Maverick, Colter, and Jacob Mabe, brothers from Kansas City, show off some yellowtail snapper and a couple nice red grouper, all caught on sardines in 140 feet of water Jan. 21 with Capt. David White of Anna Maria Charters.
Bill Mills of Flushing, Michigan, shows off a tasty hogfish that ate a live shrimp on the hook Jan. 20 on a fishing trip with Capt. David White of Anna Maria Charters.
After a mild cold front, fishing around Anna Maria Island is proving more accessible and productive.
Venturing offshore to ledges and wrecks is providing plenty of action on live shrimp.
An assortment of species are coming to the hook, including porgies, hogfish, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, flounder and Key West grunts.
Anna Maria Island is settling into a wintertime fishing pattern, including frequent cold fronts.
Picking days to head out on the water may prove challenging as we face many winter days of strong winds and rough seas.
This being said, watch the weather forecasts and narrow trips to the warmest days with the least wind.
If you’re strictly an inshore angler, this isn’t quite as crucial, as it’s fairly easy to get around and avoid the cold wind in the backcountry.
But, if you’re planning on getting out in the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll want to pay close attention to conditions.
Mitchell Keith of Chicago shows off a nice redfish Jan. 6 that decided to eat a pompano jig. The fish was released. Keith and her crew were fishing with Capt. David White of Anna Maria Charters.
With frequent cold fronts and variable air temperatures, fishing around Anna Maria Island is comparable to riding a roller coaster.
On cooler, windier days during the fronts, fishing is slightly challenging. With temperatures in the low to mid 50s, it’s hard to muster up the motivation to get out on the water. But have no fear, within a couple of days, temperatures are back on the rise and sometimes exceed 80 degrees.
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