Fishing has been great around Anna Maria Island

Capt. Taylor Cowieson
July 17, 2023
Bradenton - Saltwater Fishing Report

The inshore fishing in Tampa Bay and the Manatee River has been outstanding the last few weeks and will continue through the summer and into the fall. The next few months is the time to book an inshore fishing charter with us. The crowds start to thin out on the bay and there is lots of options as far as the fishing goes. The redfish take center stage as they begin to group up into large schools and forage the grass flats of Tampa Bay. Finding a school of these fish that are hungry can provide charter guests very good action with repeated hookups and fish upwards of 30 inches long. These larger breeder fish are catch and release over 27 inches long but provide for great sport. The snook fishing has been very consistent action all summer long. The snook are catch and release because they spawn during the summer months. We have caught and released fish upwards of 35+ inches. A fish that large on light tackle can be considered a fish of a lifetime. The snook fishing will continue to provide great action on our fishing charters through the summer and the fall. The mangrove snapper fishing has been a little later this summer and is just starting to get into full swing. We are targeting them on the rock piles throughout the bay and also catching them along the mangroves mixed in with the snook and redfish. These are some of the tastiest fish that we catch in our area and will be a good target for the next few months. We are allowed to harvest 5 mangrove snapper per person with a minimum length of 10 inches overall. The spotted seatrout have started to show up on the deep grass flats and have provided god action as well. The Spanish mackerel should not be far behind and will be mixed in with the spotted seatrout on the deep grass flats and also around the artificial reefs in Tampa Bay and the Skyway Bridge. The gag grouper season this year does not start until September but we have been catching and releasing plenty of healthy fish as by catch this whole summer. Gag grouper are one of the hardest fighting fish to target in the bay. There are still tarpon hanging around and some juvenile fish to target. The migratory fish are gone for the most part but we are still seeing fish around some days in the passes and around the bridges. There are also some sharks hanging around in the passes and around some of the barrier islands and sandbars for something fun to fight. Lots of things going on this time of year, depending on conditions for the day we are able to be successful and make memories for our guests.
If you are looking to book a fishing charter in the Anna Maria Island or Bradenton area give me a call or text 813-220-8725 to inquire/book. As summer comes to an end get the kids out to make some memories and have some fun before going back to school.

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