Browse Recent Sarasota Florida Fishing Reports

Good action on the deep grass flats in north Sarasota Bay by Jim Klopfer (8/03/2019)
Summer rains have the water temperature down a few degrees and fish have responded. Trout, bluefish, mackerel, and more are hitting jigs while drifting the flats.

Good action on the deep grass flats in Sarasota by Jim Klopfer (6/23/2019)
Action has been good for a variety of species on the deep grass flats. Clients on Sarasota fishing charters landed a variety of species casting jigs. The best bite has been early; it is quite warm by lunch time!

Sarasota Fishing Report March by Marc Laurin (3/08/2019)
Clients fishing with me out of Boca Grande/Charlotte harbor caught seatrout up to 20 inches, snook, redfish, seatrout, pompano, jack crevalle and more

Good Night Snook Fly Fishing Action in Sarasota by Rick Grassett (8/26/2017)
I was away on a family vacation recently, so I don't have much to report locally. However, I did get out for a trip after we returned. A fly angler fishing Sarasota Bay with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing snook, jacks, mangrove snapper and ladyfish on flies on his first ever saltwater fly fishing trip.

Still Some Tarpon Fly Fishing Action in Sarasota by Rick Grassett (8/05/2017)
Fly anglers fishing with me recently, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, continued to have some action with tarpon. We had about a dozen shots and jumped one tarpon on one trip.

Fly Tarpon Anglers Getting Some Late SeasonTarpon Action by Rick Grassett (7/23/2017)
Fly anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, continued to have some action with tarpon recently. We had numerous shots at tarpon each trip, jumping several fish.

Fly Tarpon Anglers Getting Some Late Season Tarpon Action by Rick Grassett (7/23/2017)
Fly anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, continued to have some action with tarpon recently. We had numerous shots at tarpon each trip, jumping several fish.

Good Tarpon Fly Fishing Action in Sarasota by Rick Grassett (7/08/2017)
Fly anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon during the past couple of weeks. With the weather in a normal pattern of an east breeze in the morning, an afternoon sea breeze and plenty of sun, fly anglers had lots of shots at tarpon each day, jumping numerous tarpon and catching and releasing several.

Good Tarpon Action in Sarasota Despite Tough Conditions by Rick Grassett (6/24/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had decent action with tarpon in the coastal gulf in Sarasota during the past couple of weeks. However weather was again a factor during the week of June 19.

Good Tarpon Action in Sarasota Despite Tough Conditions by Rick Grassett (6/11/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action with tarpon in the coastal gulf in Sarasota during the past couple of weeks. Spin fishing anglers hooked up numerous times on live crabs and brought several fish to the boat. Fly anglers got in on the action, also jumping a tarpon.

Limited Tarpon Action in Sarasota Due to Poor Conditions by Rick Grassett (5/27/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action with tarpon in the coastal gulf in Sarasota during the past couple of weeks. Spin fishing anglers hooked up several times and brought one fish to the boat. Sea conditions have been poor, with a lot of rough and cloudy water, making sight fishing for tarpon tou

Fly Tarpon Anglers Getting Some Early Season Action by Rick Grassett (5/13/2017)
Tarpon time! Numbers of tarpon increased as we approached a full moon last week and fly anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action with them. Tarpon numbers will continue to increase as we head into late May and June and they form larger schools in preparation for spawning.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay & Gasparilla Sound Flats by Rick Grassett (5/02/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, bluefish, flounder and snook in Sarasota Bay and trout, flounder and snook in Gasparilla Sound on flies, CAL jigs with shad tails and 2.75” DOA Shrimp during the past couple of weeks.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay Grass Flats by Rick Grassett (4/15/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught trout, bluefish and flounder in Sarasota Bay on flies and CAL jigs with shad during the past week.

