Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter

Anna Maria Island is, frankly, one of the best stretches of saltwater in the United States to drop a line in. Seven miles of barrier island, at the mouth of Tampa Bay, with the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Anna Maria Sound to the east, and Egmont Key parked off the north end. From Bean Point at the north tip down to Coquina Beach at the south, you have piers, passes, beaches, flats, and channels all within minutes of each other. Different fish, different tactics, different stages of every tide. It’s why people travel from all over the country to fish here. Our most popular trip from Anna Maria Island is our inshore fishing charter, targeting redfish and trout on the flats.

Captain Charlie Tita has been working these waters for over 35 years. He’s a Tampa Bay native, USCG-licensed, and runs Native Fishing Adventures out of 801 Riverside Dr in Bradenton, a short run from the island. Trips can pick up right in Holmes Beach, or from the Bradenton Beach Pier, and he’ll tailor the day to what’s biting and what you want to do.

Why Anna Maria Island is highly special

Three things make this fishery world-class:

Bait, structure, and current all converge here. The mouth of Tampa Bay funnels nutrients, baitfish, and predators through the passes around AMI. Egmont Key sits right at the bay mouth. Passage Key Inlet, between the north end of the island and the Skyway, is one of the prime fish staging areas on the Gulf coast.

Tarpon migration runs right through here. From late April into August, hundreds of thousands of tarpon move through the passes and beaches around the island. Captain Charlie has spent 30+ summers learning these fish, and Anna Maria sits at the heart of one of the world’s three best tarpon fisheries (alongside Boca Grande and the Keys). From May through July, we run tarpon charters right off the island's beaches.

Snook on the beach. This is the experience that surprises out-of-state anglers the most. From May through August, snook stack up along AMI’s Gulf beaches in clean, sight-fishable water. We walk the boat down the beach, spot cruising fish, and cast at them. It’s flats fishing in saltwater you can swim in.

Where we fish around Anna Maria Island

Spot What it produces

Bean Point (north tip) Snook, redfish, tarpon, mackerel, shoreline snook and the pass

Passage Key Inlet Tarpon (peak season), snook, big trout

Egmont Key area Tarpon, snook, mackerel, sharks, snapper

AMI Gulf beaches Beach snook, mackerel, pompano (spring), tarpon

Anna Maria Sound (bayside) Trout, redfish, sheepshead, snapper

Bimini Bay & residential canals Cold-weather snook, redfish

The flats off Holmes Beach Trout, redfish, snook, jacks

Longboat Pass area Snook, tarpon, mackerel, redfish

You’ll notice we don’t fish from the City Pier, the Rod and Reel Pier, or the Bradenton Beach Pier. These are great spots for shore-based anglers, but on a charter we have access to far more productive areas. Locals who know the area always end up fishing from a boat, for a good reason!

Local landmarks our trips run past

If you’re new to AMI and want a sense of what your trip will look like, here’s the geography:

Bean Point Beach at the north tip, where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico. Some of the best beach views on the island.
Anna Maria City Pier (100 N Bay Blvd) and Rod and Reel Pier (875 N Shore Dr), historic pier landmarks visible from the water
Manatee Public Beach in the middle of the island, the busiest swimming beach
Coquina Beach at the south end, our turnaround point on a lot of beach trips
Sunshine Skyway Bridge dominating the eastern horizon, with Egmont Key visible to the northwest. On clear days the views from the boat are extraordinary.

What we target by season

Spring (March–May): Spanish mackerel arrive in big schools, kingfish show up, snook stage at pass mouths, and the first tarpon appear in late April.

Summer (June–August): Peak tarpon, snook on the beaches, mangrove snapper steady, kid’s fishing trips perfect on the flats.

Fall (September–November): Bull redfish in the bay, trophy snook feeding hard, kingfish migration, mackerel everywhere.

