March 2017 Monthly Fishing Report
Anna Maria Island Fishing in March
March 31, 2017
Hogfish, Sheepshead, Snapper, Mackerel, Pompano, Permit
—Fishing around Anna Maria Island and Tampa Bay this March has been fun. We have been fishing as far from shore as the wind allowed us to go. On calmer days, I have been taking my 26 foot SeaCat offshore 5 to 10 miles to bottom fish for hogfish, porgies, sheepshead, snapper, kingfish and mackerel. When the weather kept us closer to shore, the target species’ have included sheepshead, snapper, pompano and permit. All month, live shrimp have been our primary bait. As the water warmed, shiners began to appear locally and we used them as well.
Nice Mangrove Snapper
First kingfish of the season
Anna Maria Island Spring Kingfish
Spring Has Sprung!
March 12, 2017
King Mackerel, Spanish Mackerel
—Around Tampa Bay and Anna Maria Island, fishermen usually relate the arrival of spring with two events: shiners in the grass flats and skyrocketing king mackerel. Well, shiners are in the grass and we caught our first kingfish of the season yesterday. I guess it’s springtime!
—I have been fishing around 10 miles offshore on most of the charter fishing trips lately, using live shrimp and other frozen baits. Snapper and hogfish have been the main targets. Yesterday, in addition to live shrimp, the live well was also filled with shiners, in hopes that we could find our first kingfish of the season.
Anna Maria Early March Fishing
Anna Maria Island Fishing Guide
March 6, 2017
Sheepshead, Mangrove Snapper
Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay, Anna Maria Island Waters
—Fishing near shore structure over the last few weeks in Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico west of Anna Maria Island has often been an exciting story. Sheepshead, hogfish, mangrove snapper, lane snapper, triggerfish, porgies, grunts and more have been eagerly taking live bait fished near the bottom.
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