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, snook, bluefish and jacks in Sarasota Bay on DOA Deadly Combos, top water plugs and flies and tripletail in the coastal gulf on flies during the past couple of weeks.
A couple of fly fishing trips during the week of 9/28 produced trout on a variety of flies and fly poppers. John Sarris and Ralph Cushing, both from Sarasota, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 10/2. We fished deep grass flats and edges of bars on both sides of the bay where they had steady action with a variety of species; mostly trout and a mix of snook, bluefish and jack crevalle on DOA Deadly Combos and top water plugs.
Chris Smith, from Nashville, TN, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 10/5. We also worked deep grass flats and edges of bars on both sides of the bay. It was his first saltwater outing and he did well catching and releasing trout, jacks and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on a sink tip fly line.
Nick Thompson, from the UK, fished the same areas with me on Tuesday, 10/6 and had similar action catching and releasing numerous trout and a bluefish on the same fly patterns. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL, fished the coastal gulf with me on Friday, 10/9. We found baitfish plentiful although the water is still a little warm for some migratory species at 80 degrees. With stone crab season opening on the 15th, there are plenty of places for tripletail to be and we caught and released a few on a shrimp fly pattern. Although the tripletail were small, the challenge is still big! Cooler water should push some larger tripletail as well as albies, Spanish mackerel and more into our area.
Action with false albacore and Spanish mackerel should turn on as each passing front cools the water. Tripletail are also a good option now in the coastal gulf. You may find trout, Spanish mackerel, blues and jacks on deep grass flats. Snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges close to passes with flies and DOA Lures should also be a good option. Look for reds, snook and big trout mixed with mullet schools on shallow flats and edges of bars.
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