Clear waters, perfect weather, tough fishing
Although the weather is beautiful and the waters are clear, fishing around Anna Maria Island is slightly challenging at the moment. Some blame it on the last cold front we experienced, others blame it on the full moon. Well, whatever it is, the fishing is tough. That being said, the weather pattern we are experiencing now is very encouraging. Temperatures in the mid-80s everyday with lows in the high 60s at night are the perfect recipe to get the fish back in the mood to bite our hooks. Everyday I’m seeing the water temps creep up a degree or two and I’m seeing the bite improve as well.
On my own fishing trips on Southernaire, we are mainly targeting snook and spotted seatrout. The outgoing tides seem to be producing the best action for both species. I’m finding many snook along mangrove shorelines with water depths of 2-3 feet. Most of the fish are schooley-sized ranging from 20-26 inches. These fish provide great action, but don’t do much for those who want a fish dinner.
That’s where the spotted seatrout come into play. Fishing sandy potholes during outgoing tides are yielding some beautiful trout for my clients. Many fish 18-22 inches are being caught on free-lined shiners cast into the potholes. Limits of trout are attainable, but I’m finding I have to keep moving from one pothole to the next to keep the bite going. All in all, these tasty fish provide great action for visiting and local fishers alike and they give the angler to reap the benefits of spending the afternoon on the water with a fine meal to enjoy.
