Anglers fishing with me on my flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon off Sarasota beaches during the past couple of weeks. We jumped more than 15 fish and fought 4 or 5 to the boat. Anglers scored with live crabs, DOA Baitbusters and baitfish fly patterns along Lido and Longboat Key.
Hal Lutz, from Parrish, FL, and Andrea Lutz, from Atlanta, GA, fished several days with me during the week of 5/24. One of the best trips of the week was with them on Thursday. Andrea had the hot hand jumping several tarpon on live crabs that day. Hal jumped a pair of fish on Enrico Puglisi Bronze Mullet flies and fought another fish that ate a live crab to the boat. Another angler jumped a tarpon on an Enrico Puglisi Black Mullet fly on Tuesday 5/25.
David Sugar and his son, Max, from Sarasota, FL, had a great trip on Saturday, 5/29. He jumped 4 tarpon on live crabs and had numerous shots on his first ever tarpon trip! Tarpon were schooled tightly and "happy" that day even though it was a holiday weekend.
A group of 6 anglers fished several days with Capt. Kelly Stilwell, Capt. Jack Hartman and me last week. Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, Steve Liska, from NJ, Dave Kinnamon, from Milwaukee, WI and Paul Browring, from the UK, fished various days on my boat. They jumped a total of 7 tarpon and landed 2, to 90-pounds, on live crabs and DOA Baitbusters. Other anglers in the group had similar action, jumping and landing several tarpon to 140-pounds, with a variety of live baits and flies. West wind forced us to fish inside waters of Sarasota Bay with the group on Friday. We had a great trip catching and releasing trout and bluefish to 2 ½-pounds on DOA Deadly Combos near Bishop Point.
Nick Misischia, from Bend, OR, and his dad, Bill Misischia, from Sarasota, fished with me on Saturday. Nick caught and released about 6 trout on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly on a Siesta Key dock before dawn. We tried to fish the gulf for tarpon but Friday's blow had the water too stirred up to spot fish. Bill caught and released a few trout on a DOA Deadly Combo at the Middleground flat and near Bishop Point in Sarasota Bay.
Tarpon schools have been moving slowly and high in the water column giving us good shots at them. If conditions are rough in the coastal gulf, fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay should produce lots of variety and action. Bay fishing should be best early in the day before heat affects the bite later in the day. Tarpon fishing should continue to be strong as we approach the new moon on June 12th.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com
