Here's an interesting tale, which also acts as a salutory lesson in why you should always take home your discarded line.
Associated Press: A manatee whose flipper was discovered entangled in fishing line more than two years ago but has finally been rescued.
Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission made several unsuccessful attempts to rescue the adult female manatee over the years, but she consistently evaded them.
They finally caught her Wednesday in Key Largo's Tarpon Basin.
Biologists had been concerned the line could cut off the manatee's circulation, lead to it's flipper's amputation, and possibly death.
The manatee is now at the Miami Seaquarium where the fishing line will be removed. It will be released when cleared by veterinarians.
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
King coming in
Well, finally, and let's hope it was worth the wait, the kingfish are starting to show. All you have to do is get through the waves and you're in with a good shout of hooking into one of these hard-fighting fellows.
As Paul Roat says in the Islander newspaper, 'king mackerel are out there in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s just the task of beating through the wind and waves for fishers to get to the fish that’s the challenge. King-size catches of kingfish are starting to come in after a late start this spring. Amberjack also are a good bet off the artificial reefs in the offshore areas, as are lots of big gag grouper.'
And once you've landed your prize catch, here's a tasty recipe we found for raw kingfish with sour, salty and fragrant dressing. Click on this link here
Enjoy.
And, oh, tight lines!
As Paul Roat says in the Islander newspaper, 'king mackerel are out there in the Gulf of Mexico. It’s just the task of beating through the wind and waves for fishers to get to the fish that’s the challenge. King-size catches of kingfish are starting to come in after a late start this spring. Amberjack also are a good bet off the artificial reefs in the offshore areas, as are lots of big gag grouper.'
And once you've landed your prize catch, here's a tasty recipe we found for raw kingfish with sour, salty and fragrant dressing. Click on this link here
Enjoy.
And, oh, tight lines!
Friday, 24 April 2009
Snapper chaps
Fishing is one of those pastimes where there are as many people willing to give advice about how to catch, what bait, rig, rod, reel to use as there are people. Simplifying these words of wisdom can be a painstaking process, but fear not, we have done the hard work for you.
Here is some advice, taken from many experts in the field (or should that be sea?) about how to catch the elusive mangrove snapper.
First, from pierfishingguide.com.
So, you want to catch the notorious mangrove snapper? A couple things that you must have before you attempt to target these great tasting fish. First off you want to go on your good day and have lots of patience. Mangrove snapper are great for picking bait right of the hook. Some days they will be there but just wont bite. I will explain my techniques and tips that WILL help you catch more snapper. First things first, you maybe asking yourself the following:
Where to Look?
Well if fishing inshore, smaller juvenile mangrove snapper use the mangroves for cover, hence this is where they got there name. For larger inshore snapper you want to try and find good natural water flow that provides the fish with an abundant food source. One place to start looking would be local bridges. Bridges normally hold bait and structure such as artificial reefs.
What to Use for bait?
There a few baits that work extremely well, now my personal favorite, is the herring. Now you will get many to argue and say shrimp is the best bait for snapper but let me explain why I believe the Spanish sardines are better. First off I have personally split tested it a thousand times, ok maybe not that many but quite a few times. The shrimp is great bait but with the sardines they have oil that fish can't avoid. Just break the tail off of the sardine or tear one in half and soak it next to the piling, rumble or whatever and watch how long it lasts. Secondly, the sardines are normally abundant (In the summer) around piers in the south so it's free.
What Rig To Use?
Snapper can sometimes be very finicky when it comes to eating, one moment they are feeding like crazy and then next the bite may shut completely down. A general rule of thumb when snapper fishing, "lighter is better". Lighter weight, lighter leader, smaller hooks etc... What I use is a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce lead depending on the tidal flow, two feet of 20lb fluorocarbon leader tied to a 30lb Spro swivel and a 2/0 Owner hook. Using this rig will help double your hook-up ratio.
How to hook them?
Snapper bite hard, that is how they got the other part of there name. What you need to do when you are getting a bite is slowly lift your rod tip, this will make the snapper bite more aggressively because the fish thinks the bait is getting away. If that fails, try and pull the rod tip away slowly and then let a little line out where the bait goes past the fish and back into the school, this will cause a small frenzy. Once you do hook them pull them away from the structure quick because they are determined to get back to there safe place once hooked.
Next, a look at hooks with the boys over at forshorefishing.theledger.com.
