Winter time is in full swing here in Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. We are doing our best to work around the weather with it being an El Niño winter bringing a good amount of rain and cold fronts so far. We are still catching a variety of fish on our inshore fishing charters in Tampa Bay and the Manatee River. When the conditions for the day allow we have also been venturing into the Gulf of Mexico about 6-8 miles doing some bottom fishing for snapper, sheepshead, and the occasional hogfish or grouper.

Most of our fishing charters lately we have been focusing on the inshore fishing in Tampa Bay. We are fishing around some of the artificial reefs in the bay with live shrimp targeting sheepshead, whiting, seatrout, sugar trout, and the occasional mangrove snapper. We have also been able to target some bonnethead sharks the last few weeks when it is not too windy and have had great action. On some of the warmer days we are able to fish with whitebait (pilchards) we are still catching plenty of catch and release snook, jack crevelle, some seatrout, and redfish. We are mostly targeting the snook in the Manatee River in the areas with darker mud bottom and good current. The seatrout have been in some of the same areas as the bonnethead sharks in deep grass flats and deeper edges of the shallow grass flats. We are seeing some ladyfish in these areas as well which provide for fast, fun action on light tackle.

When we can make it out into the Gulf of Mexico we are getting very consistent action fishing live and dead shrimp on the bottom around the artificial reefs and natural limestone ledges. We are seeing more sheepshead as the winter goes on and they get into their spawning phase. There is also great eating white grunts “key west grunts” some mangrove snapper, porgies, and the elusive hogfish. We also encounter red grouper and gag grouper. Gag grouper is out of season right now and red grouper we get lucky every once in a while and land one big enough to keep. When the conditions are favorable to get out in the Gulf this is great for kids as it provides lots of action.

If you are looking for an inshore fishing charter in the Anna Maria or Bradenton area give me a call 813-220-8725. We provide everything you need for a fun day on the water. This is a great activity for the family, whether local or on vacation, and to entertain business clients.