Fishing Report September 17, 2025

Gag grouper season closes, anglers focus on linesiders

With gag grouper season having come and gone within the blink of an eye, Anna Maria Island anglers are focusing their efforts on the shallows in search of a keeper-size snook. Respectable numbers of snook are carousing along the beaches around the schools of bait that are gathering in the shallows. 

Fishing the Gulf beaches for snook can be a pleasurable experience as long as the waters are calm and clear. Such conditions present a window of opportunity worth investigating, as an angler can sight-cast to the targeted fish. And, if you’re an avid angler, you know that site cast thing can be one of the most exciting techniques because you watch the fish strike your bait. 

Also, for the selective angler, this gives you the choice of picking out the fish you want. 

This doesn’t always work, but when it does, it sure is satisfying. 

And with keeper-snook having to be considerably large, being able to weed out the smaller ones can make the job easier. If beach fishing isn’t your thing, there are snook being caught on the flats, too. Mangrove shorelines are great habitat for linesiders because the mangroves attract bait fish, provide ambush points and areas to hide from other predators, like dolphin. Just because it’s shallow in these areas don’t think a large snook won’t be prowling along the mangrove roots in search of a meal. 

If you’re hunting only large snook — slot-size or over-slot — then fishing deeper areas might be best. Jetties, piers, bridges and other structure in these deeper waters make great hideouts for big snook. Add good tidal flow and a surplus of food and you’re in the right spot. 

Remember, handle the big fish with care because they are our breed stock. After a long battle, give them plenty of time to regain strength before release. 

Keeper snook must be 28-33 inches and each angler is allowed one fish per day.