Let's discuss hooks first. I used to use J-hooks in the #1 thru #4 size depending on the size of the bait. I was convinced the J-hook was superior for the quick hook set which is needed for mangos.
I had tried circle hooks in the past with inconsistent results. The circle hooks I had tried before were always either Owner Mutu or Gamikatsu Nautilus style circle hooks. I caught some here and caught some there, but not really any much greater numbers of fish than the J-hooks. If anything, my ratio of hookups with these style circle hooks was even less which interesting as many anglers say their ratio increases with the use of these hooks.
However, recently in the last year or so, I have switched to using the Gamikatsu Octopus style circles in either #1 or #2 size for most of the sheepshead I encounter.
Gamakatsu makes the offset and also an in-line version. I've had much the same success with both styles. However, the in-line are the kind now required for reef species in Florida's Gulf waters. So many anglers may want to use these as they are technically required if your fishing for mangrove snapper as well.
If I find some fish on the large side, visible in clear water, I'll up my hook size to #1/0 or even #2/0 if the fish are big enough and I have large shrimp or crabs.
This hook is a circle hook, but it's more like a J-hook. It's in between the bent Mutu or Nautilus style and a true J-hook.
I get a much higher hookup ratio when I use these hooks than even J-Hooks. This is a hook you can set like a J-hook, but it also has the circle effect. It's like having the best of both styles in one hook.
That's enough for now, we'll take another look at some mangrove snapper advice soon.
Tight lines!
Here is some advice, taken from many experts in the field (or should that be sea?) about how to catch the elusive mangrove snapper.
First, from pierfishingguide.com.
So, you want to catch the notorious mangrove snapper? A couple things that you must have before you attempt to target these great tasting fish. First off you want to go on your good day and have lots of patience. Mangrove snapper are great for picking bait right of the hook. Some days they will be there but just wont bite. I will explain my techniques and tips that WILL help you catch more snapper. First things first, you maybe asking yourself the following:
Where to Look?
Well if fishing inshore, smaller juvenile mangrove snapper use the mangroves for cover, hence this is where they got there name. For larger inshore snapper you want to try and find good natural water flow that provides the fish with an abundant food source. One place to start looking would be local bridges. Bridges normally hold bait and structure such as artificial reefs.
What to Use for bait?
There a few baits that work extremely well, now my personal favorite, is the herring. Now you will get many to argue and say shrimp is the best bait for snapper but let me explain why I believe the Spanish sardines are better. First off I have personally split tested it a thousand times, ok maybe not that many but quite a few times. The shrimp is great bait but with the sardines they have oil that fish can't avoid. Just break the tail off of the sardine or tear one in half and soak it next to the piling, rumble or whatever and watch how long it lasts. Secondly, the sardines are normally abundant (In the summer) around piers in the south so it's free.
What Rig To Use?
Snapper can sometimes be very finicky when it comes to eating, one moment they are feeding like crazy and then next the bite may shut completely down. A general rule of thumb when snapper fishing, "lighter is better". Lighter weight, lighter leader, smaller hooks etc... What I use is a 1/4 to 1/2 ounce lead depending on the tidal flow, two feet of 20lb fluorocarbon leader tied to a 30lb Spro swivel and a 2/0 Owner hook. Using this rig will help double your hook-up ratio.
How to hook them?
Snapper bite hard, that is how they got the other part of there name. What you need to do when you are getting a bite is slowly lift your rod tip, this will make the snapper bite more aggressively because the fish thinks the bait is getting away. If that fails, try and pull the rod tip away slowly and then let a little line out where the bait goes past the fish and back into the school, this will cause a small frenzy. Once you do hook them pull them away from the structure quick because they are determined to get back to there safe place once hooked.
Next, a look at hooks with the boys over at forshorefishing.theledger.com.
Let's discuss hooks first. I used to use J-hooks in the #1 thru #4 size depending on the size of the bait. I was convinced the J-hook was superior for the quick hook set which is needed for mangos.
I had tried circle hooks in the past with inconsistent results. The circle hooks I had tried before were always either Owner Mutu or Gamikatsu Nautilus style circle hooks. I caught some here and caught some there, but not really any much greater numbers of fish than the J-hooks. If anything, my ratio of hookups with these style circle hooks was even less which interesting as many anglers say their ratio increases with the use of these hooks.
However, recently in the last year or so, I have switched to using the Gamikatsu Octopus style circles in either #1 or #2 size for most of the sheepshead I encounter.
