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. Havent had much success for them since 3 years ago I was at Popeyes Cutt and they were taking poppers at dusk. Too much fun that! Will try to check out the areas you suggested. Thanks again!
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!!! } My bad. I have fished Anna Maria by wading once with the car but that explains the island I fished straight out of Cannon’s, its off LBK. Shows how well I know my Florida Geography when I’m only there once in a while. Any thoughts on Longboat Key? Sorry I will try to borrow the car and head to Anna if I can but if not I’ll keep probing around Longboat. I fished Popeyes Cutt (on Longboat?), also straight out from Cannons Marina. Also down the intracostal from there I found a nice patchy grass bed where I hit the trout last time. I know people also fish the bridge between the keys and just north and south of cannons on the bay side I’ve seen a lot of bait fishers. Anyway man I feel foolish. Thanks for all the help on Anna Maria, hope I get the chance to use it.
[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.
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).]
Hey sorry I havent posted since I got back. Been very busy. Fishing was good for trout. Couldnt keep the buggers off the line. Caught one fatty that went 24" but the rest were somewhere in the slot or even a few dinks below that. I managed one redfish from the surf on the gulf side of the island. Managed to hook into a snook that was shot out of a cannon and eventually lose it while smiling from ear to ear casting towards mangroves during high tide.
Best fishing btw was in Joan M Durante park. Lots of Sea Trout there. And obviously snook, swhere I lost mine and saw another one lost the same day. Plus some reds too. Saw one taken and heard from locals that is a good area. There is a nice sand bar, and good mangrove areas plus a trough there it really is a good set up for fishing.
Flies well actually what ended up being my go to’s were a shrimp pattern, then chartruese shrimp pattern - trout on both of these. The moment I switched to a red and white seaducer is when I got into the snook and also what took the largest trout as well. All in all I fished probably 3 days out of the 5 I was there and not traveling. It was a great time. I really feel like I’ve got a better understanding of the trout. Now if I can start catching Snook more regularly . Well it all takes time and I am only down there approx once per year and only in the spring.
Thanks for all the help everyone. TLs and if you need any Northwest advice ever drop a line.
Awright Joe!!!
Did you fish any of the places I told you about?
No I didnt have any time or transportation to get anywhere else. So I fished a concrete wall north of Cannons Marina on the gulf beach, or Joan M Durante park. I did fish gear for kings with my uncles one day from boat but we didnt find any nor see any taken.
The snook was a decent one, wish I could have gotten to touch her but at least she gave a great fight for a bit.
[This message has been edited by Matuka Joe (edited 25 April 2005).]
Hey, Joe, glad you caught some fish. Glad Durante Park paid off for you. It’s a nice place and I like fishing there.
How’s everyone doing? Another newbie here, can’t hold the silence any longer.
I’ll be fishing Anna Maria this weekend. I’ve been planning to fish just north of Longboat Key and the Southern end of Anna Maria on the beaches for anything cruising. I think there is a small flat w/mangroves nearby on the Southern end of Anna Maria, inside the bay, but I’m not sure. This sound good?
I’ve only caught a few salty species before, a handful of snook. Hows the fishing in the area looking now? Any particular flies catching big?
Joe,
When you lost the snook how did you lose it? Just wondering if you got cut off by the gill plates or wraped up or what?
Thanks,
Rusty <><
if you wanna catch something ya gotta get a hook in the water
Welcome aboard, Billy. I’m actually on the east coast, but fished Anna Maria for more than 26 years. Basically just read the above posts on this thread. The snook should be in the passes, or dang near it. May is one of the best times of the year to fish snook, especially the latter part of the month. Of course the “closed” months of June, July and August are very good along with the first few weeks of September. I like big hair bugs, sliders in particular.
yeah I wish I could be there now for Snook!
-When I lost the snoook he just threw the hook during a bit leap and head shake. It was great. I managed to only get gill line cut once or twice this year.
Well, local reports and weather look good…but who knows. Haha, planned trips are great, love that waiting feeling.