Redfish Fishing on Anna Maria Island
Redfish are the bulldogs of the flats — powerful, dogged fighters with a signature spot on the tail and a habit of “tailing” in skinny water as they root for crabs and shrimp. On Anna Maria Island they're a year-round inshore favorite, and in fall they school up in big numbers across the flats for some of the most exciting sight-fishing of the year. AMI Charters targets redfish around Anna Maria, Holmes Beach, and the southern reaches of Tampa Bay.
Why Anglers Love Redfish
Redfish (Sciaenops ocellatus) are prized for their hard, steady pull and their willingness to eat in shallow water where you can watch the whole thing unfold. They're a carefully managed, conservation-minded fishery — we follow all FWC slot, bag, and seasonal regulations, and we release oversized breeder fish to keep the population strong.
When Is Redfish Season on Anna Maria Island?
Redfish are catchable inshore all year, but the bite peaks in fall. Spring (March–April) brings strong action and a shot at an inshore slam. Through the heat of summer they're around, and toward the end of August they start grouping up ahead of their fall run. The headline stretch is September through November, when redfish school up in big numbers on the flats — October is often the single best month of the year. They stay active into the cooler months as well.
Where We Find Them
We find redfish on the grass flats and sandy potholes, along oyster bars and mangrove shorelines, and around docks — all within easy reach of Holmes Beach and Anna Maria Island. In fall we look for schooling fish pushing wakes and “nervous water” across the flats.
How We Target Them
Live bait — pilchards, shrimp, and cut bait — is hard to beat, but redfish also crush gold spoons, soft-plastic jigs, and topwater plugs. Our captains pole or drift the flats to sight-cast tailing and schooling fish, and work the mangroves and oyster bars when the tide is right.
Inshore or Nearshore? It's the Captain's Call
On Anna Maria Island, what's biting and where can change day to day with season, tide, wind, and waves. We love putting you on the species you want to catch — but finding the fish and getting you bent comes first. Your captain reads the conditions each trip and makes the call on where to run and what to target, so you get the best possible day on the water. (This same approach applies across all our trips.)
Book Your Redfish Trip
Redfish are targeted on our 4-hour and 6-hour inshore fishing charters — a great trip for families and sight-fishing fans alike. Call 941-348-2035 or