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 snook, reds, bluefish, trout and flounder in Sarasota Bay on flies, DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs with shad tails and snook at night in the ICW near Venice on flies during the past week. Although uncommon for this late in April, several fronts moved through causing wind and rain to be factors.
Jamie Grow, from the Washington, DC area, fished with me on Monday morning, 4/14. We took a look in the coastal gulf but didn't find anything so we fished Sarasota Bay. He caught and released a few trout and ladyfish on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly on deep grass flats on the west side of the bay. Anna Maria and Sarasota winter residents, Bill Morrison and Gary Marple, snook fished with me in the ICW near Venice that evening. Action was slow to start but as the incoming tide picked up, snook turned on. They caught and released more than 15 snook to 23" on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly
It was very windy out of the west when Rick White and Ben Garbowski, both from Apollo Beach, FL, fished Sarasota bay with me on Tuesday, 4/15. We worked deep and shallow grass flats on the west side of the bay to seek shelter from the wind but action was slow. The action picked up some when Anna Maria and Sarasota winter residents, Bill Morrison and Gary Marple, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday morning, 4/17. They caught and released trout, including a couple of slot size fish, on Ultra Hair Clouser and EP flies on deep grass flats on the east side of the bay. Due to a stalled front with rain and wind, we decided not to snook fish on Thursday evening.
Action picked up on Friday, 4/18 when Stewart Lavelle, from Sarasota, FL and his son-in-law, Justin Goerke, from Manhattan, NY, fished Sarasota Bay with me. We worked mullet schools on a shallow flat on the east side of the bay at the top of the tide and it was on! They caught and released a couple of nice reds, several nice trout, flounder and a snook on CAL jigs with shad tails to complete their boat slam! The biggest trout, at more than 3-pounds, was caught and released on a Zara Spook top water plug.
John and daughters, Caitlin and Megan, from NY, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday, 4/19. With 15 to 20-mph winds out of the W-NW we fished shallow and deep flats on the west side of the bay where they caught and released a few trout, ladyfish and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. Caitlin caught and released the big fish of the day, a 5 ½-pound trout, on a DOA Deadly Combo! Several over slot trout, all full of roe, were caught and released recently. These big trout, which are usually females, are important to the health of our trout fishery.
Mark Wayde, from MI, fished with me on Tuesday, 4/22. We spent some time in the coastal gulf scouting for false albacore (little tunny), tripletail and tarpon. Although sea conditions were good, we had very little visibility and didn't find anything. We came back into Sarasota Bay and worked deep grass flats on both sides of the bay where he caught and released trout, jack crevalle and bluefish on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly.
Steve Ritter and his son, Bryce, from WI, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday, 4/23. We fished deep grass flats on the west side of the bay where they caught and released trout to 19" and a flounder on CAL jigs with shad tails.
We had good action on shallow flats on both sides of the bay, catching and releasing several reds and snook on CAL jigs with shad tails, DOA Shrimp and the soon to be released DOA swim bait, a larger version of the CAL shad tail.
Mark Nichols, owner of DOA Fishing Lures, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 4/25. We fished shallow water, scouting for the Sarasota CCA Photo All Release Challenge fishing tournament which was held on Saturday. We had good action on shallow flats on both sides of the bay, catching and releasing several reds and snook on CAL jigs with shad tails, DOA Shrimp and the soon to be released DOA swim bait, a larger version of the CAL shad tail.
Mark and I fished the tournament with Capt. Andy Cotton on Saturday, 4/26. We caught and released a 29" red, several snook to 22" and trout on DOA Shrimp and weedless-rigged CAL shad tails. Although not good enough to win anything, it was a good day and it's always good to have an opportunity to fish with friends. All fish were immediately photographed and released to fight another day. DOA Fishing Lures has been a long time donor to this event which is a catch, photo, and release fishing tournament that benefits CCA's conservation efforts.
Tides will be good as we approach a new moon on April 29. Look for reds, snook and big trout on shallow flats or edges of bars in Sarasota Bay. Fishing deep grass flats for trout, blues, flounder and more should continue to be a good option. In addition to Spanish and king mackerel, false albacore (little tunny) and tripletail, tarpon should start to show any time now in the coastal gulf depending on conditions.
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