Good Action on Terra Ceia Flats & ICW near Venice at Night by Rick Grassett (4/09/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught trout, bluefish and Spanish mackerel in Sarasota Bay and caught and released snook, reds, trout and flounder in the Terra Ceia area and snook at night in the ICW on flies and CAL jigs with shad during the past couple of weeks. A persistent wind during the week of 4/3 made fishing challenging, but fish cooperated.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay Deep Grass Flats by Rick Grassett (3/27/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, bluefish and Spanish mackerel in Sarasota Bay on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms during the past couple of weeks.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay & Gasparilla Sound Flats by Rick Grassett (3/11/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released snook, blues and jacks in the ICW at night, trout and bluefish in Sarasota Bay, snook and trout in the Terra Ceia Bay area and snook, redfish and trout in Gasparilla Sound on CAL jigs with shad tails, DOA Shrimp and flies during the past week. The best action was with snook and bluefish at night on flies

Good Action on Sarasota Bay & Gasparilla Sound Flats by Rick Grassett (2/11/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released snook at night in the ICW near Venice, trout, blues and flounder in Sarasota Bay and trout, snook, reds, pompano and a permit in Gasparilla Sound on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms during the past week. The best action was catch and release snook fishing in the ICW at night.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay & Gasparilla Sound Flats by Rick Grassett (1/28/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, pompano, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails in Sarasota Bay and trout, snook and reds in Gasparilla Sound on CAL jigs with shad tails, 4” jerk worms and flies during the past couple of weeks.

Good Sarasota Night & Backcountry Snook Action by Rick Grassett (1/15/2017)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing snook, trout, bluefish and Spanish mackerel in Sarasota Bay, snook and blues in the ICW south of Sarasota and snook, trout and redfish in Gasparilla Sound on flies and DOA Lures during the past week. The best action was catching and releasing snook in the ICW and in skinny water.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay Deep Grass Flats by Rick Grassett (12/31/2016)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing trout, Spanish mackerel, pompano and bluefish in Sarasota Bay on flies, DOA Lures and top water plugs during the past couple of weeks. As in recent weeks, the best action was on deep grass flats in about 6' of water.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay Deep Flats & ICW near Venice by Rick Grassett (12/17/2016)
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing trout and bluefish on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay, snook and blues in the ICW at night and snook, trout and pompano on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails in Gasparilla Sound during the past couple of weeks.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay Deep Grass Flats by Rick Grassett (12/06/2016)
Action was steady on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay during the past couple of weeks. Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout and blues on flies, CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos.I was on a road trip to Hopedale, LA to fly fish for reds with several friends during the week of 11/28, so I don't have a Sarasota report for that time frame.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay Grass Flats by Rick Grassett (11/20/2016)
Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay with me during the past week, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released snook, trout, redfish and blues on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails. Action was steady on deep grass flats on the east side of the bay.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay & Gasparilla Sound Flats by Rick Grassett (11/04/2016)
Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay, the ICW near Venice and Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande with me during the past couple of weeks, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released reds, snook, trout, blues and pompano on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails. Shallow water fishing for snook, trout and reds and trout and blues on deep grass flats is improving as the water cools down.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay Deep Grass Flats by Rick Grassett (10/09/2016)
Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay with me during the past couple of weeks, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released juvenile tarpon, trout and jacks on DOA Lures and flies.

Good Tampa Bay False Albacore Fly Fishing Action by Rick Grassett (9/25/2016)
I was away visiting family in Delaware during the week of 9/11, so I don't have a Sarasota fishing report for that time frame.However, I did have a chance to fish Chesapeake Bay a couple of days while I was there.Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf near Tampa Bay with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, during the week of 9/18 caught and released trout on DOA Deadly Combos and false albacore (little tunny) on flies.

Good Action in Sarasota Bay with Snook and on Deep Grass Flats by Rick Grassett (9/09/2016)
As expected, fishing rebounded quickly following the passing of Tropical Storm/Hurricane Hermine. Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, during the past week caught and released snook, trout and bluefish on DOA Deadly Combos and flies

Good Action in Sarasota and Tampa Bay by Rick Grassett (8/27/2016)
Fishing can be good in late August and September as long as you fish smart. For most species this usually means fishing early in the day, before heat is an issue. There are also some seasonal things that start to happen now, such as false albacore (little tunny) and tripletail, which could be a good option later in the day when visibility is better.

Good Action on Sarasota Bay Deep Grass Flats & Docks by Rick Grassett (8/16/2016)
Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, during the week of Aug 1st caught and released trout and ladyfish on flies and DOA Deadly Combos. We also fished dock lights one morning before dawn on a pre-dawn/bay trip and caught and released snook on CAL jigs with shad tails.