Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released a variety of fish during the past couple of weeks. Snook, reds, trout and Spanish mackerel were caught on a variety of lures and flies in Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor.
Sarasota winter resident, Tom Lamb and Jack Miller, also from Sarasota, fished with me on Nov. 13th in Sarasota Bay. We looked for Spanish mackerel in the coastal gulf around a couple of the inshore artificial reefs, but it wasn't going on. They caught and released several trout, a Spanish mackerel and numerous ladyfish. We fished Sarasota's Big Pass and deep grass flats close to the pass with CAL jigs and DOA Deadly Combos.
Fly anglers Bob and Diane Harness, from St. Louis, MO, fished Charlotte Harbor with me the next day. Our best action was on the deep grass flats of Gasparilla Sound where they caught and released trout on Clouser flies. We had several shots at tailing reds but they were tough to approach. The next day, I fished in Tampa Bay with Rusty Chinnis and Capt. Bryon Chamberlin. We were looking for cobia. We only found one cobia, a nice 25 or 30-pound fish. I was up and had a good shot with a fly, but the fish ignored me. We also had several shots a blacktip sharks. I fooled one with an Enrico Puglisi black and purple Peanut Butter. The 10-pound shark took mew into my backing and put up a very nice fight.
Bill Travers, from Baldwin, MD and his son, Sean, from Gainesville, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me last Saturday. The action was slow to start due to cool water. We found some warmer water in Roberts Bay in the afternoon where they caught and released caught a nice trout and several reds and snook on CAL jigs with shad tails to complete their slam.
A front blew in the first of this week and we had several days of cool windy weather, dropping the water temperature to 60 degrees. Fly anglers, Tim Koehler from San Francisco, CA and his brother, Rich Koehler, from Reno, NV, fished Charlotte harbor with me on Friday. The action was slow but steady. The caught and released 3 snook, 4 reds, a jack and a grouper on my Flats Minnow, Estaz Marabou and Clouser flies. We caught the reds and snook on deep mangrove shorelines of Bull Bay and Gasparilla Sound.
Next week's tides are favorable for reds on the flats and snook in the ICW or backcountry creeks and canals. There may be some opportunities for tailing reds early in the week and again next weekend in Gasparilla Sound.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc. (941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com