Winter (December–February): Sheepshead on structure, redfish in protected water, big trout, snook in canals and warmer creek systems.

There is no bad month to fish AMI. The species change. The bite continues.

Tips for fishing Anna Maria Island

A few things from 35+ years on this water:

Tide matters more than time of day. Captain Charlie picks the trip start time around tide stage, not just sunrise. Some days the best bite is mid-afternoon.
Wind direction changes everything. A north wind in winter or an east wind in summer can shut down the Gulf side. We have backup plans for every direction.
The passes are alive at change of tide. Both incoming and outgoing transitions are when bait moves and predators feed.
AMI gets crowded in season. Boat traffic on weekends, especially around Coquina Beach and the passes, can be heavy March through July. We work around it.
Bring polarized sunglasses. Sight fishing for snook on the beach is a real possibility in summer and you need to see fish to cast at them.

Logistics for AMI visitors

Where to meet us: Default is 801 Riverside Dr E in Bradenton. From AMI, that's a 15 to 20 minute drive across the Manatee Avenue (SR 64) bridge. Plenty of parking on site.
Kingfish Boat Ramp pickup: 752 Manatee Ave, Holmes Beach. With advance arrangement, we can pick you up here. Note that this is a working public ramp with a no-frills dirt parking lot, can fill up on busy weekends, but it saves the trip across the bridge.
The free Anna Maria Island trolley runs the length of the island and can drop you within walking distance of various meeting spots. Worth knowing if you don't want to drive on vacation.
Food and drinks aboard: Bring what you want. The Parker 25 has cooler space and we provide ice. Coming back hungry, the Anna Maria Oyster Bar (multiple AMI locations), Sandbar Restaurant (100 Spring Ave, near Bean Point), and Beach House Waterfront Restaurant in Bradenton Beach are all walking distance from various points. The Rod and Reel Pier restaurant is one of the great Old Florida dining experiences if you want to extend the day.

Anna Maria Island fishing FAQs

Where do AMI fishing charters depart from? Our charters depart from 801 Riverside Dr E in Bradenton, with optional pickup at Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach by arrangement. Some other charters depart from Coquina ramp at the south end of AMI or from Cortez.

Do I need a fishing license on Anna Maria Island? Not on our charter. The captain's license covers everyone on board.

What's the best month for tarpon at Anna Maria Island? June is the consensus pick. Mid-May through mid-July is the broader peak.

Are there sharks around Anna Maria Island? Yes. Blacktips, bonnetheads, the occasional bigger shark, especially around Egmont Key and the passes. We can target them specifically if your group is interested.

Can we fish from the AMI piers instead? You can, and the City Pier, Rod and Reel Pier, and Bradenton Beach Pier all allow it. Pier fishing is fun and cheap. It's also limited to whatever swims past the pier. A boat charter gives you access to dozens of productive spots that piers can't reach.

Will we see dolphins? Almost always. Dolphins are common in the passes and around bait pods. They're not always good for fishing (they eat hooked fish), but they're great to watch.

What if I'm staying in Holmes Beach or Bradenton Beach instead of Anna Maria proper? The whole island is 7 miles long. Anywhere on AMI is within 15 minutes of every potential meeting point.

Is fishing good year-round on Anna Maria Island? Yes. Different species peak at different times, but the calendar always has something biting.

What about Egmont Key? Can we go there? Yes. Egmont Key is one of our most-visited spots, both for fishing (especially tarpon and snook in summer) and for snorkel stops on family trips. It's a state park with an incredible history (lighthouse, fort ruins, abundant wildlife).

Can we keep the fish? Within Florida regulations, yes. Catch is cleaned and bagged at the dock at the end of the trip.

Book your Anna Maria Island fishing charter

Anna Maria Island is special and a charter with a real local captain is the best way to experience it on the water. Call (727) 331-1532 or book online.

Other areas we cover: Holmes Beach, Bradenton Beach, Palmetto, and Cortez.

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