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 catching and releasing an estimated 130 to 140-pound tarpon and jumping and hooking up with numerous tarpon on fly and spinning tackle in the coastal gulf recently.
Most of my time during the week of 5/25 was spent fly fishing for tarpon. Anglers fishing with me had numerous shots some days, but only a few shots on a couple of other trips. With many variables, including visibility, tide and sea conditions, it usually requires numerous shots for it all to come together to be successful.
Hal Lutz, from Parrish, FL and Andrea Lutz, from Atlanta, GA, spent a couple of mornings spin fishing for tarpon with me. We drifted live baits while waiting to cast to schools with live crabs and DOA Baitbusters. Hal cast a live crab into a happy school of tarpon and hooked up. He also had a few shots at tarpon with a fly later in the morning.
Patrice Camillieri, from near Paris, France, fly fished for tarpon a couple of days with me. Conditions were good one day, but we only saw a few fish. We had sloppy sea conditions another day with lots of shots. Despite the tough conditions, he had several bites, jumping one and hooking up a couple of more times.
Hal Lutz, from Parrish, FL, and Jeb Mulock, from Bradenton, FL, fly fished for tarpon in the coastal gulf with me on Friday, 5/30. We didn't see a lot of fish but they made their shots count. Jeb jumped a big tarpon and fought the fish for about 20-minutes before the hook pulled. His first tarpon on a fly!
Dave Reinhart, from VA, and Domenick Raschella, from NC, tarpon fished a couple of days with me last week on 6/5 and 6/6. We drifted live baits while waiting to cast DOA Baitbusters and live crabs to passing schools of tarpon. Domenick jumped 3 tarpon and Dave caught and released a large female after a lengthy battle on live crabs with spinning tackle. A memorable fish!
Large schools of tarpon are more plentiful at this point in the season rather than singles, doubles and small schools. They should be plentiful in the coastal gulf as we approach a full moon next week. Look for reds and big trout on shallow flats or edges of bars in Sarasota Bay. Fishing deep grass flats for trout, blues and more should also be a good option. You should find catch and release snook 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
