No (spring) break: action heats up on snook, redfish, trout
Springtime fishing around Anna Maria Island is heating up fast.
Both back country and migratory species are being caught with regularity. On the flats, snook and redfish are devouring shiners and pinfish. Throughout southern Tampa Bay, migratory fish, including Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, ladyfish and pompano, can be found in the usual areas — artificial reefs, fishing piers and the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Mangrove snapper and sheepshead also are being caught around structure in Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
The transition of bait is occurring. Live shrimp are still producing a bite, but most fishers are switching to live shiners for snook, redfish and spotted seatrout. So it’s time to hunt shiners. Net your own or hunt up a bait boat.
Lastly, if you haven’t noticed, boat traffic in our region is at an all time high. Be cautious and courteous when on the water. When in doubt, slow down and be alert for manatees.
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business Charters is targeting snook throughout the waters of southern Tampa Bay. By anchoring and chumming along mangrove shorelines, Gross is finding rallies of linesiders eager to take bait. Most catches are 20-26 inches, although keeper-fish are being found. Some rallies on snook are lasting up to 45 minutes, with multiple hookups.
Redfish also are in Gross’ sights. Shallow flats adjacent to mangroves or around oyster bars are producing good numbers of our favorite drum. Again, live shiners placed in potholes and around the oyster bars are producing the bite. Slot-size fish are the norm, with an occasional over-slot hookup.
Reef fishing is another option for Gross. Mangrove snapper along with Key West grunts and porgies can still be found around the nearshore reefs. For the snapper, Gross is using live shiners combined with a bottom rig. For the grunts and porgies, Gross puts out shrimp.
Capt. Warren Girle is fishing Sarasota Bay with good results on snook and redfish. By using a trolling motor, Girle is quietly approaching sandy potholes and casting live shiners to get a bite. Stealth is the key to success, according to Girle.
Next up, Girle is putting clients on redfish across the shallow grass flats that are peppered with potholes. Most reds are in the slot, although bigger fish are in the mix. Live shiners free-lined or fished under a popping cork are triggering the bite.
While targeting redfish, Girle is finding an occasional “gator” trout — up to 29 inches — in the same areas as the reds, although not in large numbers.
Snook fishing for Girle is heating up, too. Days of 20 snook are not uncommon. Most fish are under-slot, although lucky anglers are being rewarded with slot-size fish. Live shiners free-lined along mangrove edges and along shallow bars are being consumed by hungry linesiders.
Finally, on calmer days, Girle is venturing out to the artificial reefs, where mangrove snapper are dominating the bite. Shrimp and shiners on a bottom rig are resulting in snapper up to 16 inches.
Capt. Aaron Lowman at Island Discount Tackle in Holmes Beach is finding success across the grass flats of Anna Maria Sound southward to Sarasota Bay. Using live shiners as bait is resulting in a variety of inshore species, including snook, redfish and spotted seatrout.
To target snook, Lowman is fishing the strong morning incoming tides, which is providing some sizzling snook action. By free-lining live shiners in sandy potholes or around mangroves, Lowman is finding rallies of snook 20-26 inches. Keeper-fish are mixed in — a reward for those anglers looking for a great fish dinner.
Redfish are being found around mangrove islands and oyster bars. Live shiners combined with a popping cork are producing slot and under-slot fish. Sometimes these fish are found mixed in with the snook, which adds variety to the morning.
Finally, spotted seatrout are being caught along channel edges where grass meets sandy bottom. Lowman is putting his anglers on keeper-size trout, as well as Spanish mackerel, jacks and ladyfish.
Capt. Mark Howard of Sumotime fishing charters says his clients have been landing trout up to 27 inches. Catching the limit of these snaggled-toothed predators has been relatively easy, he said.
To catch the yellow-mouthed predators, Howard likes to use 30-pound fluorocarbon leader with a 3-inch popping cork rigged with a 1/0 Owner Hook. Using the popping cork method will draw the predators to your shiner, he says.
He’s seeing redfish and snook making the transition from their wintertime haunts toward mangroves and potholes.
This past week, Howard fished a school of redfish and had nonstop action for more than two hours. “We landed some over-slot redfish up to 32-inches,” said Howard. “After taking pictures, the over-slot copper-colored bruisers were released to fight another day.”
Snook fishing has started to turn on as the water temp hits the mid-70s and the fish move onto the flats. “Our biggest snook this week was a 36-inch over-slot snook caught on the above mentioned rig,” said Howard. He used the biggest shiner in his live well to entice the linesider to bite.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.