Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, scored a slam-catching and releasing reds, snook and trout on a fly in Sarasota Bay on a recent trip. In addition to Spanish mackerel in the coastal gulf, we also had some shots at juvenile tarpon and jumped one in upper Charlotte Harbor.
I scouted upper Charlotte Harbor on Thursday, 8/30 and found good conditions. I located tarpon in a couple of areas and jumped one, on a rootbeer DOA TerrorEyz. These "river" tarpon, which average from 10 to 30-pounds, are a lot of fun on medium spinning tackle or an 8 or 9-weight fly rod! They are usually in deep water and although we sight cast to them rolling on the surface, we usually catch them lower in the water column, so getting your fly or lure down in the water column quickly is important. I do best with fast sinking plastic baits like the DOA Baitbuster and TerrorEyz. Depending on water depth, fly anglers should do best with fast sinking fly lines and flies that have a lot of action when stripped slowly, such as bunny flies.
Jay and Karen Campbell, from Tampa, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday morning, 9/1 and had good action fishing lighted docks on Siesta Key before dawn. Karen caught and released a slam-consisting of 3 reds, several snook and a trout on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly!
Gary Mintz, from CO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday, 9/4. We caught a few trout and ladyfish on Siesta Key lighted docks before dawn, but snook were finicky that day. We checked the coastal gulf and found lots of Spanish mackerel feeding on the surface off Siesta Key where he caught and released Spanish mackerel and blue runners on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Gary finished the morning strong with a nice red and numerous trout on a Clouser fly near Bishop Point. An instructional fly fishing trip later in the week was slow.
Catch and release snook before dawn and then moving to the flats for trout and reds in Sarasota Bay should be a good option next week. Snook are also moving onto shallow fats of Sarasota Bay. Juvenile tarpon in upper Charlotte Harbor should be another good option. Check the coastal gulf for false albacore (little tunny), Spanish mackerel and more when sea conditions are good.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF 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.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com
