Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay, Little Sarasota Bay, Blackburn Bay and the ICW near Venice 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, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, flounder, redfish and a small cobia on flies and jigs during the past couple of weeks.
Everette and Sherry Howell, from Nashville, TN, caught and released numerous trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and a CAL jig with a shad tail fishing several deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay with me on Monday afternoon, 3/4. Sarasota winter resident Phil Rever and his son, Matt, from NC, fished the ICW near Venice with me that night. They caught and released more than 15 snook to 23" on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. The wind blew in the 15 to more than 20 mph range from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday, so I didn't fish those days.
Jim Ewoldt and Dick Callaway, from St. Louis, MO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 3/8. It was still a little breezy so one angler spin fished while the other fly fished. They caught and released several trout on Grassett Deep Flats Bunny flies and CAL jigs with shad tails along the east side of the bay and near Whale Key.
Holmes Beach and Sarasota winter residents, Bill Morrison and Gary Marple, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday morning, 3/9. They caught and released a few trout on flies at the Middleground flat before I headed to New Pass to check it out. Although there was no surface activity, there were some mackerel just outside the pass and Bill caught a nice one on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly. Fly angler Bill Stanton, from Brunswick, ME, fished with me that afternoon. We caught and released trout, ladyfish, bluefish and Spanish mackerel on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly fished on a sink tip fly line at the Middleground flat and near Bishop Point.
Bill Van Horne, from Sterling, IL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday afternoon, 3/12. With a poor tide and a forecast for windy conditions in the morning, we chose to fish the better conditions in the afternoon. He caught and released numerous trout on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos fishing deep grass flats along the east side of bay. Bill finished the day with 3 nice reds caught and released on a CAL jig with a shad tail in very skinny water at the top of the tide.
Siesta Key winter resident Martin Marlowe and his son, Bruce from RI, fished Blackburn and Little Sarasota Bays and the ICW near Venice with me on Tuesday afternoon and night, 3/13. They caught and released 7 or 8 snook and a few trout and ladyfish on Ultra Hair Clouser and my Snook Minnow flies. Martin also fished with me on Friday, 3/16 and we caught and released a few trout, ladyfish, a nice Spanish mackerel and a small cobia on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails in Sarasota Bay.
Mary Smiley, from Sarasota, and Linda Foy, from Twin Bridges, MT, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday, 3/14. Linda hooked a big Spanish mackerel on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly and the fish ran so fast that the handle broke off the reel when it was bumped! They caught and released a few trout and a pompano on Ultra Hair Clouser flies at several deep grass flats on both sides of the bay. Mike and Roxanne Beshoar, from WA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 3/15. They caught and released a flounder, Spanish mackerel, pompano and trout to 4-pounds on CAL jigs with shad tails at various deep grass flats on both sides of the bay.
Reds and trout may be found along shallow edges of flats and bars when the tide is low or along mangrove shorelines when the tide is high. Look for trout, Spanish mackerel, blues, ladyfish or pompano over deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Catch and release night snook fishing in the ICW should also be a good option. Spanish mackerel and bluefish may be found in passes especially when the tide is strong. Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), tripletail and more may be good options in the coastal gulf.
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