Gamakatsu makes the offset and also an in-line version. I've had much the same success with both styles. However, the in-line are the kind now required for reef species in Florida's Gulf waters. So many anglers may want to use these as they are technically required if your fishing for mangrove snapper as well.
If I find some fish on the large side, visible in clear water, I'll up my hook size to #1/0 or even #2/0 if the fish are big enough and I have large shrimp or crabs.
This hook is a circle hook, but it's more like a J-hook. It's in between the bent Mutu or Nautilus style and a true J-hook.
I get a much higher hookup ratio when I use these hooks than even J-Hooks. This is a hook you can set like a J-hook, but it also has the circle effect. It's like having the best of both styles in one hook.
That's enough for now, we'll take another look at some mangrove snapper advice soon.
Tight lines!
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Wind, wind, go away...
This week's fishing report in the Anna Maria Islander newspaper, written by Paul Roat, brings better news on the kingfish front, but it would be so much better if this pesky wind would go away...
It’s all about that pesky wind when it comes to fishing. As one captain put it this week, “Would somebody please turn off the wind machine?”
High winds translate to high seas and the result out in the Gulf of Mexico is a boat that’s rocking and rolling. For folks willing to risk a case of the "urks", there are kingfish to be caught, as well as lots of amberjack and grouper from the artificial reef systems.
Backwater fishing features lots of snook, trout and some redfish. There also are flounder and mackerel coming out of the piers in the passes, as well as late-season sheepshead.
Mark your calendar for May 9 for the 23rd Annual Kids Free Fishing Tournament at the Green Bridge Pier in Palmetto. This is a catch-and-release tournament open to all kids between ages 7 and 14, with sponsorship from Manatee-Sarasota Fish & Game Association, Palmetto and Bradenton Kiwanis clubs, as well as the City of Palmetto Parks and Recreation Department.
Registration starts at 7 a.m. and all kids must be accompanied by an adult. Youthful fishers should have their own rod and reel, but equipment is available if needed. Bait, hooks and sinkers are provided and prizes will be awarded for the first three places in each age group. Palmetto Kiwanis volunteers will be serving free hot dogs for lunch. To volunteer or support the tourney, call 941-794-2806.
Read the whole of Paul's report here
Tight lines!
It’s all about that pesky wind when it comes to fishing. As one captain put it this week, “Would somebody please turn off the wind machine?”
High winds translate to high seas and the result out in the Gulf of Mexico is a boat that’s rocking and rolling. For folks willing to risk a case of the "urks", there are kingfish to be caught, as well as lots of amberjack and grouper from the artificial reef systems.
Backwater fishing features lots of snook, trout and some redfish. There also are flounder and mackerel coming out of the piers in the passes, as well as late-season sheepshead.
Mark your calendar for May 9 for the 23rd Annual Kids Free Fishing Tournament at the Green Bridge Pier in Palmetto. This is a catch-and-release tournament open to all kids between ages 7 and 14, with sponsorship from Manatee-Sarasota Fish & Game Association, Palmetto and Bradenton Kiwanis clubs, as well as the City of Palmetto Parks and Recreation Department.
Registration starts at 7 a.m. and all kids must be accompanied by an adult. Youthful fishers should have their own rod and reel, but equipment is available if needed. Bait, hooks and sinkers are provided and prizes will be awarded for the first three places in each age group. Palmetto Kiwanis volunteers will be serving free hot dogs for lunch. To volunteer or support the tourney, call 941-794-2806.
Read the whole of Paul's report here
Tight lines!
Friday, 17 April 2009
Sheep mentality
Tired of waiting for those pesky kingfish to show up? Bored of not catching anything because the sea is too rough? Well, why not come closer to home and try for some sheepshead? The three piers on Anna Maria Island are all reporting good catches of these odd fish at the moment, so here's some advice on how to catch one from the good folk at eHow.com. For the full article click here
Step 1
Rig your rod & reel having 15-20 lb. monofilament or braided line. Tie on a swivel sinker or slip on an egg sinker. The weight will depend on the speed of the tidal current that you're in. Generally use a 3/4 oz. sinker. Add a 10-18 inch piece of fluorocarbon leader and tie on a sharp hook. Thick, long shanked, bait hooks work best, in a 1/0 or 2/0 size. Sea circle hooks are also pretty good.
