We are starting to see signs of fall as we enter the month of September here in Bradenton and Anna Maria Island. This is my favorite time of year to be fishing. The redfish show up in good numbers, snook season is open for two months, the mangrove snapper fishing is still really good, and the Spanish Mackerel fishing is starting to fire up. Since we are starting to get shorter days and more rain it has cooled off on Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay it has felt a little more bearable out there after a very hot summer. This combination has also made for some great action on our fishing charters lately and will continue all into the winter. This is also a quiet time for tourism on Anna Maria Island which makes for little to no boat traffic on the weekdays in the intercoastal waterways.

The snook are still making their way back to their wintertime haunts from the beaches and passes that they have spent the summer at. As they move back into the Manatee River and some of the major creek systems near the river and in Sarasota Bay, they will eagerly eat a live or cut bait presented correctly. The Legal size for a snook is 28-33”. It can be tough to find a slot sized fish, but they are great fun catch and release regardless of the size.

The redfish are starting to get into their fall spawning pattern as they begin to gather into large schools. Finding a school of hungry redfish on our fishing charter can result in hours of rod bending action as they get triggered into a feeding frenzy. This really only happens in the spring and fall with the fall being the best time of year to target these fish.

The Spanish Mackerel have made a good appearance over the last few weeks in the Passes, deep grass flats, and the artificial reefs in the south shoreline of Tampa Bay. The ladyfish, jack crevelle, and sharks have been mixed in providing for fun drag pulling action on our fishing charters lately.

If you are looking for a fishing charter in the Bradenton or Anna Maria Island area, give me a call or text at 813-220-8725. You can also book directly on my website at onamissionfishing.com. I cater to family fishing and inexperienced anglers and even the seasoned pros. We use live bait caught fresh daily before I pick you up to go fishing. We use light action spinning reels and rods and fish mostly in the bay and calmer water. There is something to fish for year-round in Tampa Bay which makes for great charter fishing experiences.