Wintertime bite around Anna Maria settles into pattern
The wintertime bite around Anna Maria Island is settling in with a cast of the usual suspects — the species we normally catch this time of year.
Sheepshead are beginning to congregate around the Rod & Reel Pier, which is a sure sign that they are beginning their spawn.
Artificial reefs, oyster bars and residential docks are hosting these zebra-striped fish. Offerings of live shrimp, fiddler crabs and tubeworms are a great way to tie into a fish fry.
Pompano, although sporadic, are making a showing along the beaches of Anna Maria and on the flats of Anna Maria Sound and Sarasota Bay. This bite should improve in the weeks to come, so be sure to stock up on pompano jigs. It’s always good to tip your jigs with a small piece of shrimp to entice this high-speed fish.
If you can find sand fleas, cast one out on a small hook along the beaches and you might reel up a surprise.
Finally, redfish and snook are congregating around residential docks and canals, especially those with black, muddy bottoms. Both species will attack a soft plastic on a jig head if put in front of their noses. If that doesn’t work, try a select shrimp, free-lined among the fish to trigger a bite.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing offshore structure for a variety of reef-dwelling species. While using live shrimp for bait, Girle is catching Key West grunts and porgies, as well as mangrove snapper and catch-and-release grouper. These fish, aside from the grouper, are going in the cooler.
Moving inshore, Girle is finding ample amounts of black drum by working canals and residential docks. Casting weighted live shrimp is resulting in drum up to 6 pounds. He’s finding flounder, redfish and sheepshead also willing to eat a shrimp.
Finally, spotted seatrout are being found along deeper grass flats adjacent to channels or sandy troughs. Although large numbers of under-slot trout are inhabiting these areas, Girle is managing to catch near limits of fish ranging 16-22 inches.
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business Charters is finding a bite by fishing canals and docks in Terra Ceia Bay and the Manatee River. Jigging with soft plastics is resulting in redfish, spotted seatrout and even some slot-size snook. As for the reds and the trout both are being caught in the slot.
Migrating to Sarasota Bay, Gross is finding action on bluefish, spotted seatrout and pompano. By casting live shrimp on a jig head and slowly dragging the bottom, Gross is finding success. Black drum, sheepshead and flounder are being caught using this method, especially around small rock piles in the bay.
Finally, the inshore artificial reefs are providing a bite for Gross. Mangrove snapper and sheepshead are readily taking live shrimp on a bottom rig. Keeper-sizes of both are being caught with regularity.
Capt. Aaron Lowman at Island Discount Tackle in Holmes Beach is fishing nearshore structure for sheepshead and snapper. Both species are readily taking live shrimp combined with a knocker rig. Sheepshead in the 2-pound range are the norm, although bigger fish are being introduced to the fillet table. As for the snapper, 18-inchers are being caught, although most are around 15 inches.
While fishing the beaches, Lowman is finding black drum, bluefish and an occasional pompano. Small nylon jigs tipped with shrimp are attracting the bite. Live shrimp fished on a knocker rig is working, too.
Finally, while dock fishing, Lowman is finding sheepshead, redfish and a few snook willing to bite. All three are hooking up on live shrimp.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier says he’s seeing increasing numbers of sheepshead making a showing. Live shrimp cast under the pier on a weighted rig is resulting in sheepshead 12-15 inches. Fiddler crabs and tubeworms are producing a bite but, as of yet, shrimp is the most productive bait.
While targeting sheepies, expect to encounter flounder and black drum. Both of these species will stage up amongst the sheepshead to grab a shrimp.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.