Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, reds, flounder, Spanish mackerel and blues in Sarasota Bay and trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and redfish in Gasparilla Sound on lures and flies during the past couple of weeks.
Don Webb and David McDonald, both from Ontario, Canada, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday, 2/12. They had steady action with trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails on deep grass flats on both sides of the bay.
Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL and Gary Roberts, from Bradenton, FL, fished Gasparilla Sound in Charlotte Harbor with me on Thursday, 2/14. With a front passing through, it was a rainy day. However, with the barometer falling fast, trout went on a binge. They had good action catching and releasing trout, including 4 and 5-pound trout and numerous trout in the slot, bluefish and a red on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Bill King, from Osprey, FL, fished the same areas with me on Friday, 2/15. He caught and released trout, including several in the slot, and a Spanish mackerel on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly fished on a sink tip fly line.
I was out of town visiting family for a few days early in the week of 2/18. Nick Reding, from Longboat Key, FL, and Tony Merlis, from NH, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 2/21. I poled a couple of sand bars and we waded shallow flats on the east side of the bay where they caught and released several trout to more than 20", a flounder and a couple of reds on my Grassett Flats Minnow fly.
Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL and Jack Walker, from WI, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 2/22. They had good action on several deep grass flats on both sides of the bay catching and releasing numerous trout to 18" and several blues on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Tom Newman, from Fairfax, VA, and his brother, John Newman from Annapolis, MD, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday, 2/23. With a strong south wind, we found some protection on the west side of the bay. They caught and released a few trout and ladyfish and a couple of Spanish mackerel from the Middleground flat to Whale Key on Ultra Hair Clouser flies, CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos.
Tides will be good next week as we head away from a full moon. You should find trout, Spanish mackerel, blues, pompano and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. You may also find blues and Spanish mackerel in passes when the tide is moving. Look for reds around docks, in potholes and on the edges of bars when the tide is low or on shallow flats on sunny afternoons when the tide is high.
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