Capt. James Vadas
The weather has been hot around Anna Maria Island this month. The fishing has been even hotter! A recent trip was productive, with some returning anglers who wanted to catch some really big red grouper and American red snapper. So, we headed about 50 miles offshore with “Captain Philip” with “Just Kicking Back”. On the first stop in about 150 feet of water the sonar screen was full of fish. We dropped our fish finder rigs with 60# fluorocarbon, 4 oz egg sinker, 80lb swivel, and 6/0 hook. Almost immediately one of the anglers “got broke off” by a red grouper who grabbed the bait and ran into the rocks. Grouper can be tough to catch if given the chance to swim into a hole or ledge. With some patience, they sometimes will swim out and you can still reel them in. The fish bite seemed to slow down after we lost that fish, so we went to another spot just a couple miles away. That spot was loaded with fish as well! I spotted a Mahi on the surface and with some quick action by Captain Philip, we ended up with a nice Mahi in the cooler.
On our way back, we stopped at the first spot, the one where the angler “got broke off” on a big grouper. That grouper was still hungry because we actually caught him again! This time the angler got a second chance at him. He quickly and without hesitation was able to get him off the bottom. We know it was the same fish as he had the hook still in his mouth that was broke off in him just a few hours before!
On the inshore side of the Island we have been catching snook all over the flats from Rattle Snake Point all the way to Egmont Key. These most recent near shore trips around Anna Maria Island and Tampa Bay have been spent catching snook with live pilchards and artificial lures for a couple of hours “catch and release”, but then we also spend a couple hours catching mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel and gag grouper to fill the cooler for dinner. We are very blessed to live and fish in water with so many amazing species and opportunity to enjoy them! Tight lines and God bless, Captain James.
