Rick Grassett

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 and redfish in Gasparilla Sound and trout, bluefish and ladyfish in Sarasota Bay on CAL jigs with shad tails and flies during the past couple of weeks. Cold air and water, wind and rain were an issue, causing the cancellation of a few trips. Flats close to passes were most productive due to slightly warmer, more stable water temperatures.

Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, fished the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande with me on Tuesday, 1/19. A very low tide and cool water had snook concentrated in a few spots. He had good action catching and releasing about 10 snook to 27", trout to 20" and a red to complete his slam on CAL jigs with shad tails.

Dick Striano, from MA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 1/21. We worked deep grass flats where he caught and released ladyfish and trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on sink tip fly lines.

Action was slow early in the week of 1/26 as water temperatures plunged below 60 degrees following a front last weekend. Action picked up towards the middle of the week as anglers had action with ladyfish and a few blues and trout on CAL jigs with shad tails and Ultra Hair Clouser flies fishing deep grass flats in Sarasota Bay.

I gave presentations on Saturday and Sunday, 1/30 & 31, on "Fishing Winter Tides" and "Winter Tactics with Lures and Flies" at the Florida Sportsman Magazine Fishing Show in Ft. Myers. The show is one of the best around the state and is always well attended. I also spent some time with my friends at DOA Fishing Lures in their booth. It's always fun to talk fishing with people and help them with rigging, color selection, etc.

Look for reds and big trout mixed with mullet schools on shallow flats and edges of bars in Sarasota Bay and backcountry areas of Charlotte Harbor and lower Tampa Bay. Trout, bluefish and more should be a good option on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Catch and release snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges with flies and DOA Lures should also be a good option as long as water temperatures don't dip too low.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

IFFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters

Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

www.snookfin-addict.com, www.snookfinaddict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us

E-mail snookfin@aol.com

(941) 923-7799

Fish Species: reds, snook, trout, bluefish
Bait Used: Flies and DOA Lures
Tackle Used: fly & spin
Method Used: fly fishing & spin casting lures
Water Depth: 2'-8'
Water Temperature: 60
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, with a red caught in the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, with a red caught in the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, with a snook caught and released in the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, with a snook caught and released in the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett.


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Rick Grassett

About The Author: Captain Rick Grassett

Company: Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

Area Reporting: Soutwest Florida

Bio: Capt. Rick Grassett, owner of Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc., is a full time fishing guide and outdoor writer based in Sarasota, FL. He has been guiding since 1990 and is an Orvis Endorsed Outfitter fly fishing guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters in Sarasota. Specializing in fishing with flies and lures on light spinning tackle, Capt. Rick fishes the bays, back country and coastal gulf waters from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor in his 18' Action Craft flats boat. He is a Federation of Fly Fishers certified fly casting instructor. Destination fishing trips are another specialty of Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service. Capt. Rick has lead groups of fly anglers to remote fishing locations around the world. Crane Meadow Lodge, MT, Los Roques, Venezuela, Andros Island Bonefish Club and Bonefish Bay Club in the Bahamas are several destinations where he has hosted groups in the past. Capt. Rick is a field editor for Saltwater Angler magazine and a monthly columnist for the Tampa Tribune. He has written articles for The Fisherman magazine and Orvis News. In addition to writing for these publications, he has been featured in articles in Florida Sportsman, Sportfishing, The Fisherman and Fly Fishing in Saltwater magazines. Capt. rick's web site, www.snookfin-addict.com features weekly fishing reports, current photos and and monthly fishing forecasts. He also maintains a second website that is specific to fly fishing and fly casting instruction, www.flyfishingflorida.net.

941-923-7799
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain Rick Grassett