Anglers fishing with me on my flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released little tunny, Spanish mackerel, snook, trout and reds during the past couple of weeks. The best action was with little tunny in the coastal gulf and near the mouth of Tampa Bay. Ron Foust, from Knoxville, TN, fished with me on Monday, 10/4 and caught and released more than 10 little tunny on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly.
Christian Wolfe, from Wilmington, NC, and his grandfather, Lloyd, fished Siesta Key docks and near Stephens Point in Sarasota Bay with me on Friday morning, 10/8. They caught and released a couple of snook, several trout and Christian nailed a 27" red, all on CAL jigs with shad tails, to complete his slam close to the end of the trip. Everette Wolfe, from Knoxville, TN, and his son, Kirk, from New York City, fished deep grass flats at Stephens Point on the east side of the bay and near Buttonwood Harbor on the west side. They caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel, jacks and ladyfish on Grassett Flats Bunny flies.
John Evans and his son-in-law, Charlie, from the UK, fished deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay at Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor on Monday, 10/11 and caught and released a few trout to 17" and a couple of Spanish mackerel on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. John Lacy, from Kentucky, also fly fished the same areas with me on Tuesday, 10/12 with similar results.
My brother, Kirk Grassett from Middletown, DE, came down for a visit and we fished a few days. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL, joined us on Thursday, 10/14 as we fished the coastal gulf near Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. We caught and released more than a dozen albies to 10-lbs on small white flies. Sharks and kings also joined the fray, skyrocketing on baits and cutting one of our albies in ½. A front pushed through that evening and on Friday it was much rougher. The rough water scattered bait schools and predators, but they were still actively feeding over a much broader area. Kirk and I caught and released 4 or 5 albies on Friday, 10/15 and almost landed a 25 to 30-pound king mackerel. We found a few tarpon rolling in bait schools so Kirk tied on a big, black Deceiver with a heavy fluorocarbon bite tippet. After only a few casts, the big king skyrocketed on his fly, almost jumping into the boat and screamed off more than 100 yards of backing. We got the fish alongside the boat, only to have it chomp through the leader. An exciting battle!
On Saturday, 10/16 we fished Pine Island Sound with Capt. Rick DePaiva of Flynutt Charters in Ft. Myers, FL. He expertly put us on lots of cruising reds and snook and a few "tailers". Kirk caught and released a big red and we hooked and lost a couple of others on flies. Capt. Rick is an excellent spin and fly fishing guide in the Pine Island Sound area and can be reached at www.saltwaterflyfishing.org .
Next week's tides are favorable as we approach a full moon next weekend. In Sarasota Bay, fish docks for snook and deep grass flats for trout and Spanish mackerel for the best action. With water temperatures now in the mid 70's, fishing should continue to heat up especially in the coastal gulf waters. Little tunny and Spanish mackerel in the coastal gulf should be hot!
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
