february Archives - Captain Aaron Lowman

Fishing Anna Maria Island-February 2019

Fishing around Tampa Bay and Anna Maria Island this time of February can really be a challenge when the cold winds are whipping. I had to re-schedule some trips over the last couple weeks but all in all we have been able to catch nice fish in the backwater areas. On the cold, windy days, fishing around docks in the Intracoastal Waterway or Holmes Beach and Longboat Key canals has been very productive for sheepshead, black drum and redfish.

Anna Maria Island Snapper Fishing – February 2019

—It’s unusual to have a beautiful, calm day in February with no obligations so I decided to take advantage of the situation and try to find some big mangrove snapper in the Gulf. I called my Dad and we ran out about 20 miles to an area consisting of several small ledges within a couple hundred yards of each other. We had been very successful in this area last spring with large snapper and I hoped we could have a repeat performance.

Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter – February 14, 2016

Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter
Captain Aaron Lowman – February 14, 2016
Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Anna Maria Island Waters
Sheepshead, Permit, Snapper, Grouper

In between cold snaps this week, clients still found plenty of jumbo sheepshead.
Fishing live baits, such as shrimp around structure was the ticket.
Sheepshead are often underestimated – they can be super cautious, are hard fighters, and taste great.
Permit have made a showing around some of the local beaches and passes this week.
Permit are the larger cousin of the highly-sought pompano.
As with the pompano, permit will agressivly strike small, brightly colored jigs.
This makes jigging for permit a really exciting way to catch these elusive fish.
Hogfish and mangrove snappers have been the highlight offshore a few miles.
Red grouper and throw-back gag grouper have been consistent offshore, as well.