Update on the Sarasota Bay fishing season 2024: The mangrove snapper fishing has been amazing! And it’s going to remain good until early September.
Mangrove snapper offer a lot of positives for anglers of all ages and experience levels: They’re common throughout the AMI area with a year-round season, they’re super active (and hungry) right now in the summer, they fight well above their size, and best of all, mangrove snapper are absolutely delicious.
So you have more than a month left to book an Anna Maria Island fishing charter during peak mangrove snapper season, and take advantage of tasty bounty we’re experiencing this year! Here’s what you should know.
What are mangrove snapper?
Mangrove snapper are also officially called gray snapper (and you might unofficially hear them called “mangs” or “grovers”). They have subtle grey/brownish-orange coloring and the prominent canines you’ll often see on several other snapper species, too.
We usually catch them around three or four pounds, though it’s not uncommon to see them get up to 10 lbs/24 inches.
Mangrove snapper are active in summer because this is when they’re spawning.
Regulations: Mangrove snapper fishing, Anna Maria
Mangrove snapper populations are doing just fine—and this year, especially, is no exception. Florida allows you to bag mangrove snapper year-round (at least 10 inches total length), up to five per person, which is more than enough for a big meal!
How to catch mangrove snapper around AMI
Like the name suggests, mangrove snapper like to hang out around tree roots. But much more than that, they love any place where they can lurk around in order to hunt their prey. We bag plenty of grays around underwater structures, including reefs and wrecks. These are the places they like to hunt, so they’ll be in the mood to go after your line (assuming you’ve chosen the right bait).
Mangrove snapper like relatively small, live bait, including fish but especially crustaceans. Small crabs and shrimp are an awesome bet.
What makes mangrove snapper so much fun to catch?
On top of their eagerness to bite this time of year, mangrove snapper put up an awesome fight. So they’re quick to hit but hard to reel in—the best possible combo! When you go fishing for grays around AMI in the summer, you’re in for a lot of action and excitement.
And on top of the fun you’ll have on the boat, you can take home your catch and cook it up in many different ways, for a delicious, fresh-caught seafood meal. Because mangrove snapper love crustaceans, they have a delicate, buttery flesh that’s hard to beat, whether you’re grilling, pan-searing, baking, or making fish tacos or even ceviche.
Catching your own dinner is the ultimate satisfaction for a Florida fishing trip. And let me tell you how awesome to see folks from out of town—and especially kids!—take a freshly cleaned bag of mangrove snapper away for a fabulous family meal.
Will we be seeing you on an AMI fishing charter this summer?
Is there anything better than a summer day on the water with a rod in your hand?
On top of all the mangrove snapper we’re landing, the snook and redfish fishing has also been lights out.
And don’t let the weather intimidate you. We’ve been starting our fishing trips at 6:30 a.m. to try and beat the heat. And that early departure time means catching some species of fish when they’re most active. It also helps that it’s an absolutely beautiful time to be out on a boat around Anna Maria.
So whether you’re a year-round resident or you’re just visiting for a short time, I definitely recommend you add “AMI fishing charters” to your to-do list ASAP. It’s been a great summer so far, and I’m looking forward to fishing with everybody!