summer Archives - Captain Aaron Lowman

Anna Maria Island Fishing Report – Summer 2019

—So far, July 2019 has paid off big for fishing charters aboard my 24′ Carolina Skiff. We are having fun charter fishing the waters around Anna Maria Island, Sarasota Bay and the Manatee River in Bradenton. The weather has been hot and muggy, as expected this time of year, but the inshore bite has been equally hot! My fishing excursion clients have been finding continual, exciting backwater action with snook, seatrout, redfish. We have also been able to zero-in on spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper and gag grouper in and around Tampa Bay. We are locating the spanish mackeral, snapper and gag grouper over inshore structure, such as wrecks, rock, even bridge pilings.

Big snook…Big smile!!

Summer Permit Fishing – July 2019

—The dog days of summer are upon us here on sunny Anna Maria Island.

It’s smoking hot by mid-day, which somewhat limits fishing options later in the day. One great option is permit fishing on many of our near shore wrecks and reefs off of the Anna Maria Island coast. Many of these structures are located less than 9 miles off of our gorgeous beaches.

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.

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.