Inshore trio — redfish, snook and trout — coming to the hook
Fishing around Anna Maria Island in September can have its ups and downs.
And with the extreme heat and numerous thunderstorms that seem to pop up out of nowhere, finding that sweet spot when the tides are right and the fish are biting can be challenging.
On the other hand, when everything seems to align perfectly, you can experience some exceptional fishing in September.
Throughout the inshore winters, the hot topic is snook fishing due to snook season reopening in September. But finding snook on the flats isn’t as easy as it’s cracked up to be due to high water temps. That being said, fishing the passes, beaches and even some of the artificial reefs can produce some larger snook and if you’re lucky, maybe one in the slot.
September can also bring the first arrival of schools of redfish in the backcountry. Finding these schools isn’t always a guarantee, but when you do find one it can be a memorable experience. Catching one redfish after another for the better part of an hour can wear out your arms and you’ll have fish stories for weeks to come.
Spotted seatrout are yet another species on the flats that can be caught regularly in September — if you can locate them. The hardest part is finding keeper-size trout. Many areas holding trout will be infested with fish measuring 12-14 inches. On some mornings, you may see 20-30 trout, but only have one or two to put in the cooler.
That’s September for you.
Lastly, if you’re looking for dinner, mangrove snapper are a pretty good bet. They gather around structure and can be found fairly easily. Bridges, piers, docks wrecks and reefs. All of these areas will suffice. Just remember to use some light leader and a small hook as the snapper can be finicky. The most intricate irregularity in your bait can turn them off, so be as stealthy as you can.
