July: 2011The Summer time pattern is in full swing and the action has been good on my recent charters fishing out of Anna Maria Island. High temperatures and humid weather have made fishing early in the morning and late in the afternoon the more comfortable and productive option for the inshore waters when targeting snook , redfish and speckled trout . Look for the redfish and snook to be up in the shade of the mangroves on a high tide and in the deep potholes during the low tide. Speckled trout have been scattered with catches coming in 4-6ft of water . Some big sized gators are being landed on some of the past weeks trips.
Shark fishing continues to be a excellent option as a lot of sharks have moved into the bay and off the beaches. Pound for pound ,sharks are some of the hardest fighting adversaries on the water. Caution and care must be used to release these apex predators unharmed after a battle . Check the fishing regulations closely as to what sharks are available for harvest.
Looking forward, the moderate tides next week will play an important part of your fish catching success. Plan on being in your spot when the tidal flow is moving to increase your chances of fish catching success 2010. The fishing around Anna Maria has been good with a variety of fish chewing. Speckled trout have moved into deeper grass areas. Redfish are cruising the mangroves during the high tide periods . My charters this week hooked into some nice Blacktips and Lemon sharks using cut ladyfish and Spanish mackeral. Because there was a recent hatch of bait during the last full moon, I have down sized my hooks and leaders to accomadate the small baits. I am also using small pinfish due to the ease of netting them.
2009 The Speckled trout action has been very good this time of the year. Trout up to 27" have been landed .The redfish bite has been good with dock fishing being the most productive method. Snook have been spawning on the beach and the passes are heavy with the linsiders.
2008 Tarpon are still on the beach and in the Passes. Snook have moved to the passes and are very hungry.
A 85lb Cobia
August: 2011This past week fishing out of Anna Maria Island on my 23ft Hydraport , the weather has been a major factor affecting our fishing success. Overcast skies has made sight fishing tough for tarpon . Though still off the beach , the number of tarpon schools have been dwindling. Big sized shiners and thread fins have been the ticket to our success fighting these huge Silver Kings.
Sharks have made a huge showing around Anna Maria and Tampa Bay. On a recent charter ,I pulled up to a grass edge and slowly swimming in 2ft of water was a 6ft Black tip shark. Its tail and dorsal fin were slicing thru the water like a hot butter knife. The key to catching these hard fighters is to use chum blocks and lots of chum shiners . A bloody mackerel or ladyfish will get these toothy animals to bite.
Redfish have started to feed heavily around the mangrove shorelines during the incoming tide. Live shiners and pinfish will entice these hard fighting bruisers to bite.
Use a bobber to keep your bait from swimming into the grass.
2010The fishing around Anna Maria is picking up with many species starting to school up and chew. On the artifical reefs, the bite is hot with mangrove snapper to 3lbs being caught. Spanish mackerel are also in the mix. The key is to use chum blocks and a mix of live and dead shiners to fire up the bite. Downsize your tackle with 20lb florocarbon leaders and 1/0 hooks to fool these tasty fish.
2009)Redfish are starting to school ,with some big pods cruising the flats. Look for the nervous water and approach the fish in a stealthy matter. The schools of redfish are showing all over the bay from the Skyway area to Sarasota Bay . On a scouting trip this past Thursday , me and my sister , Capt Cindy Mcclure, found schools of redfish the size of a tennis court. Now is the time to concentrate on redfish.
Some more good news for our fishing scene is the shiners which hatched back in June are finally starting to grow big enough to use for bait. No more cast nets gilled with small shiners .
)2007Fishing around Anna Maria has been good for the Summertime. Redtide has been sporadic but it is still fishable. I have not encountered any redtide blooms in the last 10 trips. SHARKS have been the fish of opportunity . Blacktips , Bulls, and Lemons from 30 to 150pds have been caught . Luckily I have not lost any customers to Davey Jones' locker YET. The redfish are now schooling and are chewing good. ..Capt Mark
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A Keeper Snook
September: 2011The bite has been above average with the redfish invading ours waters in masses. Schools of redfish are all over the flats tailing in the shallow water at low tide and moving up into the mangroves at high tide. .Look for the red tails in the air and place a bait in their path and you will be rewarded with a drag screaming hook up. The reds have been mixed in size from rat reds to over slot bruisers.Look for the red fishing to stay red hot on the flats until the Winter time .
The bait game has dramatically improved with the flats loaded with all sizes and the fish gorging themselves.All the regular spots, Key Royale , the Bulkhead , Terra Ciea #9 ,the edges of the Intercostals etc will be holding greenbacks .Use Purina Tropical Fish food to chum them to the boat.When chumming for the shiners, wait 10 minutes before you throw your net to give the shiners time to ball up around your boat .The wait will ensure the schools of bait will be thick in your chum slick.
Look for the pelicans diving in the water on the bait schools to give you an idea of where to fish. Predators will be slashing thru the schools hitting feverishly preparing for the Fall.
In the fishing calendar we are at the very early stages of the Summer/ Fall transition. Now is the time to get your fishing gear in tip top condition for the Fall fishing run . Look for more fishing opportunities and more varieties of fish moving into our waters to put a test to fishing skills .
2010The Summer to Fall transisition has begun. The water temperature is averaging 83f ,a drop from 89f a few weeks ago .Look for the water temperature to trend downward which is fantastic for fishing. The bait schools are thick in Tampa bay and off the beaches. These actions are causing the fishing in the Anna Maria area to really turn on.
On Thursday 16 Sept. , fishing with Dustin Thomas and Cindy McClure , we caught a variety of fish off the beach . Black tip sharks, lemon sharks ,big spanish mackerel , bluefish, and even a 80lb Tarpon. The fishing off the beaches of Anna Maria is starting to get heated up.
Speckled trout and redfish are feeding heavily on all the shiner schools in our area. I have been catching beautiful speckled trout and nice mixed sized redfish from Miguel bay down to the Long bar in Sarasota. Set up in 2 to 8ft of water and chum with shiners to get the action going.
This next week will have a big swing of the tides which are a key factor in a successful fishing trip . Let the fall patterns begin!!
2009) have been targeting Redfish and Trout this month.The redfish are moving to the flats and potholes and forming some nice schools. The trout have chewing with Trout up to 18" and some occasional big ones being landed. Snook are moving off the beaches and going to the flats and the mangroves. PS No hurricanes!!!
2008)My charters have been catching a variety of fish with some real nice snook 32" being landed. Trout up to 28" have been huge the past month .Reds are schooling up and will be biting. Kingfish ,Spanish Mackeral ,and Sharks are on the Beach. Shiners are in abundance on the flats. Capt Mark
