Exciting Summer Fishing- May & June 2019

—It has been an action-packed May and start to the month of June for fishing around Anna Maria Island and Tampa Bay. Fishing has been red hot, with lots of action on many different species.

May 2018-Fishing Anna Maria Island

—Fishing action in the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay, around Anna Maria Island and Egmont Key, has been explosive so far this month, May 2018. My clients have been catching a crazy variety of fish including mangrove snapper, spanish mackerel, kingfish, permit, cobia, bonito, groupers, sharks and more.

Anna Maria Island Late Fall Fishing

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – November 30, 2016
Snook, Cobia, Grouper

—Snook fishing is on fire, in spite of the cold front this weekend.  I’m finding schools of the smaller male snook bunching up tight together, with a few large females mixed in. These fish are in panic mode, as they feel the approaching winter and must feed constantly.  Live shiners, or jumbo live shrimp are the baits of choice.

Anna Maria November Fall Fishing

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – November 15, 2016
Grouper, Snook, Redfish, Mackerel

—Fishing near shore structure in Tampa Bay and around Anna Maria Island has been big this month, especially for snapper, spanish mackerel, kingfish, gag grouper, sharks and cobia.
—There is still plenty of bait around the beach with predators in tow. For bait, live shiners and threadfins have been the ticket on the reef. Heavy live chumming really turns the bite on, and keeps it lit.

Anna Maria Island Snapper & Cobia in July

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – July 14, 2016
Snapper, Cobia and Sharks

—Reef fishing for mangrove snapper, cobia and sharks has been the hot ticket around Anna Maria Island and Tampa Bay during this first week of July.
—Mangrove snapper have been steadily slamming baits presented near the bottom, and at times have been rising up like a dark cloud in the water column to eat chum. Free lining a live bait, or a chunk of bait, will keep the snapper bite going after the school starts to catch onto what you’re doing.
— Live chum helps keep the party going through the brutal heat of the day. Spanish mackerel, and even a few king macs and cobia, will chase your live shiners free lined away from the boat.
—Big, spawning sized flounder are all over rock piles/reefs in anywhere from 10′ – 50′. Bouncing a live shiner, or pinfish on a knocker rig is a good bet. Half ounce bucktail jigs, worked sharply but methodically along the bottom, are big producers of flatties as well.
—Sharks, jacks and bluefish have made a push into the bay and surrounding beaches. They may be following the influx of hatch bait this week. Small spoons or bucktail jigs work great for these guys.

Snapper in July

Big Flounder

Cobia in the chum