Rick Grassett

Capt. Rick Grassett's Sarasota and Gasparilla Sound, FL Fishing Report for 2/2 through 2/15/2015

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, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and pompano in Sarasota and Little Sarasota Bays on a variety of DOA lures and flies, snook and bluefish in the ICW near Venice on flies and reds, snook and trout in Gasparilla Sound on CAL jigs with shad tails during the past week.

A couple of fly fishing trips in Sarasota Bay and Little Sarasota Bay during the week of 2/2 produced a few trout, jacks and ladyfish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on sinking fly lines. Fishing channel edges was most productive and getting the fly down in the water column was important due to cold water.

Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, fished Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande on Tuesday, 2/3. Despite some tough conditions, fishing was good. Keith caught and released several reds, snook and slot size trout to complete his slam on a CAL jig with a shad tail.

Bill Moore, from Libertyville, IL, had a good day in Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 2/9. With an approaching front we worked deep grass flats on both sides of the bay where he caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails, DOA Deadly Combos and DOA Shrimp.

Frank Zaffino, from Rochester, NY, fished the ICW near Venice with me on Tuesday night, 2/10 and had great action catching and releasing snook to 26" on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. Martin Marlowe, from NY, and his guest, Tim Hearon from Sarasota, FL, also had great action catching and releasing snook on flies on Wednesday night, 2/11. An outgoing tide fueled by a strong north wind supercharged the tide and snook responded by going on a binge.

I monitor conditions closely this time of year, since snook may become stressed by cold water. However, often the warmest water of the day is on the outgoing tide in the evening after the sun heats water on shallow flats in the afternoon. I found water temperatures this week of 61 or 62 in morning but warming to 65 degrees in the evening. We found snook feeding aggressively and swimming away strong in the warmer evening water.

Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL and I scouted Sarasota Bay in his boat on Thursday afternoon, 2/12. We found a few nice trout in shallow water and got one to eat a fly. Alan Sugar, from Ann Arbor, MI, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday afternoon, 2/13. Conditions were challenging with cold air and windy conditions following yet another front. However, he persisted until it paid off with a few hook ups and a nice pompano caught and released on a Clouser fly.

There are still some spots available in CB's Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing School on Sat, Feb 21st. I will be the instructor for the school which will cover fly casting basics, line control, shooting line and the roll cast. The course, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will focus on basics but also work with intermediate casters on correcting faults and improving casting skills. Leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques will also be covered. Cost for the school, which will run from 8:30 AM to 3 PM, is $150 per person and includes the use of Orvis fly tackle, a text book and lunch. Contact CB's Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or info@cbsoutfitters.com to make reservations.

You may find trout, blues, pompano or founder in channels, troughs, basins or edges of flats, particularly when the tide is low. Look for reds and big trout mixed with mullet schools on shallow flats and edges of bars. Afternoons may fish better than mornings when water is cooler. Catch and release night snook fishing in the ICW can be good as long as it doesn't get too cold.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

IFFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

Orvis- Endorsed Outfitter Guide

CB's Saltwater Outfitters-2011 Orvis Outfitter of the Year

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

(941) 923-7799

E-mail snookfin@aol.com www.snookfin-addict.com, www.snookfinaddict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us

Fish Species: snook, redfish, trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and pompano
Bait Used: Flies and DOA Lures
Tackle Used: fly & spin
Method Used: fly fishing & spin casting lures
Water Depth: 4'-8'
Water Temperature: 62
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Bill Moore's Sarasota Bay CAL shad Spanish mackerel caught and released with Capt. Rick Grassett
Bill Moore's Sarasota Bay CAL shad Spanish mackerel caught and released with Capt. Rick Grassett

Frank Zaffino Venice Grassett Snook Minnow fly night snook caught and released with Capt. Rick Grassett
Frank Zaffino Venice Grassett Snook Minnow fly night snook caught and released 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