Tarpon star for sportsmen and women on Gulf coast
Tarpon remain center stage for yet another week around Anna Maria Island. Local fishing guides are reporting schools of fish from as far south as New Pass in Sarasota all the way north to Egmont Key.
Targeting fish around the passes before sunrise is a sure fire way to get hooked up. As the morning settles in, so do the fish. The trend is to then anchor up and chum with dead threadies until you have fish feeding behind the boat. Preferred baits are crabs, threadfin herring or live shiners.
Tarpon fishers opting not to use this method are migrating to the beaches to find free-swimming schools of fish on the move. These fish can be less spooky thanks to the fact there are not a lot of boats. This being said, they’ll usually respond to live threadfins or shiners that are cast out just ahead of the school.
Spotted seatrout are in abundance once again. If you noticed, about a month ago, catches of upper-slot and over-slot trout were in great quantity. Those were pre-spawn females. Now, most of the trout we are catching are 13- to 15-inch fish. these are the post-spawn males. Still fun to catch, just not as big. As long as they are feeding, live shiners will take these fish all day long.
Finally, mangrove snapper are filling the void in the fish box this week. If you’re heading in from tarpon fishing and would like some fish for dinner, try anchoring on one of the artificial reefs in the Gulf of Mexico and catch some mangoes. Fresh-cut shiners — either free-lined or on a knocker rig — are resulting in snapper up to 18 inches. What better way to end a day of tarpon fishing than with a little snapper ceviche?
Capt. Warren Girle is still in pursuit of tarpon. The early morning bite occurring just before sunrise is the most productive for Girle. During this time, Girle is casting live crabs into schooling fish to achieve a bite. For about an hour, this bite continues, and then the fish are settling into the pass at Bean Point. Once this occurs, Girle switches tactics. Instead of drifting and casting crabs, he sets anchor and uses threadfin herring as bait. Both techniques are resulting in tarpon catches in the 100-pound class.
Capt. Aaron Lowman at Island Discount Tackle in Holmes Beach is catching tarpon along the beaches of Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key. At first light Lowman is fishing the passes, especially around Bean Point and Egmont Key for schooling tarpon on the surface on the water. Live crabs are Lowman’s preferred bait. Then, as the morning progresses the fish are moving along the beaches. At this time, Lowman is fishing schools and casting live threadfin herring to the fish to achieve a bite. Good numbers of fish are being spotted and hooked. Average size of Lowman’s tarpon catches this week is 80-100 pounds.
For other fishing aside from tarpon, Lowman is finding an abundance of spotted seatrout in Sarasota Bay. These trout are being found over deeper grass flats where water flow is quite strong. Live shiners free-lined over these flats are resulting in numerous trout 12-15 inches. Larger fish up to 18 inches are mixed in, which gives Lowman’s clients an opportunity to take a few fish home for dinner.
Finally, mangrove snapper are being caught around nearshore structure. Fresh-cut pieces of live shiners are attracting the attention of snapper 15 inches. Catches as small as 12 inches and as large as 18 inches are also being caught.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel Pier is seeing a variety of species being caught from the R&R pier in Anna Maria. Numerous baits, including natural and artificials are proving prosperous for visiting fishing enthusiasts.
To start, pier fishers using live shrimp are having luck with black drum and flounder. Both species are being caught using weighted rigs and casting using the pier deck. Mangrove snapper are in on this bite, which can add another species worthy of the fillet knife. Those fishers using live shiners as bait are catching catch-and-release snook. Most snook catches are 20-24 inches. These fish are being found in the shallows, or towards the beginning of the pier along the shoreline. What’s nice about catching these fish is the opportunity to sight cast to them.
Finally, artificials such as silver spoons, speck rigs or Gotcha plugs are luring migratory fish — jack crevalle, blue runners and ladyfish — to bite. Although none of these fish are good to eat, they are exceptional fighters on light tackle, which provides excellent action for either the novice or seasoned angler.
Capt. Rick Gross of Fishy Business Charters is targeting redfish along the flats of Terra Ceia Bay and south into the waters of Anna Maria Sound. By casting live free-lined shiners along the edges of oyster bars and mangrove shorelines, Gross is putting upper slot-size fish in the cooler.
In areas similar to where the redfish are located, Gross is finding good catch-and-release action on snook. All catches are occurring on live shiners as bait. Most snook are 22-26 inches although fish exceeding 30 inches are in the mix.
Trout fishing is proving prosperous for Gross. Deeper grass beds where tidal flow is apparent are producing limits of this popular back country species for Gross. Trout 15-20 inches are normal for this week.
Finally, tarpon are in Gross’ cross hairs. Early morning fish along the beaches and passes are being caught on live crabs, threadfin herring or large shiners. Fish in the 100-pound class are average, although large fish are being caught, too.
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