Capt. Mark Howard
SumoTime Fishing Charters LLC
www.SumoTimeFishing.com
941-704-6763 cell
Island Discount Tackle Charter Desk: (941) 779-2838
www.KeyesMarina.com
—–Fishing this past week out of Island Discount Tackle on Anna Maria island has produced some amazing and action packed fish catching opportunities on our beautiful waters of Manatee county.
—–The Spring pattern is just now taking hold with the inshore slam; snook ,speckled trout.and redfish coming alive on to the flats and feeding heavily as they start their exit from their Winter time hang outs ,docks and deep water, onto the their Springtime haunts,flats and potholes. On my recent charters we have been concentrating on snook as the season opened March 1. Now is the best time to get one for the dinner table . Rallies of 20 fish a trip have been the norm when you can find moving warm water and their feeding stations. This week’s “High Hook”went to snowbird Robert Lyons,85,of Davenport Fl and Saratoga NY with a pair of over slot snook 36″ and 34” snook all caught while fishing seated on a cushion fishing with a bobber and a large shiner . After pictures both fish were released to fight another day . The key to catching the big ones has been to use the biggest shiners in your live well and tossing your baits a country mile away from your boat.
—–Redfish and big speckled trout are also invading the flats and chewing. Look for the fish to stage on the outside bars of flats on the low tide and then move up into the bushes as the tides move toward high tide. Use a popping cork rigged with a 2/0 hook and a 5ft piece of fluorocarbon leader and make it gurgle to attract the predators.
—–Looking forward, the cold fronts are getting weaker and the water temperature is rising which are bellwethers for some fantastic fishing around our Manatee waters. The shiners are at the Skyway bridge and starting to make a show on the flats. The moon phase will be on the increase working toward the full moon on the 16 March which means increasing tides and some fantastic fishing ahead for us! Remember to keep the slack out of your line and feel the thump of the predator inhaling the bait .