With September just around the corner, you can bet Anna Maria Island anglers are eager to get out on the water to experience the beginning of the fall bite.
September is important for the opening of several seasons, including gag grouper, greater amberjack, American red snapper and snook.
For anglers who fish offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, September should give you plenty of options to choose from as most offshore species are available for harvest.
Gag grouper will open Sept. 1 and remain open through Sept. 30, giving anglers a 30-day window for 2026. The minimum size is 24 inches and there’s a limit of two per day per angler.
Greater amberjack season also begins Sept. 1 and runs through Oct. 13. The minimum size on the fish is 34 inches, with the limit at one per day per person.
Also, the fall opening for American red snapper occurs Sept. 1 and runs through Oct. 4 with a 16-inch minimum size and two-fish bag limit per person per day.
Needless to say, opportunities are endless in the month of September for offshore anglers, as other species, like red grouper and all the other snapper species, are open, allowing for a bountiful harvest for those who hope to stock the freezer with fillets.
Moving inshore, Sept. 1 is the beginning of snook season, which will remain open through Nov. 30. Remember, snook have a slot of 28-33 inches with a one fish per person per day bag limit.
Although water temperatures are expected to remain quite warm in September, we should start seeing the keeper-size linesiders migrating to the flats after their summertime spawn. So it’s worth trying your luck on opening day to catch a keeper.
If you don’t hit your target, you have three months to try.
A note — don’t forget that if you’re fishing state waters for a reef species, you’ll need to add a state reef survey endorsement to your fishing license. And if you’re planning on harvesting snook in the backcountry, you’ll need to add a snook permit to your saltwater fishing license. All can be purchased online at myfwc.com.
On my Just Reel charters, my charters are reeling up a variety of inshore species on the flats of Tampa Bay southward to Sarasota Bay. Spotted seatrout are the most apparent, with limits being caught on most excursions. Some days are better than others, depending on the tide and water temperatures.
Redfish are making a showing, with at least a few being caught daily. Most are falling in the slot of 18-27 inches, with some larger examples mixed in for lucky anglers. Catch-and-release snook fishing is OK, but warm water temps are making the bite slightly slower than normal. The best tides to catch linesiders seem to be during higher stages of the tide and overcast days when the water temps are tolerable for the fish.
Lastly, a mixed bag of other species — flounder, mangrove snapper, jacks, ladyfish and mackerel — are rounding out the morning.
Capt. David White reports that he is finding most of his action on the flats while working Sarasota Bay north to Anna Maria Sound. Redfish are cooperating for White’s anglers around mangrove shorelines and oyster bars. And catch-and-release snook are taking the hook in the same areas as the reds.
Moving onto deeper grass flats is yielding spotted seatrout, as well as ladyfish and jack crevalle on White’s charters.
Finally, finding bait schools in the Gulf of Mexico is leading White to action on Spanish mackerel and blue runners.
Capt. Johnny Mattay says he’s been impressed with the offshore action in the Gulf of Mexico. Migratory species like blackfin tuna, amberjack and bar jacks are abundant, keeping clients busy and wearing out their arms.
Targeting bottom species like grouper and snapper also is yielding good results for Mattay’s clients. Red grouper are frequently being caught, as well as a variety of snappers, including mangrove, yellowtail and American red.
With the openings of gag grouper, American red snapper, and amberjack seasons all falling on Sept. 1, Mattay is prepared to go all out to get dialed in for September.
Send fishing reports to fish@islander.org.