Step 2
Locate dock or bridge pilings that are covered with barnacles or oysters. Areas that look like someone scraped the barnacles off are usually the best. You'll see barnacles or oysters on the pilings and then you'll spot a somewhat bare spot. That is where the barnacles or oysters are being eaten off by the sheepshead or someone is actually scraping them off to chum for sheepshead.
Step 3
Tie off or anchor in such a position that you can drop your line straight down next to the target piling. Be careful not to damage your vessel or the piling. Be aware of wind and current directions.
Step 4
Add your bait of choice: Fiddler crab, oyster, clam, or a piece of shrimp. Drop your line down to the bottom and reel in a little, just enough to get your bait off the bottom. Since Sheepshead are notorious bait stealers, you need to pay close attention to your line. You can steadily hold your rod horizontally and watch your rod tip for any movement or you can gently raise your rod tip every few seconds to see if you have resistance on the other end. Sometimes it will feel like you're hung on something, guess what?, it's probably a sheepshead.
If you're raising your rod tip, let's say, every 5 seconds and you get nothing and you check your bait and it's gone. Re-bait and do the same technique with adjusting your time to 4 or even 3 seconds.
Step 5
Once you have a fish hooked, reel in as quickly as possible. The sheepshead will instinctively make a run for the safety of the pilings or some other structure, the barnacle/ oyster covered structure will cut your line and leave you frustrated. Muscle the fish into open type areas to make it easier to get the fish into the vessel. Using a landing net is a good idea since the sheepshead are hard to hook really good. Use pliers to extract the hook, the sheepshead have powerful jaws and sharp teeth.
All good advice there. And if you're wondering how you'll know if you land a sheepshead, here's a picture (of a really big one!).
Tight lines!
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
No kings? Get out on the fly
You could get old waiting for the kingfish to finally show up, although the weather and rough seas are not helping those fisherman going out in search of these hard-fighting beasts.
Popular opinion says that while you're waiting you may as well go out in the backwaters around Anna Maria Island in search of the trout and snook which are biting at the moment.
For a bit of different sport, why not try the ancient, subtle art of fly fishing. It's extra rewarding when you hook one.
If you're new to this part of the sport then why not check out the excellent guide by Don Phillips on fishing-florida.com website. Here is just the intro, and if it whets your appetite, you can read the whole thing here
The purpose of this series of articles is to introduce the reader to the sport of saltwater fly fishing, as currently practiced here in Southwest Florida. The content is aimed primarily at novice fishermen, at experienced saltwater fishermen who have not yet succumbed to the joys of fly fishing, and at freshwater fly fishermen who would like to transfer their acquired skills to our resident saltwater fish. I'll attempt to take some of the mystique out of fly fishing by describing the waters we fish, the tackle with which we fish and the basic techniques that we use to fool our formidable prey. Accordingly, this is sort of a beginner's school, hopefully giving you enough information to go out and buy the basic required equipment and to begin to develop your fly fishing skills. I've been fly fishing for over 45 years, and yet I'm still learning new things all the time. Much of this continuing learning comes from the stream of books and magazines that are being published. If you want to improve your success on the water, subscribe to a few of these magazines and read some of these books; There's literally "gold in them thar hills". Speaking of learning, I must give particular credit for this writing to my close friend and mentor, Doug Swisher. I've learned more from Doug over the years than I could ever absorb from the literature.
Popular opinion says that while you're waiting you may as well go out in the backwaters around Anna Maria Island in search of the trout and snook which are biting at the moment.
For a bit of different sport, why not try the ancient, subtle art of fly fishing. It's extra rewarding when you hook one.
If you're new to this part of the sport then why not check out the excellent guide by Don Phillips on fishing-florida.com website. Here is just the intro, and if it whets your appetite, you can read the whole thing here
The purpose of this series of articles is to introduce the reader to the sport of saltwater fly fishing, as currently practiced here in Southwest Florida. The content is aimed primarily at novice fishermen, at experienced saltwater fishermen who have not yet succumbed to the joys of fly fishing, and at freshwater fly fishermen who would like to transfer their acquired skills to our resident saltwater fish. I'll attempt to take some of the mystique out of fly fishing by describing the waters we fish, the tackle with which we fish and the basic techniques that we use to fool our formidable prey. Accordingly, this is sort of a beginner's school, hopefully giving you enough information to go out and buy the basic required equipment and to begin to develop your fly fishing skills. I've been fly fishing for over 45 years, and yet I'm still learning new things all the time. Much of this continuing learning comes from the stream of books and magazines that are being published. If you want to improve your success on the water, subscribe to a few of these magazines and read some of these books; There's literally "gold in them thar hills". Speaking of learning, I must give particular credit for this writing to my close friend and mentor, Doug Swisher. I've learned more from Doug over the years than I could ever absorb from the literature.
