Rick Grassett

Action was steady on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay during the past couple of weeks. Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout and blues on flies, CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. Holiday weeks are usually all about family fun and Thanksgiving week was no different.

Alan Ross, from Sarasota, FL and his son Adam Ross, from CA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 11/21. It was their first time fly fishing in saltwater and they did well. They had good action catching and releasing trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on sink tip fly lines.

Susan Gros, from The Villages, FL, also had some action with trout and blues on flies on Tuesday, 11/22 and Marshall Dinerman, from Atlanta, GA, got in on the action on Wednesday, 11/23 catching and releasing numerous trout and blues on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.

On Friday and Saturday, 11/25 & 26, grandfathers and grandsons got in on the fun. Phil Rever and grandsons Max and Wesley, all from MD, fished with me on Friday and Bill Misischia, from University Park, FL and grandson Patrick Walsh, from IN, fished with me on Saturday. They all had good action with trout and blues in Sarasota Bay on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos.

I was on a road trip to Hopedale, LA to fly fish for reds with several friends during the past week, so I don't have a Sarasota report for that time frame. We fished Thursday through Saturday with Capts. Al Keller, Travis Huckeba and Cody Cash Moody. Despite challenging conditions, there were several big reds and a big black drum caught and released on flies. The flies we used were heavily weighted with a large profile, 4" to 5" long. There were also several reds in the 20-lb class and numerous trout caught and released on jigs fished under a clacker float with spinning tackle.

Back in Sarasota, trout, blues and more on deep grass flats and snook, reds and larger trout in skinny water should be good options. Catch and release night snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW with flies and DOA Lures should also be a good option. There may be some action in the coastal gulf with false albacore (little tunny) as the water cools down and baitfish school up along the beaches. Tripletail should also be a good option depending on conditions.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

IFFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters

Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

www.snookfin-addict.com, www.snookfinaddict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us

E-mail snookfin@aol.com

(941) 923-7799

Fish Species: trout, blues & reds
Bait Used: Flies and DOA Lures
Tackle Used: fly & spin
Method Used: fly fishing & spin casting lures
Water Depth: 2'-8'
Water Temperature: 70
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Marshall Dinerman, from Atlanta, GA,with a Sarasota Bay bluefish caught and released on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Marshall Dinerman, from Atlanta, GA,with a Sarasota Bay bluefish caught and released on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Mike Perez, from Sarasota, FL, with a big Louisiana red caught and released on a fly while fishing out of Hopedale, LA.
Mike Perez, from Sarasota, FL, with a big Louisiana red caught and released on a fly while fishing out of Hopedale, LA.


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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