Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with a variety of fish during the past week. Fly anglers caught and released Spanish mackerel, redfish, snook and trout. In addition to those species, anglers using spinning tackle also caught little tunny and king mackerel. Reds are scattered on the flats of north Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor and have been eating. The coastal gulf off Sarasota and Charlotte Harbor has been on fire with plentiful Spanish mackerel, kings and little tunny.
Fly angler, Father Joel Morsch from Bradenton, FL, fished with me on Monday. We headed for the gulf off Lido and Siesta Keys where he caught and released numerous Spanish mackerel to more than 3-pounds. We found the little tunny hard to get on because they were moving fast and not staying up long. After a couple of hours of that action, we headed to north Sarasota Bay, near Long Bar, to hunt reds where Father Joel landed a 6-pound red on my Flats Minnow fly to finish the day.
Brad and Margaret Johnson, from Kentucky, fished the same areas with me on Tuesday. We found the coastal gulf action even hotter than the day before. They doubled with a pair of 28" kings on their first cast with Diamond jigs. They also caught about a dozen nice Spanish mackerel and a little tunny before the action slowed. They almost got spooled 3 times; a lot different than the bass and bluegill in Kentucky! We headed for skinny water near Long Bar to hunt for reds where they caught a pair of reds on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Hugh Stafford, and his guest, Perry, both from Iowa, fished the same areas with me on Thursday. A reinforcing cold front had moved through on Wednesday and the wind shifted to the northwest making the gulf very rough. We gave it a try and caught and released 4 Spanish mackerel before we retreated to the gulf. The water temperature had dropped about 8 degrees (64 degrees in Sarasota Bay and 66 in the gulf) and the reds I was on in skinny water had left the area. Fortunately, fish on deeper grass flats were not affected as much. They caught and released numerous trout, ladyfish and a bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos at Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor.
Longtime friends and customers Kyle Ruffing and Jon Yenari, both from Sarasota, FL, fished Charlotte Harbor with me on Friday. They are both avid fly anglers and fly tiers and always come rigged and ready to fish. We headed into the gulf off Little Gasparilla Island first thing and found Spanish mackerel and little tunny working just off the beach. However, they were widely scattered and tough to get on. They landed several nice Spanish mackerel before we headed into the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound. You always earn your fish in skinny water, particularly with a fly, and this day was no different. They caught and released a snook and several trout with Clouser and Enrico Puglisi style flies. We had numerous shots at reds a couple of bites and hooked a large red on a black crab fly pattern that streaked off like a bonefish and broke us off.
Next week's tides are favorable for tailing reds in Gasparilla and Pine Island Sounds. Also, the coastal gulf in both areas should also be good for Spanish mackerel, little tunny and more.
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
