If you plan on fishing Anna Maria Island, Florida, this August and September, we’ve got you covered with the latest news as reported firsthand by our very own Anna Maria fishing charter captain Donny Freeman.
The Debby Effect
This month’s fishing started with a setback from Tropical Storm Debby, which introduced unprecedented amounts of freshwater into our salty paradise.
Rain makes water murky, and storm runoff into saltwater really muddies things up. That means the inshore fish around Anna Maria Island, especially in Sarasota Bay and Palma Sola Bay, have real trouble finding their food. This struggle can make them less active. And besides, if they can’t find the bait, they ain’t biting.
The ultimate takeaway from Debby, though, is that if we’re able to complain about the fishing after a storm like that, then we don’t really have anything to complain about. We hope everyone continues to recover quickly and well.
Mangrove Snapper and Snook
Both of these species are prized targets throughout the summer: Snook because they’re an absolute blast to reel in, even catch-and-release outside of snook season as we are now; and mangrove snapper because they also put up a quick bite, a great fight, and they’re delicious.
We’ve highlighted both of these species in recent blogs, and we encourage you to check them out if you haven’t yet, because we’re going to keep targeting them for lots of action in the weeks ahead.
Redfish
If you’ve been landing mangrove snapper all summer, then you’re in for a treat when you get your first redfish, which can commonly push 24”, 10 lbs., and beyond.
Late summer is right on the verge of redfish spawning season, and we’re already seeing redfish schools showing up in Anna Maria waters. They’re about get super active in estuary waters just like Sarasota Bay and its lagoons and inlets.
Also known as “red drum” for the percussive noise they make while spawning, redfish are in season year-round. We’re limited to two per boat, but never fear: Just one of these big boys can usually feed at least two people.
Yes, redfish are another tasty species to take home for dinner. And you’ll earn it, too. Redfish back up their bulk with a great fight and lots of stamina. That’s why they’re also a popular sport fish.
In fact, there was a time 30 years ago when this species was terribly overfished. So the restoration of their population is a huge success story. And now we can enjoy the results!
Using fresh bait as always, I’ll load hooks with ladyfish or cut pinfish and target redfish around mangroves and docks. The challenge to catching redfish is in finding them in the first place. That’s why an Anna Maria fishing charter is the way to go. When it comes to AMI inshore waters, I know a few local redfish tricks and hiding spots.
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