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Sheephead- winter staple when conditions are tough. Found around structure, in and around Longboat Key waters, crustacean feeder, fished with live shrimp, crabs, etc. Good fighters, good eating fish, can be tough to hook. They are great bait stealers, average 3-lbs., legal limit 15 per person 12" min.
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Grouper(pictured) and Snapper - mostly fished in the Gulf of Mexico, offshore bottom fishing with dead or live bait, but can be found inshore Sarasota Bay and Tampa Bay on small reefs and ledges in as little as 10ft. of water where it becomes a tug of war to pull them away from structure. Legal limits vary between species.
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Speckled Trout - they are making a come back in recent years, favoring the cover of healthy sea grass beds that border Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island, can be taken on live and artificial baits. Legal size limits are 15" to 20". Most large fish are released to protect the species. Year round resident.
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Cobia - Tough fighter caught mostly on live bait but can hammer a top water plug at times. They prefer structure like reefs and wrecks, but can be found cruising the beaches right on the surface. Can be found in Tampa Bay, Sarasota Bay and Gulf of Mexico. Legal limit 33" (1 per person)
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Tarpon - These giants are mainly fished from May through July. Found cruising the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico in large schools. Generally live baits are used, setting up quietly in front of an oncoming school, often being able to watch a 100lb fish devour your bait. Once hooked these silver giants take to the air for a heart stopping display of power - all fish are released. |
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Snook - prime target for backwater light tackle. Found around the many mangrove shorelines that dot the bays around Longboat Key to Tampa Bay. Year round residents but most active during warm months. Hard fighters, great top water displays, legal limits 1 per person 26" to 34" mostly released to protect species. |
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Redfish - found in channels, deep pot holes to shallow grass beds that surround Sarasota and Tampa Bays. Can be fished with live bait or artificial lures, the latter being a great choice for locating schools when spread out on high tide shallow flats. They can at times be found in huge schools where you can actually see the water rise as they move. Legal limit 1 per person 18' to 27" all under and oversized released. |
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King Mackerel - most abundant on spring and fall runs. Found closer to shore and in more numbers at these times. Average size range from 5 to 20 lbs. but get much bigger. Can peel off line at an unbelievable rate. Legal limit 2 per person, min. 24". |
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Bonito or Littletunny - another tough fighter found with king and spanish mackerel up and down the beaches of Longboat Key, basically a small tuna they have the speed of a king and the strength of a Jack. Generally not a food fish but cleaned right, good eats. |
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Spanish Mackerel - small cousin of the king, plentiful and a lot of fun on light tackle. Legal limit 15 per person 12" min. The fish in this picture was caught with a Spujo Lure! The picture can be viewed larger on the Spujo Web Site |
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Jack Cravelle - Finally gaining respect as a fine sport fish rather than just poor table fare. Found in Sarasota Bay and Gulf of Mexico on grass flats, shore lines, reefs, you never know where you might suddenly see them explode on a bait school. One of the toughest fighter for their size when targeted in a school can turn a boat into a mad house when everyone hooks up at once. No legal limits average 5 to 15 lbs. |
Note: Legal limits change yearly. Check updated restrictions regularly.
