Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with trout on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. In addition, we also caught Spanish mackerel and pompano on deep grass flats, a few reds is skinny water and snook at night. The most consistent action continues to be on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay.
Longtime friend and customer, Rick Peregord from Southgate, MI, fished 3 days with me during the week of March 15th. We fished a couple of days in Sarasota Bay and a day in Terra Ceia Bay. We found plenty of reds, but they weren't very aggressive. Rick caught and released a couple of reds, trout and a pompano on CAL jigs with shad tails. Stephen Lewis and his son, Danny, from New York City and brother-in-law, Murray, from Austin, TX, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Weds, 3/18. They had fast action with trout, Spanish mackerel and pompano on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails. The best action was at Stephens Point and near Bayshore Gardens. On Friday, 3/20, Greg Baumeyer, from the Chicago area and Jeff Farris from Sarasota, fished Sarasota Bay with me in the morning and Al Kraska, from Venice, FL, and his son, Tim Kraska, from CT, fished with me in the afternoon. They caught and released trout, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails fishing deep grass flats.
Sarasota winter resident Frank Watson and his grandson, Eric Watson, from St. Petersburg, FL, fished with me on Sunday morning, 3/22. They had fast action in Big Pass with large Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs with shad tails. Dick Egan, from Chicago, fished with me that afternoon. He had steady action with trout to more than 20" on Ultra Hair Clouser flies at Stephens Point, Bayshore Gardens and near Long Bar. Bob Harness and Nick Reding, both from St. Louis, MO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 3/23. It was an overcast, windy day and we almost quit at noon when it started sprinkling rain. Then the sun popped out and we had some good shots at reds with flies in the afternoon, but none of them wanted to eat. We caught and released a few trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies at Stephens Point and near Long Bar.
Sarasota winter residents, Norm and Francie Boardman, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday. The action wasn't fast, but they caught Spanish mackerel and a few trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails. The last trout of the day was a 4-pound, 23" trout caught and released on a CAL jig with a shad tail near Long Bar. Dave Macomber and his guest, Dave, both from MN, fished Blackburn Bay with me on Wednesday afternoon and evening. The action was slow to start, but they caught a few ladyfish on flies before dark. After dark, they caught and released about 6 snook to 24" on my Grassett's Snook Minnow and Enrico Puglisi's Micro Minnows. The biggest fish of the night couldn't be turned as it made a long run and pulled the hook as it got up against a bridge fender.
Dave Laubisch, from NY, and his son Scott Laubisch, from Oldsmar, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. They had steady action with trout to more than 20" and Spanish mackerel on DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs with shad tails. Wind was an issue as an approaching front caused the wind to blow hard from the south. It was more of an issue on Saturday morning when fly angler Bill Hettrick, from CT, fished the same area with me. By 11:00 AM the wind was above 20 mph, so we invoked the "fun rule", if it's not any fun, don't do it!
Action should get even better as we head into April. Look for reds and snook feeding on shallow flats and trout, pompano Spanish mackerel and more on deep grass flats. Keep your eyes open and be prepared for early season tarpon, which will start to gather on deep grass flats and around bridges close to passes.
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
