In this blog, I would love to share some of my recent inshore and offshore fishing charters and tell you what we will be targeting this upcoming week after this small cold front.
Inshore fishing:
The inshore fishing charters in Anna Maria Island have been steady with a strong redfish and trout bite. We are beginning to see fewer snook on the grass flats as water temperatures gradually drop into the low 70s, but we are still catching plenty. The trout are really active with these cooler temperatures, and we’ve been catching larger fish. Nice groups of redfish are still present in shallow water against the bars during low tides and spread out through the potholes on the grass flats we like to fish. Our first cold front of the year passed yesterday and today, with temperatures peaking in the high 50s in the morning and then slowly rising back into the mid 70s by midday. I believe inshore fishing will remain excellent over the next few weeks, though snook may move a bit, heading into the river where we usually catch them this time of year. We’ve also seen an abundance of nice flounder, which is exciting. I remember catching more flounder when I was younger, but their numbers are slowly recovering. The population should continue to grow thanks to the clean water we’ve had over the past five years.
Offshore fishing:
The offshore fishing charters in Anna Maria Island have been very productive, with a variety of species found on local reefs, mud holes off the beach, ledges, and passes. We have been catching plenty of large Spanish mackerel, cobia, kingfish, bonita, sharks, and many other species offshore over the past few weeks, and this recent cold front should bring an even larger influx of fish our way. I expect the live bait white bait fishing to be excellent over the next month until December, with a strong influx of kingfish as the water temps reach that ideal 72-74 degree range they prefer. The other day, I had a six-person fishing charter, and since we aimed for bigger fish, we went offshore with a livewell full of perfect-sized baitfish. We enjoyed nonstop action for six hours, catching a variety of fish. We landed some impressive sharks that fought hard, and we also hooked a couple of goliath grouper, providing great entertainment. Offshore fishing is an excellent way to potentially catch larger fish at this time of year, and I recommend booking a six-hour trip for offshore adventures.
What we will be targeting this week:
Thankfully, I have a busy week ahead, fishing every day for over a week with many repeat clients and a few new families in the mix. I plan to do a little bit of everything this week, from inshore snook, trout, and redfish to offshore king mackerel. I’ll also start targeting hogfish for the first time this year, which is one of the most sought-after fish we catch on my fishing charters. These hogfish are incredible—from the way they fight, to how they look, to how they taste, they are truly one of a kind. We target these fish offshore in 30-40 feet of water, using live shrimp, small crabs, and clams. They’re a blast to catch because of the amount of bycatch, including Key West grunts, gag and red grouper, mangrove snapper, porgies, triggerfish, and many other delicious species. These offshore trips are perfect for groups wanting to fill a cooler with fish, and I recommend booking six hours to get the most out of your time offshore. I’m really excited for a busy week of fishing with some great people. If you’re in the area and looking for a fun activity, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 941-720-5374 or captnate@amiexcursions.com. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog!
