Anna Maria Island
Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter
Inshore, nearshore and tarpon trips around Anna Maria Island, running from a dock on the Manatee River in Bradenton.
From $425 for three hours · priced per boat, not per person · six anglers maximum
What we fish
Inshore, nearshore and tarpon.
Where we launch
801 Riverside Dr E, Bradenton, FL 34208. Free parking on site.
Also nearby
Egmont Key, Cortez and lower Tampa Bay.
Old Florida, still standing
Seven miles of barrier island across the mouth of Tampa Bay, split between three small cities. Building heights are capped here, so the skyline stayed low — cottages, pastel storefronts and sea grape rather than towers. People come back to the same week of the year for decades.
Passes at both ends
Passage Key Inlet cuts in at the north end and Longboat Pass at the south, with Bean Point at the island’s northern tip where the Gulf meets the bay. Moving water at the passes, grassflats and mangrove shoreline behind.
What the island is known for
Snook along the beaches and around the passes through the warmer months, redfish and trout over the flats behind the island. The Rod & Reel Pier and the Anna Maria City Pier have been landmarks for generations.
Island fishing
Planning an Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter
Anna Maria Island has water on every side, and each side fishes differently. Tampa Bay meets the Gulf at the north end. Sarasota Bay runs along the back. The passes at either end move a lot of water on every tide, and the fish know it.
An Anna Maria Island fishing charter with Nautical Native can use all of that. Which part you fish on the day comes down to the tide, the wind and what your group is after.
Three sides of one island
The bay side is the calm one. Grassflats, oyster bars and mangrove shoreline hold snook, redfish and spotted seatrout in shallow water that rarely gets rough. Most first trips spend their time here.
The passes are busier. Tide pours through them, bait gets swept along, and gamefish sit at the edges of the current waiting for it. Snook stack up here in the warmer months, and in summer tarpon roll through.
Out front is the open Gulf. On calm days the nearshore ledges and wrecks hold snapper and grouper, with kingfish when they’re running.
Reading the passes
The passes at either end of the island fish best when the tide is really moving. On the flood, clear Gulf water pushes into the bay and bait rides in with it. On the ebb it all drains back out, and fish set up at the mouth to meet it.
Slack water between tides is usually quiet. That’s a good time to move, from the pass to the flats behind the island, or along the beach to look for snook cruising the trough.
It’s also why a trip from the island is rarely planned by the clock alone. Tell Charlie which mornings you’re free and he’ll pick the one with the best tide.
Matching the trip to your stay
Most island guests start with an inshore morning of three or four hours. It’s dependable all year, it works for complete beginners, and you’re back in time for the beach.
If you’re here between May and August and you’ve always wanted to hook a tarpon, the passes around the island are the place to try. Have a look at our tarpon fishing charters and book that trip first. The season is short and the good dates go.
Groups who want heavier fish can head nearshore on a six or eight hour day when the Gulf lies down.
Meeting the boat
Plenty of island guests would prefer not to drive to the mainland. Pickup at the Kingfish Boat Ramp in Holmes Beach can be arranged in advance, so mention it when you book and Charlie will confirm a time. Trips also leave from the Bradenton dock on the Manatee River, where parking is free.
Either way, be there a few minutes early. Each trip is timed around the tide.
What changes with the seasons
Spring is when the water warms, bait floods the beaches and snook wake up. Summer means tarpon, early starts and an eye on the afternoon storms. Fall tends to be settled, and redfish often school on the flats. Winter is quieter in the shallows, though sheepshead and trout keep inshore trips busy.
None of it runs to a fixed calendar. Call before you book and ask what’s biting that week.
A few island tips
Spring break, summer and the holidays are the island’s busiest weeks, so book ahead for those.
If the forecast looks mixed, fish early in your stay. A trip booked for your last morning has nowhere to move to if the weather turns.
Planning to keep a few fish? Cleaning is included, and a cooler in the car gets the fillets back to the rental in good shape.
Bring a hat that stays on. The run around the end of the island can be breezy, even on a warm day.
Questions people ask
Is there a minimum age?
No. Children of any age are welcome, and kids’ rods are aboard. Younger ones usually do best on a shorter trip behind the island.
How long should we book?
Three or four hours covers the bay side properly. Go for six or eight if you want the passes and the Gulf too, or extra time for tarpon to show.
Can we fish the Gulf side of the island?
On calm days, yes. When the wind is up, the bay side stays fishable, which is one of the advantages of staying here.
In the price
What is Included on a Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter
Rods, reels and tackle
Bait
Ice
Bottled water
Fish cleaning
Kids’ rods
Your fishing licence
The boat
The Boat - 25ft Parker Centre Console with Twin Yamahas
2021 Parker 25′ centre console
Twin Yamaha outboards
Power Pole Move trolling motor
EPIRB emergency beacon
Deep-V hull
Six anglers maximum
Book a trip
Book a Anna Maria Island Fishing Charter
Check availability
Nautical Native Fishing Adventures
801 Riverside Dr E, Bradenton, FL 34208
Free parking on site
Charters we run here
