Let’s Talk About Offshore Fishing on Anna Maria Island in the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Anna Maria Island is home to some of the best offshore fishing in the world. There are so many different species of fish to catch on Anna Maria Island Fishing Charters, and I’m going to tell you guys about the right time to come down and catch these fish!
Offshore Fishing in the Springtime:
The springtime fishing on Anna Maria Island is second to none when it comes to sportfishing. We catch kingfish, permit, cobia, big snook, big redfish, goliath grouper, mangrove snapper, gag grouper, hogfish, and possibly more species.
Tons of fish migrate our way during the spring months of March, April, and May, and all sorts of craziness happens on the offshore scene of Anna Maria. For instance, on a charter in early May last year, we stayed in one spot for 4 hours and caught a bunch of cobia, kingfish, big jack crevalle, and big snook on one rock. It was pure insanity. We had multiple instances where we were doubled or tripled up on giant sportfish.
The permit fishing in the springtime is world-class, as these fish show up in big numbers and can be sight-fished on super calm days or fished very strategically to get these fish to go. These permit are fish that we are going to focus on more and more with anglers who are looking for something a little bigger and more exciting.
Cobia and kingfish show up in big numbers as well in the early spring months and can be caught in many different areas and in great numbers. The big snook and redfish are starting to be caught more and more on the offshore reefs and ledges, and we are dialing in how and when to get these fish to bite consistently.
Offshore Fishing in the Summer Time:
Anna Maria Islands offshore fishing in the summer revolves around mangrove snapper. The mangrove snapper bite in the summer can be excellent, and we like to start the mornings by catching a ton of these awesome-tasting fish. Permit fishing in the summer is still excellent, and we have some killer days targeting these prized sportfish on calm summer days. There’s also great goliath grouper fishing if going for the big ones is your cup of tea.
Offshore Fishing in the Fall:
Offshore fishing on Anna Maria Island in the fall closely resembles springtime fishing and can sometimes be even more productive. The kingfish migration this year was among the best I have ever seen, with kingfish still being caught into winter. We had multiple fishing charters where we caught over 30 kingfish, and we could have caught as many as we wanted.
Permit fishing in the fall is usually not as good as in spring and summer, but we still catch them occasionally. There is some excellent hogfishing in the late fall months, which can be some of the best of the year. Hogfish are most plentiful when the water temperature is just below the optimal range for inshore flats fishing with baitfish.
Typically, there are abundant Spanish mackerel, cobia, sharks, bonita, large jack crevalle, and many other species that tend to school up tightly during fall. We have experienced trips similar to spring outings, where we sit on a rock pile or any chosen spot and remain still the entire time, catching a wide variety of species in the same location.
Offshore Fishing in the Winter Time:
Offshore fishing in December, January, and February mainly centers around hogfish and gag grouper.
During this time of year, we do a lot of bottom fishing, targeting hogfish, sheepshead, and mangrove snapper. Although we catch grouper for fun, we can’t keep them during these months.
Bottom fishing tends to be highly productive as water temperatures drop. We often catch hogfish in very shallow depths, making for a quick offshore trip—ideal for families with young children.
Winter fishing is incredibly fruitful, with bites or catches on every bait dropped. This makes it an excellent choice for families with no fishing experience.
Hogfish are also a favorite target, often on every angler’s bucket list due to their fun and challenging nature.
