Earlier in the week, before the wind started to howl, my clients enjoyed some more good action with spawning sheepshead, mangrove snapper, grouper, mackerel, and hogfish on the reefs offshore of Anna Maria & Longboat Key. When the winds shifted more to the south at weeks end, trips out there were out of the question. As I write this the winds continue high and hopefully things will settle for the upcoming week.
Inshore was a challenge due to the wind and cool night time air temperatures that knocked the water temperatures back substantially. Bait was much harder to procure and the bloom was off the bite for a few days. The southern fetch of wind over the weekend coupled with warm, sunny days should serve to get things back up to speed pretty quickly this week.
When the fish did cooperate, redfish up to 25 inches, trout to 23 inches, pompano, and a few slot sized snook came aboard the "DEE JAY II" from North Sarasota Bay. Surprisingly, shrimp accounted for more fish than either white bait or pinfish. There were a couple of days mid-week that were the toughest I have encountered in some time.
Remaining optimistic, April should shape up to be the hot ticket month with" everything coming up fishes." Good luck and good fishing - be careful out there!!
Capt. Zach Zacharias "DEE JAY II"
941-795-5026
email:zachcap@aol.com
Docked at Parrot Cove Marina/Sunny Shores
115th St W and 36th Ave. Cortez, FL 34215 on the shore of Palma Sola Bay.