Focus on fishing warmer days for consistent inshore, nearshore bite
With winter nipping at their heels, Anna Maria Island angers are focusing their fishing on the warmer days between the cold fronts to pursue a variety of species that inhabit our inshore and nearshore waters.
Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico around nearshore structure is providing a fairly consistent bite on migratory species. Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, jack crevalle and blue runners can all be had depending on what structure you’re on.
Some reefs can be non-stop action while others seem slow. Best scenarios are occurring on structure where bait schools are present. Free-lined live shiners are working best on these fish, although all of them will eat a shrimp if shiners are hard to come by.
And speaking of shrimp, don’t hesitate to drop a line over the side on a knocker rig as fish like sheepshead, mangrove snapper and grunts are lurking below hiding within the structure waiting for an easy meal to appear.
In slightly deeper depths, hogfish, lane snappers and numerous juvenile groups can be found — just remember to bring plenty of bait as this bite can be a hookup on every drop if you are in the right spot.
Moving inshore, the situation is quite similar. Fishing the warmer days is proving to be advantageous, especially if you’re trying to get in a few more days of snook fishing with live shiners before water temps really drop, triggering the fish to migrate to their wintertime haunts in the far reaches of the Manatee River.
Spotted seatrout are still taking shiners during those warmer days and in many instances are being caught mixed in with the snook bite. And seeing these trout are willing to rub shoulders with the snook to compete for a meal suggests that they are big, with many measuring 20-24 inches and are an exciting catch in shallow water.
On cooler days, many anglers are switching to live shrimp as bait which is a worthy option as water temps are slowly creeping downward.
Species like sheepshead, black drum and pompano are susceptible to offerings of live shrimp. Another species who adores a tasty shrimp is the redfish and although redfish are known to be caught on a wide variety of baits, it seems as if they hold a special place in their heart for a fat, tasty shrimp.
Casting shrimp around rocks and docks and around sandy potholes and grass flat edges yields numerous redfish in our inshore waters. In fact, in the past 2-3 weeks, many anglers are reporting many catches of small redfish or “puppy reds” measuring 12-14 inches.
Seeing sustainable numbers of these small reds is encouraging as it ensures the future of our fishery. This warrants a big shout out to the CCA — Coastal Conservation Association — as the release of 30,000 redfish in Terra Ceia Bay in September 2024 seems to be working.
As our population continues to grow and development continues to expand these measures by the CCA and other organizations are paramount to sustaining our natural resources as that are rapidly being infringed upon. Let’s give it up for these folks.
Getting back to fishing, its time it get out on the water and cash in on the mild temperatures before winter finally settles in.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m seeing plenty of Spanish mackerel around deep grass flats and especially around nearshore structure in the Gulf.
Free-lined live shiners are quickly being slashed by the sharp teeth of Spanish mackerel seconds after hitting the water. Drag-screaming runs and a fight to the end make these high-speed toothy fish a favorite for those who appreciate non-stop action. Mixed in a ladyfish, blue runners and jack crevalle and while on the deep grass, some hefty spotted seatrout are available.
On the warmer days and higher tides, catch-and-release snook fishing is quite good. Many catches are 20-24 inches, but the volume of catches makes up for the size. Redfish are being found on the flats, although many are on the small side. Slot-size reds are being caught by lucky anglers.
Finally, casting shrimp around rocks and docks is resulting in a mixed bag of mangrove snapper, sheepshead, black drum and redfish.
