Fishing Anna Maria Island
Anyone have any reports or advice on fishing on Anna Maria Island? I'll be heading down next week. I hear there is a red tide.Any thoughts? I've really only fished there 3 or 4 times on the fly. Am without a boat so that should be noted. Have done okay in the past on lady fish, a few snook, some trout too. Really would like to increase my odds. Thanks for any info and if anyone wants a fishing partner I'm game!
If you're ever in Oregon I could show a few spots.
Matuka...
I've fished Anna Maria for 26, or so, years. Actually my favorite months are May and Sept. when the big snook hang around Bean Point on the tip of the island. Fish the beaches on the tip area just past the Rod and Reel Pier. There's a steep drop off (to 34'). I fish heavily dressed glass minnows for Spanish mackeral, and hair bugs at dawn. I always had a boat, so I wasn't too limited. Just north and east of there is the Skyway Bridge. Slenon, Harold Hattaway and PureBS took Ed Mercado and me there a few months ago and there is a flat N/E of the bridge. Very nice flats with good cover. I know for a fact there is a snook with a lip ache still there. I fish my golden bend back mostly.
Thanks Flats Dude. I might get a kayak via renting. I did that last year and got into a good number of ladyfish and trout off Sisters Key? I think? Straight out of Cannon's Marina... but I really prefer snook.
Joe, if you get a yak, go to Holmes Beach at 63rd street. At the tennis courts, there is a boat ramp. Paddle out of the channel of the little lagoon and there are flats on the left and right of the side channel that goes out to the Intercoastal. They hold trout and reds, and snook in the early and late summer.
Then, on the other side of the Intercoastal, there is a small island behind Leverocks, from that island, east to the Manatee River is an expansive flat that I've caught hundreds of reds. There is a sandbar outside of these flats that is visable at low tide. Cross to the other side of the sandbar and fish from the shoreline out to the bar (we always called that bar "The Bulkhead".)
Closer to the Manatee river, there is a very large home (fairly new). Just to the west of that home is a little cut inside, there you should find reds and snook.
Again, if you rent a yak, and it's calm enough, check out the large channel markers outside of the flat I just mentioned. If it's a weekday, launch a big hairbug into the pilings and hang on to your gear. Big cobia like to hang out there. Last one I got was 60 lbs...One day marker has three pilings and the other one has four.
Good luck and go out to the Sandbar and Grill and eat some conch fritters for me!
Thanks again Flats Dude. A wealth of information for me to take down with me. I mostly use clousers and tie up a few salt water creations of my own. Though last year was a shrimp pattern year I picked up at a shop. The unfortunate thing about the yak (though I will see what can be done) if I rent it is that I am without a real car other than relatives and hate to borrow theirs so I launched right out of Cannon's where we stay. Though I have taken the car to run up to the cut and a few other spots but without boat. Afterall its my granfather's buick!
I know Leverocks though. We often go there at least once while I am visiting. Oh yeah before I forget what the heck is a hairbug? Man saltie flies... if you're ever in the NW you should go for Summer Steelhead.
Joe, if you would post your email addy, I'd send you a photo of the hairbug and the golden bendback. The hairbug is a spun deer hair slider in mullet colors. It's tied on a Mustad 3407 2/0...
cloud_carver@yahoo.com - thanks again.
Okay so how dumb am I. Was just thinking about Cannon's Marina and realized its on Longboat Key not Anna Maria!!! }
[This message has been edited by Matuka Joe (edited 01 April 2005).]
Fla tips from a Coloradoan, if you can believe them:
1-At the extreme south end of Longboat, just before you hit the bridge to Lido, veer right and park and walk the trail under the bridge and around the tip of the key to the east side. You can wade all over in there and catch trout and ladyfish.
2-North end of Lido on the east side, near the museum and Pelican Man's, there are several accesses and parks and ramps. On the south end there's a beach park with a trail to some decent spots, but lotsa bait fishers.
3-Cross the new bridge on Ringling and go north on 41 to Whitfield Ave. (Or cross up on Cortez and go south on 41). Take it west to a dead end, where you can park amongst the pricey homes and wade the flats all through there.
4-Northern half of LBK, just north of where the road passes right along the beach, there's a pull-off on the beach side that's secluded if you like to surf cast. Or there are accesses further up on the east/bay side that give access to some flats.
5-Emerson Point on the north side of the Manattee is nice. Fish the north side or try the river side.
Have fun.
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Idlerick
Flats Dude, could you e-mail me the recipes for your spun deerhair slider and the golden bendback. I'd love to see them. flherd1971@yahoo.com
Thanks,
[This message has been edited by Steve_G (edited 16 April 2005).]
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