Get out of the boat to get shallow and get hookups near Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island anglers who are willing to brave the cold temperatures and get out on the water are finding good action when fishing the negative tides around the full moon in December.
A negative tide is a tide lower than the mean average low tides throughout the year. These tides are extremely low leaving many areas of the flat exposed which can cause groups of fish to find slightly deeper water to take refuge until the tide once again rises.
On the flats, deeper potholes and ditches may be the only areas where these fish can remain causing them to be consolidated in areas as they wait for the tide to come up enabling them to once again disperse throughout the flat to forage.
Finding these areas on the flats can be quite beneficial to the angler as it reduces the amount of searching for fish as they may be contained in one large hole practically landlocked which creates a scenario much like the term “fishing in a barrel.” Getting to these areas is not always easy, as the shallow waters may prevent access by boat requiring the angler to have to wade to the spots. In colder temperatures those anglers in the know will employ the use of neoprene waders as well as some waiting boots or booties to keep warm and keep their feet protected. Plan accordingly if you are to attempt such an excursion.
The payoff can be substantial as species such as redfish and trout will frequently get trapped in these low tide oases which leaves them vulnerable to the angler.
Casting live shrimp or artificials such as soft plastics on a jig head into these potholes or deeper areas can result in numerous hookups depending on how many fish are trapped in a particular hole.
And going through the process of wading to a flat in the middle of a winter, carrying the proper gear and staying warm can be quite satisfying, when rewarded with a more than successful morning of fishing on a day when normally you wouldn’t expect a bite to be very good.
So get out there and do your homework.
Get out of the boat and learn the territory you’re fishing.
The experience of walking the flat can be much more intimate than just drifting over it in the boat which in turn should make you a better angler.
On my Just Reel charters, I’m fishing the inshore waters of Sarasota Bay.
Spotted sea trout are the most apparent catch with some mornings yielding 20-30 trout.
Live shrimp or jigs tipped with shrimp work well to catch the trout. Sizes are 12-20 inches.
Redfish are cooperating in the backcountry. Casting live shrimp around rocks and docks is leading to numerous hook ups on these fish.
Many reds are just short of 18 inches, although catching the boat limit of two keeper fish is attainable.
Lastly, while targeting reds I’m seeing a variety of other catches including flounder mangrove snapper sheepshead and an occasional black drum.
