Rick Grassett

Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf in Sarasota with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with catch and release snook, trout and tarpon with flies and DOA Lures during the past couple of weeks. We had numerous shots at tarpon in the coastal gulf most days, twelve hook ups and five tarpon caught and released. We also fished Sarasota Bay on a pre-dawn snook/flats trip one day and had good action with snook and trout on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.

Craig Henke and Jerry Ciandella, both from Charleston, SC, fished a pre-dawn snook/flats trip in Sarasota Bay with me on Monday. 7/4. With the holiday weekend crowd on the water, it was a good way to avoid the crowd and the heat. Despite a slow tide, snook went on a binge, crushing glass minnows and eating their flies just as readily. They caught and released more than 20 snook on flies before we moved to the flats at dawn. They also did well with trout, catching and releasing numerous trout to 23"on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.

Jerry Poslusny and Bill Nesbitt, both from Rochester, NY, fly fished for tarpon several days in the coastal gulf in Sarasota with me that week. They had good action, getting numerous shots at tarpon each day. We fished a variety of conditions from slick calm in the morning to strong afternoon sea breezes. They were up for the challenge, hooking up with 7 tarpon and bringing 2 to the boat. A great job!

Frank Zaffino, from Rochester, NY, fly fished for tarpon early in the week of 7/11 in the coastal gulf in Sarasota with me. He had good action, getting numerous shots at tarpon, jumping one and successfully fighting the fish to the boat. Conditions were tough with lots of glare and many fish swimming deep. Frank fishes hard and he persisted until he got the job done!

My brother Kirk Grassett, from Middletown, DE, fly fished for tarpon in the coastal gulf a few days with me later in the week. The last day was tough with not many shots but we had great action a couple days with numerous shots, jumping 4 tarpon, bringing 2 to the boat and several other eats. Tarpon were in a good mood on the outgoing tides in the afternoon, attacking our flies aggressively whenever we could get it in front of them. Good action!

There are more singles, doubles and small schools of tarpon now, rather than the large schools that we see in June and since many tarpon have already spawned, they are more aggressive. Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should be a good option next week, particularly on the strong, outgoing tides in the afternoon. Snook season is closed now on the west coast of Florida, but catch and release night snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW with flies and DOA Lures should be good. There should also be good action with trout, bluefish and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay.

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: snook, tarpon and trout
Bait Used: Flies and DOA Lures
Tackle Used: fly & spin
Method Used: fly fishing & spin casting lures
Water Depth: 4'-8'
Water Temperature: 88
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Craig Henke, from Charleston, SC, with a nice snook caught and released on a fly while fishing in Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Craig Henke, from Charleston, SC, with a nice snook caught and released on a fly while fishing in Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Capt. Rick Grassett revives a tarpon caught and released by Bill Nesbitt on a fly while fishing in Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Capt. Rick Grassett revives a tarpon caught and released by Bill Nesbitt on a fly while fishing in Sarasota 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