Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with snook, blues and trout on CAL jigs with shad tails, DOA Deadly Combos and flies in Sarasota Bay during the past week. An angler also caught and released a big jack on a CAL 4" swim bait while tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf.
Denis Clohisy, from WI, and Jim Dempsey, from IL, fished with me on Monday and Tuesday, 8/4 and 5. We tarpon fished in the coastal gulf on Monday, which was our plan for both days. We had a west wind and rough water on Monday and with limited sunlight, it was tough to see fish. Jim made a quick cast and caught and released a 12-pounder on a CAL 4" shad tail/swim bait when we got blitzed by a big school of jacks. We often get shots at other species while tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf. We also had shots at several large cobia while tarpon fishing recently. It pays to be ready!
It was too rough to fish the coastal gulf for tarpon on Tuesday, so we fished the west side of Sarasota Bay, which offered some protection. They caught and released trout and blues on Clouser flies, DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs with shad tails.
Scott Heidler, his son, Scott and daughter, Elizabeth, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday, 8/6 before the kids went off to college. We started in the dark and they had good action catching and releasing a dozen snook to 24" on CAL jigs with shad tails. We moved to deep grass flats along the west side of the bay after dawn where they caught and released trout and blues on DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs with shad tails. Action with blues on deep grass flats has been good! They are also fun to catch with top water plugs or fly poppers.
I was away from 8/8 through 15 hosting a group of fly anglers at Crane Meadow Lodge in Twin Bridges, MT, so I don't have a Sarasota report for that time frame. My Montana report will be posted separately on this site or can be viewed on the Destination Fishing Trips page of my web site.
There should 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. You also should find trout, blues and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Catch and release snook fishing should be good in the surf, in passes and around docks and bridges close to passes.
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
