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, blues, pompano, flounder and snook in Sarasota Bay on lures and flies during the past couple of weeks. Water temperatures cooled to the low 60's following the last front but there was still good action and variety on deep grass flats.
Marshall Dinerman, from Atlanta, GA, and Roy Katz, from Greenville, SC, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Sunday, 1/13. They had steady action with trout to 19", several Spanish mackerel to more than 3-pounds, a flounder and a snook along the west side of the bay from Stephens Point to Long Bar on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.
Cam Dilley, from Tampa, FL, and Steve Ritchie, from Bradenton, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 1/14. They caught and released several blues to 3-pounds and trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fishing deep grass near Buttonwood Harbor.
Sarasota winter resident, Tom Lamb, and Diane Muhlfeld and Roy Glah, also from Sarasota, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday afternoon, 1/16. They caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel to 3-pounds, bluefish and a flounder on CAL jigs with shad and grub tails along the west side of the bay from the Middleground flat to near Buttonwood Harbor.
Chris Lewington, from the UK, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 1/17. We started the day by fishing docks in Roberts Bay where he caught and released 4 snook to 24" and a black drum on CAL jigs with shad tails. With a fast approaching front, we moved to deep grass flats along the west side of the bay from the Middleground flat to Bishop Point where Chris caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel to 4-pounds and bluefish on CAL jigs with grubs.
Friday was cool and windy, so we bumped that trip back to Saturday which turned out to be a good move. Marshall Dinerman, his son Michael Dinerman and son-in-law, Alex Medeiros, from Atlanta, GA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday afternoon, 1/19. They had steady action with trout, including several in the slot, and a Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos.
Keith McClintock and Victor Feldman, both from IL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday, 1/22. They caught and released trout, including several in the slot, and Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs with shad tails on deep grass flats near Long Bar. Nick Reding, from Longboat Key, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday, 1/23. We caught and released a few trout on deep grass flats near Buttonwood Harbor and at Stephens Point.
Conditions and action improved towards the end of the week. Bill Flader, from WI, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 1/24. He had great action catching and releasing numerous trout to 19", Spanish mackerel to 3-pounds, pompano and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies from the Middleground flat to Bishop Point along the west side of the bay. Fred Netherton, from Ontario, Canada, fished the same areas with me on Friday, 1/25. He caught and released trout to 19", several blues and a 3-pound pompano on Ultra Hair Clouser flies.
Look for trout, Spanish mackerel, blues, pompano and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Also look for reds around docks, in potholes and on the edges of bars when the tide is low or on shallow flats on sunny afternoons when the tide is high. Catch and release snook fishing in the ICW at night should also be a good option.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF 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.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com
