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 snook, trout, redfish, Spanish mackerel, pompano, blues and ladyfish in Sarasota Bay and trout, redfish and pompano in the Terra Ceia Bay area on lures and flies during the past couple of weeks. Large ladyfish, mixed with trout, Spanish mackerel and blues, are plentiful on deep grass flats close to passes. Although ladyfish are not usually targeted, they are a nice diversion for anglers focused on action while searching for other species often found in the same areas.
Dick Weerts, from Osprey, FL, and his grandson, Nathan, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 12/31. They had some action with trout and ladyfish fishing deep grass at the Middleground flat with CAL jigs and shad tails.
Keith McClintock, his son-in-law, Rick Anderson and grandson, Garrett Anderson, all from IL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday, 1/2. They caught and released trout, including several in the slot, blues to more than 3-pounds and ladyfish on CAL jigs with shad tails and grubs and DOA Deadly Combos on deep grass flats along the west side of the bay.
Chris Lewington, from the UK, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 1/4. He caught and released trout and ladyfish on CAL jigs with shad and grub tails at the Marina Jack and Middleground flats. He also caught a red while fishing docks in Roberts Bay and a pompano at Stephens Point, both on CAL jigs.
Jay Richards and his friend, Stuart Bridsman, both from MA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday, 1/8. They caught and released trout and several Spanish mackerel, including a 4-pounder, at the Middleground flat and Stephens Point on CAL jigs with shad tails. They also caught and released a couple of snook to 24" near Long Bar, also on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Keith McClintock and Victor Feldman, both from IL, fished with me on Wednesday, 1/9. We had planned to fish Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande, but due to reports of red tide in that area we opted to fish the Terra Ceia Bay area instead. Conditions were great, but fishing was slow in the morning. However, by noon the action picked up. They caught and released trout, a 4-pound pompano and connected with several reds, all on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Fly angler Jeff Miller, from NY, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 1/10. He had steady action with trout to 18", ladyfish and a bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on an intermediate sink tip fly line at Stephens Point. It was windy, but by using a drift anchor to slow our drift and casting perpendicular to the wind, we made it work.
With the unseasonably warm weather we've been experiencing lately, water temperatures have warmed to the high 60's, even hitting the low 70's on shallow flats late in the day. With these conditions, you might find snook and reds on shallow flats on sunny afternoons and Spanish mackerel, pompano and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Look for reds around docks, in potholes and on the edges of bars when the tide is low. Tripletail should still be a good option in the coastal gulf. Catch and release snook fishing in the ICW at night should also be a good.
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
