I was away on a family vacation last week, so I don't have a Sarasota fishing report. Before I left, my friend Capt. Rick DePaiva, invited me to fish Pine Island Sound with him on Wednesday afternoon, 8/20. Tides were right for reds to tail on shallow grass as the tide bottomed out at about 5 PM, which gave us a window to fish the falling tide and then the incoming just before dusk. We had some shots at reds and snook on the outgoing tide, but as the tide hit low, the water slicked off and conditions got right. We got out and waded as reds "snaked" their way back onto a shallow flat, crawling through the exposed grass. I caught and released a 30" red on my Grassett Flats Minnow fly with only a 20' cast. Very rewarding!
CB's Saltwater Outfitters guides are reporting good action on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay with trout, mangrove snapper, blues, jacks and more. Snook season reopens today on the west coast of Florida. Anglers may take one snook between 28"-33" per person per day from Sept. 1-Nov 30. Full regulations are available at www.myfwc.com . Personally, I ask that all snook be released on my boat and encourage other anglers to practice catch and release with snook, since stocks are still rebuilding to pre 2010 cold kill levels. Snook fishing should be good in the surf, in passes and around docks and bridges close to passes.
Reds are schooling on flats of Sarasota Bay. They may stage on edges of bars or shallow grass flats when the tide is low. Look for wakes or patches of nervous water when it is calm or slick spots when there is a chop to find schools. You should find trout, mangrove snapper, blues and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. There may still be some action with tarpon in the coastal gulf. However as they thin out in the coastal gulf, they are moving to inside areas where you may find them rolling on deep grass flats or in passes at first light.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
IFFF 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.snookfin-addict.com
