Anna Maria Island Snook Fishing In October

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – October 19, 2016
Redfish, Snook and Trout

—With the lingering red tide starting to clear around Anna Maria Island, I have been able to successfully fish parts of Tampa Bay, Terra Ceia Bay and Miguel Bay again this week.
—Snook fishing has been red hot. Most fish are males under 24″, with female fish to 40″+ mixed in. I’m finding the snook really bunched up by size as they stage for the fall feeding frenzy. Live whitebait on a 2/0 sized hook, combined with the lightest possible fluorocarbon leader has been the secret to keeping the bite going.

Anna Maria Island Fall Fishing

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – September 15, 2016
Redfish, Snook and Trout

—When fishing around Anna Maria Island lately, you can notice that it’s starting to feel a little bit cooler in the mornings. Bait has flooded onto the beaches and Tampa Bay fall fishing is heating up.
—This week has been all about the inshore bite. I’ve been catching bait relatively easily on the beaches, and returning to the bay to fish the morning snook, redfish and trout bite. Snook have been feeding well around mangrove edges, cuts, and oyster bars. The stronger the tidal movement, the better they chew. Lots of frisky chum showered around a likely snook area will get them popping all around you. A live shiner free-lined on a 25# fluorocarbon leader with a 3/0 circle hook does the trick.

Anna Maria Island Redfish in August

Anna Maria Charter Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – August 15, 2016
Redfish, Reds, Red Drum

—Fishing around docks and piers in Tampa Bay and near Anna Maria Island has been a very successful way to find redfish this week. The cooler, shaded water provides a bit more oxygen than the open waters and the structure provides a natural ambush point for the predator redfish. In addition to using live shiners and pinfish for bait, we have successfully thrown a lot of different lures this week, from surface plugs to soft plastics.

Anna Maria Fishing Charters in July

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guides
Captain Aaron Lowman – July 31, 2016
Grouper, Seatrout, Snapper, Flounder

—Snapper fishing in Tampa Bay, and near shore structure around Anna Maria Island, has been hot this week. As we move away from last week’s full moon, snapper fishing has improved during daylight hours. Early and late in the day have been most productive. Live and cut shiners on small circle hooks with a split shot, or knocker style sinker, have been the best rigs. Remember to bounce a jig on the bottom for the bonus fish this month…jumbo flounder in areas where snapper congregate.

July Fishing Around Anna Maria Island

Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
Captain Aaron Lowman – July 21, 2016
Spotted Seatrout and Mangrove Snapper

—Trout fishing around the backwaters of Anna Maria Island and Tampa Bay this week has been very productive. I usually look for grassflats with signs of bait around, like a flickering surface or diving birds. Grassy areas like this have been producing tons of fish with plenty of keepers over 15 inches. Live shiners, free-lined on a matching size circle hook, help with catch and release.

—Snapper fishing is hot inside Tampa Bay near submerged structure with current. Hang a chum bag around a reef, bridge, or even docks to draw snappers out of hiding. Live shiners, or chunks of shiners, drifted back in the current on light line is one of the best ways to catch these wary fish in the heat of the summer.