Fishing Report 01/12/2009 ' Capt. Terry Frankford
Angler's aboard the Reelin and Chillin enjoyed action from several species despite the windy conditions on Sarasota Bay. On the grass flats pompano, trout, and bluefish made for some great light tackle action. Around docks sheepshead, mangrove snapper, and redfish were cruising the barnacle covered pilings for dinner - a live shrimp was hard to resist.
A couple fish tails enjoyed aboard the Reelin & Chillin:
Doc Folickman and Cindy Lee set out to catch a little dinner and enjoy a day on the Bay. Cindy Lee started out catching a nice pompano, then several mangrove snapper, and a sheepshead made it to the live well. With dinner in the box and a light breezy day both angler's headed back to Lido Key to enjoy a fish dinner on the grill.
Dave Carruthers, wife Penny, son Ian, and two year on grandson Jack tore up the mangrove snapper. First we headed to the grass flats on Stevens Point picking up ladyfish, small trout, and Penny's one nice pompano - lot's of fun, but not quite enough for dinner. We then headed to a dock that had been holding redfish. Dave had a great battle with a thirty inch red, however being over the slot limit of twenty-seven inches - still no dinner. We then went to a dock that I had been picking up a few snapper and boy did we hit pay dirt. We caught over sixteen snapper in the slot keeping enough for a great fish fry. All angler's enjoyed catching on this trip, not to mention Jack and Grandpa who enjoyed watching the pelicans while I cleaned fish.
Captain's Tip - Keep it Moving
My clients and I head out to what I believe is going to be the best spot for fast action, after all that's my job. Unfortunately the fish don't always understand this, my technique is "keep moving". I have heard that ten percent of the fisherman catch ninety percent of the fish - maybe so. However, I also believe that ninety percent of the fish are in ten percent of the water. This is why I believe in moving if the bite isn't on in the spot I'm fishing. My rule of thumb is: Around structure, if it's been hot recently maybe give it twenty minutes. If it's a spot that hasn't been so hot in the recent past, only ten/fifteen minutes - if no bite is on move. If it's a grass flat I'm drifting, one or two passes across the grass - no bite move. Often it seems like nothing is going to happen, a small fish here and there - then the worst thing for me to hear from a customer "it's just nice being out here on the water" Ahhhh! I want to hear "my wrist hurts". More times than often if you keep moving around sooner or later you will hit feeding fish. A grass flat holding pompano or trout. A dock or rocky edge holding redfish, sheephead, or snapper ends up darkening the live well and wrists are hurting.
Tight Lines & Good Times, Capt. Terry Frankford
Reelin & Chillin Charters Inc.
941-228-7802
terry.frankford@verizon.net
www.charterfishingsarasota.com
