The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 15 No. 23 - April 1, 2015

reel time

Anglers welcome signs of spring

Reel time

CAPTAIN BRYON CHAMBERLIN | SUBMITTED

Cobia have a way of showing up out of the blue
in the early spring. Be prepared and you can
cash in on the action.

 

Spring is here. I can feel it, even if the fish haven’t given a clear signal yet. My tangerine tree is showing the first hint of blooms and I recently heard the first whippoorwill trilling in the pre-dawn darkness. These have proven to be sure signs of spring and welcome harbingers to local anglers.

This doesn’t mean that there won’t be another cold snap, even if the calendar says it's spring. Experience tells the savvy angler that fish have their own special calendar, one that consists more of the angle of the sun and the length of the day than the temperature and the predictions of the weatherman. Water temperatures that hover in the 70s bring fish out of their winter haunts. It doesn’t matter if it’s winter one day and spring the next.

Even if the weather tells us a different story, we know to start watching for the signs of spring. We’ll keep an eye on the Gulf, looking for the first snook in the surf and for wheeling, diving sea birds as they feast on schools of baitfish that will begin to gather off the beaches in their seasonal primal ritual.

We know from experience that schools of little tunny, Spanish mackerel, cobia and kingfish won’t be far behind. It could be just a matter of days before they will be swarming the bait schools, wrecks, reefs and hard bottom just off the beaches.

In the bay, schools of trout, redfish and snook also will be roaming the flats in search of pilchards, shrimp and glass minnows to replenish themselves from their winter fast. Spring is the time when local anglers have a host of piscatorial choices and some of the best conditions to pursue them.

Of course, it can all seem just an illusion as another front riles the Gulf, sending chill winds and muddy water into the bay, forcing us to put on a sweatshirt. It’s a sort of swing time and the kind of weather that plays with the emotions of the die-hard angler. But hope springs eternal, and we know from experience that it won’t be long before the prophecy is realized. That’s why it’s time to be prepared, flies tied and tackle ready for that day when it’s no longer a question of when it will happen, but what species we’ll fish for!

I like this time of year even if it can be exasperating. One day the flats and Gulf can be barren, and the next the action red hot. That’s why it so important to be ready for just about anything. Having a rig on board that can handle a big cobia or kingfish makes good sense, and having wire at hand in case the toothy kings make an appearance can make the difference between frustration and success. It’s a game of search and discover and the anglers that are persistent will eventually be rewarded. If bait isn’t showing, try fishing the areas they are attracted to. Many times I’ve worked a top water plug or fly over structure and found fish where there was no outward sign of their presence.

In the bay, work the areas of the flats that hold fish during the season, particularly the seams adjacent to sand areas and the potholes. Pay particular attention to the deep grass that is often present at the end of a hole and work your casts into the area by casting short and then progressing right over the hole. I think top water plugs and flies are particularly effective when you’re hunting for fish and can be an invaluable aid in finding action.

Whatever you’re fishing style or whether you like fishing the Gulf or bays, take advantage of this swing time, and eventually you’ll be rewarded with the promise of spring.


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