Spring like temperatures, shiners and shrimp work for hookups

Fishing in between the cold fronts is providing fairly consistent action for those trying to catch fish around Anna Maria Island.

With spring-like temperatures, some anglers are still willing to use shiners as bait, which is resulting in good catch-and-release snook action in addition to Spanish mackerel, ladyfish and catch-and-release spotted seatrout. 

Cashing in on these warmer conditions is great when they are offered to us. For those looking for some fish to take home for dinner, switching to live shrimp as bait is where it’s at.

Sheepshead, black drum, mangrove snapper and pompano are attracted to shrimp and are being caught with some regularity. Targeting structure is working for the sheepies, drums and snappers. As for the pompano, casting jigs tipped with shrimp along the beaches and over deep grass flats is proving to be successful. 

Fishing offshore is producing action on hogfish, grunts and snappers when using shrimp as bait. Using live bait, such as pinfish, is working well for amberjack and grouper.