Anna Maria Island anglers are excited to see good numbers of mangrove snapper making a showing in local inshore and nearshore waters.
Finding the snappers can be as easy as finding structure — reefs, rock piles, wrecks, piers and bridge pilings — making them a favorite of boating anglers and those who fish from land.
A variety of baits are working to attract the feisty snappers to the hook, depending on your location.
While fishing piers, many anglers choose live shrimp as they are readily available and don’t require much effort to get, other than pulling out the wallet and buying them by the dozen.
Other baits that are working well include small live shiners and small pinfish. Those baits are effective, no matter where the angler is targeting snapper.
Combining the baits with a small, lightweight circle hook and some 20-pound fluorocarbon leader should lead to plenty of snapper bites. Usually, the addition of a small egg sinker to the rig is required.
Mangrove snapper tend to hang around structure on the bottom, although, if chummed properly, the fish will rise up in the water column, making them targetable by free-lining baits to them.
In our inshore and nearshore waters, you can expect to encounter mangrove snapper 12-18 inches, with many on the lower end of the spectrum. Pound-for-pound, the snappers fight quite well, so medium spinning gear is recommended, just in case you hook a larger fish.
Finally, don’t forget mangrove snapper must be 10 inches in length with a bag limit of five per day per angler.
On my Just Reel charters, mangrove snapper are the highlight, with limits being caught on most days. “Hatch bait” or small shiners on a half-ounce knocker rig with a 2/0 circle hook are getting the job done for my anglers, yielding catches of 12-18 inches, depending on location.
Mixed in with the snapper bite are flounder, Key West grunts and small groupers. On the flats, I’m finding redfish along mangrove shorelines. The reds are measuring 18-22 inches. And catch-and-release snook are being found in the same areas as the reds.
Finally, spotted seatrout are being caught on deeper grass flats throughout Tampa Bay.
Capt. Johnny Mattay says fishing inshore is giving good results on redfish. Casting live shiners around oyster bars, mangrove islands and along select beaches is yielding reds 22-25 inches.
Catch-and-release snook are keeping sport fishers busy in many of the same areas as the redfish, especially along the beaches.
Mattay also says targeting mangrove snapper in Tampa Bay is going well for his charters while fishing over reefs, rock piles and wrecks. Moving offshore in the 50-mile range, blackfin tuna are biting well.
Meanwhile, bottom fishing for red grouper is leading to good action and limits on most days.
Finally, snappers — mangrove and yellowtail — are being caught with ease, which is resulting in limits of the fish for the cooler and lots of happy anglers.
Capt. David White says mangrove snapper are cooperating nicely while working charters on nearshore and inshore structure. Limits of the fish are being caught most days, with sizes ranging 12-16 inches.
After snapper fishing, White is finding action targeting spotted seatrout on the deeper grass flats in Tampa Bay. Mixed in are ladyfish and jack crevalle, adding some variety to the bite.
Finally, catch-and-release gag grouper are being caught on nearshore structure, which is great for anglers looking for a battle with a larger fish — one that can really pull hard.
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