Lately we have been experiencing some unseasonably warm weather making for some interesting fishing conditions. There is still plenty of action to make for a successful day of fishing, just have to know the right spots. The fish are more concentrated in certain areas because we have had some pretty strong cold fronts but not enough to keep the water temps from climbing back up into the high 60s and low 70s for another week or more at a time. This has kept a lot of fish out on the more exposed flats and mangrove shorelines were we would find them in the spring and fall. That is not to say that some fish have made it into the wintertime haunts just not the majority. There are definitely signs of wintertime fishing and the next few weeks look like we are going to get a good couple fronts to kick it off.

On the inshore scene we are seeing more sheepshead around the last couple days and the next full moon should really kick off the fishing for these tasty fish. I like to target them around docks, rock piles, artificial reefs, and bridges. 20 lb leader, a small J hook and a live or cut piece of shrimp is an effective bait for sheepshead as well as fiddler crabs. In the Manatee River there has been a lot of action with schools of jack crevelle and ladyfish which makes for fast action and fun for anglers on our fishing charters. There has been really good action on snook on some of the mangrove shorelines in the river as well. We are encountering a redfish here and there while snook fishing but the redfish action is not near what it was a couple months ago. Out near the beach and some of the passes there has been pompano here and there and some bonnet head sharks. There is also quite a few jack crevelle cruising the beaches. Live pilchards and live shrimp have been the two baits of choice on our inshore fishing charters lately. The next few months will be more shrimp fishing if we get some cooler weather.

On some of the near shore hard bottom areas and ledges 6-8 miles into the Gulf of Mexico we are getting steady action with mangrove snapper, key west grunts, sheepshead, and the occasional hogfish. For these fish we are dropping live and dead shrimp to the bottom with a small lead to keep it on the bottom. There is a lot of bonita moving through these same areas feeding on schools of small baitfish. These fish travel high in the water column and give a great drag screaming fight if we hook into one. There are tripletails out there too and we have been encountering a few fish here and there out in the gulf but most have been on the smaller side lately.

The weather has been beautiful and the fish are biting! If you are looking to do a fishing charter in the Bradenton or Anna Maria Island areas give me a call or text 813-220-8725. You can also book online through my website https://www.onamissionfishing.com/.