Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay and Gasparilla Sound with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released mostly trout, including numerous slot size and larger fish, reds, flounder and snook on flies and jigs during the past couple of weeks.
We fished the Marina Jack and Middleground flats and near Whale Key in Sarasota Bay on Sunday, 3/18 and Wednesday, 3/21 and caught and released silver and spotted sea trout to 19" on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. Paul Denesha and his son, Avery, from IN, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday morning, 3/20. We focused on potholes in skinny water near Long Bar where they caught and released 7 or 8 trout on a Lefty's Deceiver fly and a CAL jig with a shad tail. St. Pete winter resident, Wes Demmon, fished Sarasota Bay with me that afternoon. With the sea breeze and tide up, we fished skinny water on the west side of the bay. Wes caught and released 5 reds to 23" and a few trout near Bishop Point and Buttonwood Harbor on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A great afternoon!
Harry Beaty and Chris Denney, from Ontario, Canada, fished Gasparilla Sound with me on Friday, 3/23. They had good action near Sandfly and Devilfish Keys with trout to 22" on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. Harry also caught a 22" red on a CAL jig with a shad tail in Turtle Bay.
We had a couple of slower days last week, however in addition to trout we also caught and released a nice flounder, redfish and snook on flies. Action was slow for us in Sarasota Bay on Monday, 3/26 but we did catch and release a 5 ¼-pound trout on a CAL jig with a shad tail near Whale Key that day. Longboat Key winter resident Nick Reding and Greg Geoffroy, from IA, fished with me on Tuesday, 3/27. We waded several bars on both sides of Sarasota Bay and they caught and released a few trout and a nice flounder on my Grassett Flats Minnow fly. Bill Moore, from IL, had a good trip when he fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday, 3/28. He caught and released silver and spotted trout to 18" on CAL jigs with shad and 4" jerk worm tails at the Marina Jack and Middleground flats and near Whale Key.
The action was also good on Thursday morning, 3/29 when Anna Maria Island and Sarasota winter residents, Bill Morrison and Gary Marple, fished Sarasota Bay with me. We fished the same areas as the day before and they caught and released numerous spotted and silver trout to 18" on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Despite good action in the morning, that afternoon was slow. Longboat Key and Sarasota winter residents, Nick Reding and Mike Perez, waded several spots in Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 3/30. We caught and released trout to 18", a 23" snook and a red on my Grassett Flats Minnow and a Lefty's Deceiver fly.
Reds and trout may be found along shallow edges of flats and bars or in potholes 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. Spanish and king 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