Friday, 10 April 2009
You need a ticket to ride (and fish)
Hello there fish fans!
I know we've covered this before but it never hurts to mention the subject of licenses again.
As a general rule of thumb, if you have to pay for your fishing you don’t have to buy a fishing license. Otherwise, remember, if you are going to go fishing in the waters off Anna Maria Island you have to purchase a license and obey the local fishing regulations. For more information on the laws and regulations visit www.MyFlorida.com/fwc or call 1(888) Fish-Florida.
To buy a fishing license to fish Anna Maria Island waters, go to any of the tax collector offices (Bradenton, Palmetto or Holmes Beach). You can also buy a license at any Wal-Mart or Kmart store in Manatee County. Also remember to check the legal limits for taking fish, and the bag limits and closed seasons for each separate species.
So get legal and get fishing.
Oh, and tight lines!
I know we've covered this before but it never hurts to mention the subject of licenses again.
As a general rule of thumb, if you have to pay for your fishing you don’t have to buy a fishing license. Otherwise, remember, if you are going to go fishing in the waters off Anna Maria Island you have to purchase a license and obey the local fishing regulations. For more information on the laws and regulations visit www.MyFlorida.com/fwc or call 1(888) Fish-Florida.
To buy a fishing license to fish Anna Maria Island waters, go to any of the tax collector offices (Bradenton, Palmetto or Holmes Beach). You can also buy a license at any Wal-Mart or Kmart store in Manatee County. Also remember to check the legal limits for taking fish, and the bag limits and closed seasons for each separate species.
So get legal and get fishing.
Oh, and tight lines!
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Spring has sprung for kings
Paul Roat, writing in the Anna Maria Islander, offers some timely advice on the spring run of king fish and gag grouper now setting up home close to Anna Maria.
He says: 'King mackerel should be moving through the offshore waters even as you read this. A few scouts have been hooked up in the Gulf of Mexico, harbingers of the full spring run to come. The trick is to get through the rough waters to catch the kings, or the amberjack and gag grouper near the artificial reefs.
'Remember there are new rule and size limits on gag grouper this year. Check The Islander website for a detailed list, or ask the experts at any tackle shop.'
Here's some advice on catching gags from about.com
Gags can grow to more than 70 pounds, but are more common to 25 pounds. Most catches are fish in the five to ten pound range, just over the legal size limits.
Where are They Found
Mature gags can be found on offshore reefs and wrecks. They like any kind of structure, including ledges and holes, and will take up residence in any object that will hide them. They are found from Brazil through the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico northward to New England. Juvenile fish can be found on inshore grass flats and shoals. Huge migrations of gags gather in the winter months in the Gulf of Mexico to spawn.
Tackle
Gags are caught using one of two methods. Deep trolling large lures or jigs with a strip bait is popular in the Gulf of Mexico. The other method, and the one that is most often used, is just plain old bottom fishing. Heavy tackle in the thirty to fifty pound class with conventional reels and boat rods is the standard. A heavy leader, sometimes made with leader wire instead on monofilament, with an 8/0 or 9/0 hook is the order of the day.
Bait
Gags can be caught on fresh cut bait, such as mullet or pinfish. They will also eat squid, octopus, and crabs. Live bait is by far the best bet. A live pinfish, a small gray or lane snapper, or a live cigar minnow will draw almost as fast as the bait gets to the bottom. Trolling lures include Mann’s +30 giant lures, sometimes used with either wire line or with a trolling weight to gain more depth. Wire line trolling with a feather jig and strip bait is popular in Florida and the Caribbean.
Powerful Fish
These are powerful fish when hooked, and heavy gear is required to prevent the fish from taking your line with him into a hole or under a ledge. Many anglers crank the drag on their reel down all the way to prevent the fish from reaching a hole.
He says: 'King mackerel should be moving through the offshore waters even as you read this. A few scouts have been hooked up in the Gulf of Mexico, harbingers of the full spring run to come. The trick is to get through the rough waters to catch the kings, or the amberjack and gag grouper near the artificial reefs.
