More wind, cloudy water conditions create obstacles for anglers

With more windy days than calm days in March so far, Anna Maria Island anglers will take what they can get in order to have a day of fishing. 

With the combination of cold fronts and variable winds of 20-plus m.p.h. on many days, anglers are wracking their brains trying to find any sort of consistency while on the water. 

The good days on the water while inshore fishing can be quite good while other days are a challenge. Finding clear, clean water is the first step in finding the bite. 

In many instances, this week while out on the water, I found the clearer the water the better the bite. Spotted seatrout are a good indicator for this. In areas where many trout were present during the clear conditions, a change in water clarity diminished the bite considerably, leaving me to think the fish have moved. In many cases I was right. Finding clear water typically proved the point as the trout bite would then again improve. 

Water temperature also play a factor as the frequency of cold fronts is keeping the water temps low. This plays a factor while snook fishing. A few weeks back, I was seeing water temps up to 74 degrees and let me tell you the snook came out the woodwork. Several days of some excellent snook fishing occurred and then another cold front appeared. And as water temps dropped in the lower sixties, the snook bite diminished to mediocre.

So, I guess what we’re looking at here is a need for consistency to bring things back to order. And probably after this front we are experiencing they will. 

March in central Florida is always known for being a month where the weather can go either way and this March so far is staying cool and windy. But April is right around the corner and considerably good fishing days will be here before we know it so hang in there and brave the wind. 

On my Just Reel charters, I’m finding spotted seatrout to be the most consistent action. Depending on wind and tide, I’m finding trout in a variety of areas. Deeper grass flats in 6-8 feet of water are holding good numbers of fish measuring 14-22 inches. In these areas there are more fish on the smaller range of the slot. On shallower flats, I’m seeing a consistently greater number of larger fish. In fact, on some days it’s hard to catch a slot-size fish because everything is too big. 

Casting free-lined live shiners over the shallows is working well, while over the deeper flats addition of a split shot is making a difference of catching a few or catching a lot. 

Snook fishing on the flats is going pretty well. It seems later in the day and the higher the tide the better the snook bite. As for redfish, I’m seeing them mixed in with the snook on most areas.