Springtime fishing is hit for spring breakers

Springtime fishing around Anna Maria Island and its surrounding waters remains consistently good for a variety of species.

Whether fishing the flats or out in the Gulf of Mexico, Island fishers are getting their fill of what our waters have to offer.

On the flats, snook and trout fishing are both providing sizzling action. Live bait fishing with shiners is the most productive, although artificials such as topwater plugs, suspending twitch baits and soft plastics on a jig head are also triggering a bite. For both species strong moving tides are a bonus. Try to time your fishing around the peak times of water movement, if you can. Also, look for areas “off the beaten path.” These fish are more apt to chew than fish that have had a hundred baits thrown at them.

Moving out off the beaches and into the Gulf of Mexico, Spanish mackerel and kingfish are still going strong. If you’re planning on going out for kings, you may want to act soon as water temps are on the rise. As for the Spanish, you can find fish from the flats all the way out to the nearshore reefs.

Speaking of nearshore reefs, mangrove snapper are still abundant in depths of 20-40 feet. These fish are ranging 12-20 inches and are readily taking live or fresh-cut shiners placed on the bottom. Remember, the water out there is extremely clear from our lack of rain so use the lightest leader you feel comfortable with. A 5-foot stretch of 20-pound fluorocarbon will usually do the trick, but bring some 15-pound just in case.