'Remember there are new rule and size limits on gag grouper this year. Check The Islander website for a detailed list, or ask the experts at any tackle shop.'
Here's some advice on catching gags from about.com
Gags can grow to more than 70 pounds, but are more common to 25 pounds. Most catches are fish in the five to ten pound range, just over the legal size limits.
Where are They Found
Mature gags can be found on offshore reefs and wrecks. They like any kind of structure, including ledges and holes, and will take up residence in any object that will hide them. They are found from Brazil through the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico northward to New England. Juvenile fish can be found on inshore grass flats and shoals. Huge migrations of gags gather in the winter months in the Gulf of Mexico to spawn.
Tackle
Gags are caught using one of two methods. Deep trolling large lures or jigs with a strip bait is popular in the Gulf of Mexico. The other method, and the one that is most often used, is just plain old bottom fishing. Heavy tackle in the thirty to fifty pound class with conventional reels and boat rods is the standard. A heavy leader, sometimes made with leader wire instead on monofilament, with an 8/0 or 9/0 hook is the order of the day.
Bait
Gags can be caught on fresh cut bait, such as mullet or pinfish. They will also eat squid, octopus, and crabs. Live bait is by far the best bet. A live pinfish, a small gray or lane snapper, or a live cigar minnow will draw almost as fast as the bait gets to the bottom. Trolling lures include Mann’s +30 giant lures, sometimes used with either wire line or with a trolling weight to gain more depth. Wire line trolling with a feather jig and strip bait is popular in Florida and the Caribbean.
Powerful Fish
These are powerful fish when hooked, and heavy gear is required to prevent the fish from taking your line with him into a hole or under a ledge. Many anglers crank the drag on their reel down all the way to prevent the fish from reaching a hole.
Friday, 3 April 2009
The captain knows best
We always enjoy the Anna Maria Sun newspaper column of Captain Zach Zacharias. If you haven't caught it yet (excuse the pun) just pick up a copy of the paper from outside most of the bigger retail outlets on the island. It's free and it comes out once a week, so you'll always be able to enjoy his words of wisdom if you're vacationing on Anna Maria.
To give you an idea of what you'll be getting, here is this week's offering from the captain himself. To see more from the AmiSun fishing section without picking up a paper copy, check out their website here
Earlier in the week, before the wind started to howl, my clients enjoyed some more good action with spawning sheepshead, mangrove snapper, grouper, mackerel and hogfish on the reefs offshore of Anna Maria and Longboat Key. When the winds shifted more to the south at week’s end, trips out there were out of the question. As I write this, the winds continue high and hopefully things will settle for the upcoming week.
Inshore was a challenge due to the wind and cool night time air temperatures that knocked the water temperatures back substantially. Bait was much harder to procure and the bloom was off the bite for a few days. The southern fetch of wind over the weekend coupled with warm, sunny days should serve to get things back up to speed pretty quickly this week. When the fish did cooperate, redfish up to 25 inches, trout to 23 inches, pompano and a few slot sized snook came aboard the Dee Jay II from North Sarasota Bay. Surprisingly, shrimp accounted for more fish than either white bait or pinfish. There were a couple of days mid-week that were the toughest I have encountered in some time.
Remaining optimistic, April should shape up to be the hot ticket month with everything coming up fishes.
To give you an idea of what you'll be getting, here is this week's offering from the captain himself. To see more from the AmiSun fishing section without picking up a paper copy, check out their website here
Earlier in the week, before the wind started to howl, my clients enjoyed some more good action with spawning sheepshead, mangrove snapper, grouper, mackerel and hogfish on the reefs offshore of Anna Maria and Longboat Key. When the winds shifted more to the south at week’s end, trips out there were out of the question. As I write this, the winds continue high and hopefully things will settle for the upcoming week.
Inshore was a challenge due to the wind and cool night time air temperatures that knocked the water temperatures back substantially. Bait was much harder to procure and the bloom was off the bite for a few days. The southern fetch of wind over the weekend coupled with warm, sunny days should serve to get things back up to speed pretty quickly this week. When the fish did cooperate, redfish up to 25 inches, trout to 23 inches, pompano and a few slot sized snook came aboard the Dee Jay II from North Sarasota Bay. Surprisingly, shrimp accounted for more fish than either white bait or pinfish. There were a couple of days mid-week that were the toughest I have encountered in some time.
Remaining optimistic, April should shape up to be the hot ticket month with everything coming up fishes.
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