Springtime fishing, waters heats up as we approach May
Just Reel Fishing Charters Fishing Report: Springtime fishing is in full swing throughout the inshore and offshore waters surrounding Anna Maria Island, resulting in great action.
Indoor fishing in the bays and Intracoastal Waterway is really starting to heat up as shallow water species such as snook, redfish and spotted seatrout are getting comfortable with the rising water temperatures. Spotted seatrout are the most apparent as they seem to be inhabiting most of the grass flats throughout our area in great numbers. A drift over flats where clean, clear water exist, yields some extraordinary numbers of hook ups on trout that seem to be unmatched in prior years.
Both live and artificial baits are attracting the trout making them targetable to a wide range of anglers.
Snook and redfish are starting to show in good numbers, especially around mangrove shorelines and spoil islands where good tidal flow and lush grasses are present.
Live bait in these areas work best although artificials will generally work, too.
Higher stages of the tide seem to yield the best results while targeting snook and reds as they gather to feed among the roots of the mangroves and along the edges of oyster bars.
If you catch yourself out doing the out during the lower parts of the tide, try fishing the deeper grass flats for trout. These deeper areas are accessible and will produce action while you’re waiting on the tide to rise high enough for you to access to the shallow grass flats along the shoreline.
Moving offshore, King mackerel are a topic of interest as Gulf temperatures are reaching the mid 70s. Most action occurs in depths of 50 feet or more where structure or hard bottom exists, although some reports are occurring of catches in waters as shallow as 30 feet.
Moving out to deeper waters in the 100-foot range, red grouper are frequently being caught as well as a variety of snappers.
For the kings, live shiners or threadfin herring are working well as bait as for the groupers and snappers, live or frozen baits seem to be performing just fine.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m seeing plenty of spotted seatrout being caught by my clients. Free-lining shiners or employing the use of a cork to the rig is working well to attract these most-popular inshore species to the hook. In fact, limits of trout are being on most trips.
I’m finding snook around mangrove shorelines and oyster bars, especially during high tides. Most of these fish are staying close to the mangroves, and in many instances are hiding among the roots of the trees. Redfish are following suit and are being caught in the same areas as the snook.
Moving into the Gulf, I’m finding Spanish mackerel and a few cobia around nearshore structure, as well as mangrove snapper and an occasional flounder.
