Two weeks remain to hook into a keeper gag grouper before season closes
By Capt. Danny Stasny
Gag Grouper Season Nears Its End in the Gulf of Mexico
With the gag grouper season dwindling down to just a couple more weeks, you can bet Anna Maria Island anglers are focused on getting out in the Gulf of Mexico in search of some action.
Fishing depths of 80-100 feet seems to be the best bet, although some catches are occurring in shallower waters. With such a short season, keep in mind that the fish are receiving a lot of pressure so venturing further to remote areas is advantageous. Most of the inshore and nearshore areas that are commonly fished may be void of any keeper-size gags at this point so persistence and a little luck may be big factors in getting a hookup. Getting out deeper to some of your “secret numbers” will most likely yield better results.
Mangrove Snapper Fishing in Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay
Moving inshore, mangrove snapper are apparent on the reefs, wrecks and any other structure in Tampa Bay southward to Sarasota Bay. In fact, many anglers are finding snapper on the grass flats and along the mangrove shoreline where deeper water exists.
Spanish Mackerel, Trout and Bait School Action
Fishing bait schools in the bays is yielding good action on a variety of species, including Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, ladyfish and spotted seatrout.
Whether you are live bait fishing or using artificials, you should be able to get a bite if you find the bait schools. And, if you find these schools in the Gulf of Mexico within a mile of shore, there should be blacktip and spinner sharks on the prowl too.
Snook and Redfish Along Mangrove Shorelines
Targeting redfish and snook along the mangroves is yet another option. although warmer water temps can make this bite slightly challenging. Try fishing higher stages of the tide where water flow is maximized to achieve the best bite.
