Check out this great guide to the island from Marvin the Manatee - don't worry, all will become clear...
Monday 5 July 2010
Monday 21 June 2010
Wednesday 13 January 2010
Cold weather, poorly snook
Some record low temperatures in the waters around Anna Maria have hit fishing, but they have also had a really bad affect on the fish themselves.
Some island fishermen have been voicing some concern about snook as water temperatures have dropped to around 50 degrees in the canals and as low as 45 degrees on the flats. Do I really need to tell you how low that is?
Well, I will anyway. The coldest month ever in Florida was in January 1940, with a mean air temperature of 49.7 degrees Fahrenheit. And this month could come pretty close.
The Anna Maria Islander reminds anglers that if they see snook floating on the surface, 'it likely does not mean they’re dead. More likely, they are stunned from cold temperatures, and often snook can revive once warmer temperatures arrive. Even so, anglers cannot keep out-of-season snook.'
Perhaps the best advice is to leave the fish completely alone until the water temperature picks up a bit. The good news is that all the reports we are getting suggest it will soon. Check out this video of some fishermen in Brevard County. It makes for pretty distressing viewing.
Perhaps the best advice is to leave the poor snook alone completely until the temperature picks up. You could always go after the trout, who seem not to mind the cold so much...
If you're thinking of coming to the angling paradise that is Anna Maria Island then don't look any further for your vacation rental needs than Anna Maria Vacations at http://www.annamaria.com/
Some island fishermen have been voicing some concern about snook as water temperatures have dropped to around 50 degrees in the canals and as low as 45 degrees on the flats. Do I really need to tell you how low that is?
Well, I will anyway. The coldest month ever in Florida was in January 1940, with a mean air temperature of 49.7 degrees Fahrenheit. And this month could come pretty close.
The Anna Maria Islander reminds anglers that if they see snook floating on the surface, 'it likely does not mean they’re dead. More likely, they are stunned from cold temperatures, and often snook can revive once warmer temperatures arrive. Even so, anglers cannot keep out-of-season snook.'
Perhaps the best advice is to leave the fish completely alone until the water temperature picks up a bit. The good news is that all the reports we are getting suggest it will soon. Check out this video of some fishermen in Brevard County. It makes for pretty distressing viewing.
Perhaps the best advice is to leave the poor snook alone completely until the temperature picks up. You could always go after the trout, who seem not to mind the cold so much...
If you're thinking of coming to the angling paradise that is Anna Maria Island then don't look any further for your vacation rental needs than Anna Maria Vacations at http://www.annamaria.com/
Friday 18 December 2009
Baaa! The sheep are coming
They may not be around in great numbers just yet, but it's coming up on sheepshead season for fishermen in and around Anna Maria Island.
Within the next few weeks, look for sheepshead to gather around rocks and bridge and dock pilings, feeding off barnacles and crustaceans. They can be tricky to catch, but here are some tips and advice on how to snag one.
As far as bait goes, bring specialty ones these fish cannot resist, which include crushed mussels and clams, fiddler crabs, pelagic red crabs, sand crabs, sand fleas and shrimp. They are used to eating things with shells on, so soft, pre-cut baits won't be to their liking. Shrimp is perhaps the most effective bait of all, though, if you have a good source.
For rigs, use either a sliding sinker held about 2 ft. up the line from the hook by a small split shot or barrel swivel. This is good in shallow water and off piers and jetties.
In deeper water, reverse dropper-loops are more effective. This is made up by tying the hook to the end of the line and hanging a weight from a dropper-loop a couple of feet up the line. Pin a shrimp, sand flea, crab, piece of mussel or other bait on to the hook and drop it down on to the reef. Sheepshead feed by biting crustaceans off the rocks so it is best to fish right on the bottom or not more than a few feet above it.
There you go. Now get out there and round up some sheepshead.
Within the next few weeks, look for sheepshead to gather around rocks and bridge and dock pilings, feeding off barnacles and crustaceans. They can be tricky to catch, but here are some tips and advice on how to snag one.
As far as bait goes, bring specialty ones these fish cannot resist, which include crushed mussels and clams, fiddler crabs, pelagic red crabs, sand crabs, sand fleas and shrimp. They are used to eating things with shells on, so soft, pre-cut baits won't be to their liking. Shrimp is perhaps the most effective bait of all, though, if you have a good source.
For rigs, use either a sliding sinker held about 2 ft. up the line from the hook by a small split shot or barrel swivel. This is good in shallow water and off piers and jetties.
In deeper water, reverse dropper-loops are more effective. This is made up by tying the hook to the end of the line and hanging a weight from a dropper-loop a couple of feet up the line. Pin a shrimp, sand flea, crab, piece of mussel or other bait on to the hook and drop it down on to the reef. Sheepshead feed by biting crustaceans off the rocks so it is best to fish right on the bottom or not more than a few feet above it.
There you go. Now get out there and round up some sheepshead.
Friday 27 November 2009
Shark tale, marlin tail
A bit of a change of tack fish fans for this week's instalment. While we're scratching around hauling up grouper and reds from the deep, over in the frankly terrifying waters of Australia, this sort of thing is going on.
The black marlin in the film is huge, HUGE!, so how big must the great white have been to bite it in half? This is why I am never, ever, ever, going swimming in Australia.
Enjoy!
The black marlin in the film is huge, HUGE!, so how big must the great white have been to bite it in half? This is why I am never, ever, ever, going swimming in Australia.
Enjoy!
Friday 20 November 2009
Windy weather snook seek shelter
Windy weather has affected fishing from the shores and on the water around Anna Maria recently. But the smart fisherman heads to the back waters, finds himself a pier or jetty and goes after snook.
You don't have to venture too far to find them. General advice holds that you can locate snook within the first 100 feet of the canals until the winter weather really kicks in.
As Nick Walter writes in the Anna Maria Islander, 'A typical afternoon water temperature in the bays last weekend was 75-76 degrees — perfect for snook. The days remaining in the open snook season are dwindling, while anglers on the west coast have until Dec. 1 to keep one snook per day, between 28 and 33 inches.'
It's worth bearing that in mind people, don't take more than you are allowed. We want those snook to be here for generations to come...
Tight lines all!
You don't have to venture too far to find them. General advice holds that you can locate snook within the first 100 feet of the canals until the winter weather really kicks in.
As Nick Walter writes in the Anna Maria Islander, 'A typical afternoon water temperature in the bays last weekend was 75-76 degrees — perfect for snook. The days remaining in the open snook season are dwindling, while anglers on the west coast have until Dec. 1 to keep one snook per day, between 28 and 33 inches.'
It's worth bearing that in mind people, don't take more than you are allowed. We want those snook to be here for generations to come...
Tight lines all!
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