Rick Grassett

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action during the past couple of weeks with reds, snook, trout, bluefish and Spanish mackerel. The best action was in Sarasota Bay with trout and reds.

Fly angler Rob Cecil, from CA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on a blustery day on Monday, April 14. It was very windy, so we fished protected water south of the Ringling Causeway and in Roberts Bay. Rob caught and released a few trout and ladyfish on Clouser flies on his first saltwater fly fishing trip.

We were plagued with wind most of that week. Tuesday's trip was cancelled due to winds above 20-mph. Sarasota Herald-Tribune outdoors editor, Steve Gibson, and I traveled to Stuart on Tuesday afternoon to fish a day with DOA lure maker Mark Nichols. We were hopeful for good conditions, even though the forecast was bleak. Unfortunately the forecast was correct as the wind blew 25 to 30-mph. Our plan was to target trophy trout, but that wasn't in the cards that day. We retreated to canals in the Indian River near Sewell's Point where we caught and released several snook, jacks and a flounder on DOA shrimp and CAL jigs with shad tails.

Bill and Sandy King, from Osprey, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. They had steady action with trout and bluefish on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and Clouser flies. The best action was near Buttonwood Harbor. I was the instructor at an Orvis-Endorsed fly casting school out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Saturday, April 9. Several students participated and now have a solid foundation to build their fly casting skills on. I was back on the water on Sunday morning with fly anglers Peter and Nini Seaman, from CA. We caught and released ladyfish, trout and Spanish mackerel at Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor before heading into skinny water north of Long Bar where they had numerous shots at reds and snook in skinny water. The highlight of the trip was when Nini landed a nice snook on a Clouser fly along a mangrove shoreline. Her first snook on a fly!

Fly angler Dave Andrews, from El Jobean, FL, fished Gasparilla Sound in Charlotte Harbor with me on Tuesday. He caught and released a dozen trout to 18", a nice Spanish mackerel and a red on Clouser flies near Devilfish Key. Lew Armitage, from Piney Point, FL and his son, Gary, from Texas fished snook on a night trip with me on Wednesday evening. They caught and released ladyfish and trout before dusk on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and one snook after dark on a Grassett's Grass (Snook) Minnow fly in Blackburn Bay.

I had the pleasure of having Mark Nichols of DOA Fishing Lures and his wife, Jenny, fishing with me on Friday and Saturday. We participated in the Sarasota CCA "Photo All-Release" Challenge on Saturday. Friday was a great day with over a dozen reds, numerous trout and several snook caught and released in Sarasota Bay. Trout were caught on deep grass flats at Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor on DOA shrimp and CAL jigs and more than a dozen reds and snook were caught in skinny water on CAL jigs north of Long Bar. With a plan in place we fished the same areas on Saturday. Fishing was slower on Saturday, but we entered a few reds, snook and trout. I had a slam, but it wasn't strong enough to win anything. This event, which is in its 13th year, is a fun filled, low stress fishing tournament that also raises money for CCA's conservation efforts.

Next week's tides are favorable for fishing flats or the coastal gulf, particularly towards the end of the week. Look for tarpon fishing to take off as we approach a new moon on May 5th. Also, with water temperatures approaching the upper 70's, tarpon should begin schooling along our beaches any day now.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

(941) 923-7799

E-mail snookfin@aol.com

www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com

Fish Species: trout, reds, snook, blues and spanish mackerel
Bait Used:
Tackle Used:
Method Used:
Water Depth:
Water Temperature: mid 70's
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Bill and Sandy King, from Osprey, FL, with a nice bluefish caught and released with a fly while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Bill and Sandy King, from Osprey, FL, with a nice bluefish caught and released with a fly while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Nini Seaman, from CA, with a nice snook, her 1st on a fly, caught and released while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Nini Seaman, from CA, with a nice snook, her 1st on a fly, caught and released while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.


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Rick Grassett

About The Author: Captain Rick Grassett

Company: Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

Area Reporting: Soutwest Florida

Bio: Capt. Rick Grassett, owner of Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc., is a full time fishing guide and outdoor writer based in Sarasota, FL. He has been guiding since 1990 and is an Orvis Endorsed Outfitter fly fishing guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters in Sarasota. Specializing in fishing with flies and lures on light spinning tackle, Capt. Rick fishes the bays, back country and coastal gulf waters from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor in his 18' Action Craft flats boat. He is a Federation of Fly Fishers certified fly casting instructor. Destination fishing trips are another specialty of Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service. Capt. Rick has lead groups of fly anglers to remote fishing locations around the world. Crane Meadow Lodge, MT, Los Roques, Venezuela, Andros Island Bonefish Club and Bonefish Bay Club in the Bahamas are several destinations where he has hosted groups in the past. Capt. Rick is a field editor for Saltwater Angler magazine and a monthly columnist for the Tampa Tribune. He has written articles for The Fisherman magazine and Orvis News. In addition to writing for these publications, he has been featured in articles in Florida Sportsman, Sportfishing, The Fisherman and Fly Fishing in Saltwater magazines. Capt. rick's web site, www.snookfin-addict.com features weekly fishing reports, current photos and and monthly fishing forecasts. He also maintains a second website that is specific to fly fishing and fly casting instruction, www.flyfishingflorida.net.

941-923-7799
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain Rick Grassett