buster, are present while offshore fishing and are being caught on live pinfish and live shiners as bait. In slightly shallower waters in the 60- to 80-foot range, Mattay is finding action on kingfish, as well as an occasional sailfish.
Although sailfish are caught in our waters, they are not frequent. So hooking into one is quite a treat.
Moving inshore, Mattay is chasing schools of redfish on the shallow flats, resulting in catches for his clients of fish up to 30 inches. Afterward, he’s putting anglers on snook along the mangroves and trout on the deeper flats.
Capt. David White is happy to see that springtime fishing is settling in. He says kingfish and Spanish mackerel are keeping his anglers busy in the Gulf. Free-lined shiners on a wire rig is leading to some drag-screaming action as the kingfish are stripping line off the reels and clients are hanging on for their lives.
On lighter tackle, Spanish mackerel are following suit, providing some excellent action. White says most kings caught are 10-15 pounds, with larger examples mixed in.
Moving onto the flats, White is finding good action for clients on snook and redfish. Both are being caught along mangrove shorelines where lush grass flats exist. Free-lined live shiners are working as bait. Targeting spotted seatrout on the deeper flats is also going well, with limits of fish caught on most days.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.