Rick Grassett

Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, snook, bluefish and jacks in Sarasota Bay on DOA Deadly Combos, top water plugs and flies and tripletail in the coastal gulf on flies during the past couple of weeks.

A couple of fly fishing trips during the week of 9/28 produced trout on a variety of flies and fly poppers. John Sarris and Ralph Cushing, both from Sarasota, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 10/2. We fished deep grass flats and edges of bars on both sides of the bay where they had steady action with a variety of species; mostly trout and a mix of snook, bluefish and jack crevalle on DOA Deadly Combos and top water plugs.

Chris Smith, from Nashville, TN, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 10/5. We also worked deep grass flats and edges of bars on both sides of the bay. It was his first saltwater outing and he did well catching and releasing trout, jacks and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on a sink tip fly line.

Nick Thompson, from the UK, fished the same areas with me on Tuesday, 10/6 and had similar action catching and releasing numerous trout and a bluefish on the same fly patterns. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL, fished the coastal gulf with me on Friday, 10/9. We found baitfish plentiful although the water is still a little warm for some migratory species at 80 degrees. With stone crab season opening on the 15th, there are plenty of places for tripletail to be and we caught and released a few on a shrimp fly pattern. Although the tripletail were small, the challenge is still big! Cooler water should push some larger tripletail as well as albies, Spanish mackerel and more into our area.

Action with false albacore and Spanish mackerel should turn on as each passing front cools the water. Tripletail are also a good option now in the coastal gulf. You may find trout, Spanish mackerel, blues and jacks on deep grass flats. Snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges close to passes with flies and DOA Lures should also be a good option. Look for reds, snook and big trout mixed with mullet schools on shallow flats and edges of bars.

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, jacks & tripletail
Bait Used: Flies and DOA Lures
Tackle Used: fly & spin
Method Used: fly fishing & spin casting lures
Water Depth: 4'-20'
Water Temperature: 82
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Chris Smith, from Nashville, TN, with a bluefish caught and released on a fly while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Chris Smith, from Nashville, TN, with a bluefish caught and released on a fly while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL, with a tripletail caught and released on a fly while fishing the coastal gulf in Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL, with a tripletail caught and released on a fly while fishing the coastal gulf in Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.


Do you want to leave a comment? Login or register now to leave a comment.


No comments so far

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