With October bringing in the first cold fronts of the fall, Anna Maria Island anglers are changing strategies.
Cold fronts will impact what species will be the most apparent. For example, water temps dropping to the mid-70s will trigger a migration of kingfish, always a welcome sight.
Large migrations of bait are pushing through Tampa Bay and along the Gulf beaches, a perfect recipe to serve migratory fish, such as Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, jack crevalle and especially kingfish.
And when the bite is on, it can be some of the most exciting fishing of the fall season. All of those fish are high-speed predators worthy of dumping a spool of line shortly after taking the hook. And, with all of their commotion, you can bet sharks aren’t far behind. In fact, they’ll be eating your fish off the hook if you take too long to reel them in.
And don’t forget about the back country. A couple of decent cold spells should send snook staging on the flats, where they gorge themselves on bait in preparation of the cooler months.
The same applies for spotted seatrout. When targeting trout, don’t hesitate to toss a topwater plug in the area for explosive action. Seeing a large trout eat a lure can be satisfying to any angler.
Lastly, don’t forget about fishing the piers in October. With large schools of bait gathering around the structures, you can bet on encountering all sorts of species. Jack crevalle, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel will be targets, as well as bluefish, ladyfish and blue runners. You may encounter snook, redfish and black drum while casting baits under the piers. So come prepared with heavier rods, as well as the lighter stuff, for the migratory fish.
Capt. David White is finding good action fishing the shallow flats of Tampa Bay southward to Sarasota Bay. Fishing mangrove edges with live free-lined shiners is leading to hookups on snook and redfish. Both species are being caught side-by-side, with some areas yielding more snook than reds and others just the opposite. Either way works for most anglers.
White says working the deeper grass flats is resulting in action on spotted seatrout with the usual suspects in the mix — jack crevalle and ladyfish. Again, free-lined live shiners are working best for bait.
Jim Malfese at the Rod & Reel pier says he’s seeing plenty of black drum being caught by anglers using live shrimp as bait.
“Timing is everything when wanting to be part of this bite,” says Malfese. “The drum will turn on for a couple of hours and then the bite will turn off.”
He says redfish are being caught during the excitement, although the black drum are dominating the bite.
Pier fishers using artificials such as jigs and spoons are finding action. Migratory species such as Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle and ladyfish are being caught when bait schools are present.
Lastly, some large snook are present and can be seen cruising around the pier. Large baits such as ladyfish or pinfish are a good bait to coax the large fish to eat.
Capt. Warren Girle says he’s impressed with the number of trout he’s catching in Sarasota Bay. Although most are falling just short of the 15-inch minimum, Girle is getting limits of keeper-size fish for his clients. While targeting the trout, ladyfish and jack crevalle are filling in the gaps, adding some variety to the bite.
Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico is yielding mangrove snapper around the artificial reefs. Girle reports the bite is tapering off slightly but there are still some snapper to be had.
Lastly, snook are producing action in Sarasota Bay during swift-moving tides.
Send high-resolution photos and fishing reports to fish@islander.org.