Snook & Flounder-July-Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – July 6, 2016
Snook and Flounder

— Snook and big flounder have recently been exciting anglers all around Anna Maria Island and Tampa Bay.
—The snook are all over the Gulf beaches and passes as the summer exodus from the backwaters to Gulf waters continues. We have had great luck early in the morning along the beach throwing live pinfish and/or shiners with the lightest line possible.
—Flounder also move offshore this time of the year and bouncing a baited jig on the bottom around near shore reef structure has been an effective way to catch them.

Early Morning Snook

Summer Flounder

Flounder hit a shiner

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide – June 1, 2016

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – June 1, 2016
Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Anna Maria Island Waters
Tarpon, Snook, Grouper

 
—Tarpon bite still going strong. With all the pressure in the pass, I’m looking in the bay and on the beach for less pressured fish. Using long, light leaders, and burning a little gas, I’m catching fish away from the big crowds.

—Mackerel, trout, and snook have been good on bigger tides of the week inshore.

—Gag grouper bite has been on fire. Catching them in as little as 10ft of water inshore, out to 9miles. Snapper mixed in have been big, not a ton, but nice ones.
 

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.
 

Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter – April 3, 2016

Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter
Captain Aaron Lowman – April 3, 2016
Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Anna Maria Island Waters
Snook, Seatrout, Redfish

 
—Strong tides and a warming weather trend helped the inshore bite really get going the past couple weeks.
—Bait is on the move into Tampa and Sarasota Bays once again, sparking a good seatrout, snook, and redfish bite.
—I’m finding snook, trout and redfish close to mangroves, in potholes on grassflats, and around docks and oyster bars. A live shiner under a popping cork is my go-to rig for these situations.