Fishing Anna Maria Island – April 2018

—Here around Anna Maria Island, spring is quickly turning into summer. The water temperature in Tampa Bay has broken through the “magic”  70°F” mark, and has stayed there for weeks now. This has opened the floodgates, so to speak, on all sorts of fishing. Inshore fishing for snook, trout and redfish, as well as the near shore fishing action for snapper, permit and king mackerel, has been red hot. 

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 Fishing Guide – April 22, 2016

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – April 22, 2016
Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Anna Maria Island Waters
Snook, Seatrout, Redfish, Kingfish, Snapper, Grouper

 
—Great couple days on the water with the propane guys of Nashville, TN.
Pre-front, full-on conditions had the bite on fire!
On the super windy Thursday, we went offshore to some ledges in about 35′.
Spent the morning catching tasty mangrove snapper, big catch-and-release gag grouper, kingfish, and bonito.

—We decided to stay inshore Friday.
Started out the day with a handful of nice trout over deep grass.
Finished up the day with close to a dozen nice redfish, and a bunch of snook!
 

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide – April 19, 2016

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – April 19, 2016
Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Anna Maria Island Waters
Snook, Seatrout, Redfish, Kingfish, Snapper, Grouper

 
—Inshore:

Good numbers of trout showing up on the grass flats, with the biggest fish coming from skinny water around mangroves. Redfish and flounder are around residential docks, and shiner or pinfish around pilings have produced this week.

Snook bite seems to be getting going. Catching plenty of schoolie sized fish, with a few slotties in the mix.

—Nearshore:

Mangrove snapper are still making a good showing on nearshore structure, along with plenty of throw-back gag grouper. Kingfish and sharks are beginning to make a show around schools of bait, gathering around local reefs/wrecks. Most action this week coming from 3 – 7 miles off the beach.