Cold fronts bring changes to temps, targeted fish

With October bringing in the first cold fronts of the season, Anna Maria Island anglers are anticipating the change the weather as well as the fishing.

Depending on how drastic the cold fronts are, will greatly affect what species will be the most apparent. Water temps dropping into the mid 70s should trigger a migration of kingfish which is always a welcome sight.

Large migrations of bait are already occurring throughout Tampa Bay and along the Gulf beaches which is the perfect recipe to serve up for migratory fish such as Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, jack crevalle and especially kingfish. And then the bite is on, it can be come of the most exiting fishing of the fall season. All of these fish are high-speed predators and are worthy of dumping a spool of line shortly after being hooked. And, with all of this commotion, you can bet that the sharks aren’t far behind. In fact, they’ll be eating your fish right off the hook if you take too long reeling them in.

And, don’t forget about the back country. A couple decent cold spells should trigger snook to start staging on the flats, gorging themselves on bait in preparation of the cooler months.  The same applies for spotted seatrout. And when targeting the trout, don’t hesitate to toss a topwater plug in the area for some explosive action on big trout. Seeing a large trout eat a lure can be satisfying to the angler.

Lastly, don’t forget about fishing the piers in October. With large schools of bait gathering around the structure, you can bet on encountering all sorts of species. Jack crevalle, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel can be targeted as well as bluefish, ladyfish and blue runners. You may also encounter snook, redfish and black drum while casting baits under the piers. So come prepared with some heavier rods as well as the lighter stuff for the migratory fish.