Rick Grassett

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 snook in the ICW near Venice at night, trout, snook and redfish in Charlotte Harbor and trout and bluefish on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on flies and DOA Lures during the past couple of weeks.

Greg Baumeyer, from IL, and his son Wyatt, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 3/28 and had some action catching and releasing trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails. Tuesday, 3/29's wading trip was cut short due to a strong front, with severe thunderstorms, passing through but fortunately we got off the water just ahead of it.

Dirk Crews, from WI, also had some trout action on Wednesday, 3/30 as did Phil Rever, from MD, and his son-in-law Greg Smith, from NYC, on Thursday. 3/31 with the same flies and lures. David Eddy, from Tampa, fished with me on Friday, 4/1. David has done some fly casting instruction with me and despite it being a very windy and slow day, he persisted and caught and released his first trout on a fly.

Tim Graham, from Venice, FL and Pat Redmond, from Sarasota, FL, fished Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande with me on Monday, 4/4. The best action was with trout to 18" on CAL jigs with shad tails but they also caught and released a couple of snook and Tim finished the day with a small red to complete his slam.

Anglers fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay with me on several trips caught and released trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies, CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. The best trip that week was when Frank Zaffino, from Rochester, NY, snook fished with me in the ICW near Venice on Thursday evening, 4/7. We fished dock lights and he had good action catching and releasing numerous snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly.

Look for reds, snook and big trout mixed with mullet schools or cruising shallow flats and edges of bars in backcountry areas of Charlotte Harbor and lower Tampa Bay. Night snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW with flies and DOA Lures should also be a good option.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

IFFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters

Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

www.snookfin-addict.com, www.snookfinaddict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us

E-mail snookfin@aol.com

(941) 923-7799

Fish Species: snook, redfish, trout & bluefish
Bait Used: Flies and DOA Lures
Tackle Used: fly & spin
Method Used: fly fishing & spin casting lures
Water Depth: 4'-8'
Water Temperature: 73
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Dirk Crews, from WI, with a trout caught and released on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Dirk Crews, from WI, with a trout caught and released on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Frank Zaffino, from Rochester, NY, with a snook caught and released on a Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing the ICW near Venice at night with Capt. Rick Grassett.
Frank Zaffino, from Rochester, NY, with a snook caught and released on a Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing the ICW near Venice at night with Capt. Rick Grassett.


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Rick Grassett

About The Author: Captain Rick Grassett

Company: Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

Area Reporting: Soutwest Florida

Bio: Capt. Rick Grassett, owner of Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc., is a full time fishing guide and outdoor writer based in Sarasota, FL. He has been guiding since 1990 and is an Orvis Endorsed Outfitter fly fishing guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters in Sarasota. Specializing in fishing with flies and lures on light spinning tackle, Capt. Rick fishes the bays, back country and coastal gulf waters from Tampa Bay to Charlotte Harbor in his 18' Action Craft flats boat. He is a Federation of Fly Fishers certified fly casting instructor. Destination fishing trips are another specialty of Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service. Capt. Rick has lead groups of fly anglers to remote fishing locations around the world. Crane Meadow Lodge, MT, Los Roques, Venezuela, Andros Island Bonefish Club and Bonefish Bay Club in the Bahamas are several destinations where he has hosted groups in the past. Capt. Rick is a field editor for Saltwater Angler magazine and a monthly columnist for the Tampa Tribune. He has written articles for The Fisherman magazine and Orvis News. In addition to writing for these publications, he has been featured in articles in Florida Sportsman, Sportfishing, The Fisherman and Fly Fishing in Saltwater magazines. Capt. rick's web site, www.snookfin-addict.com features weekly fishing reports, current photos and and monthly fishing forecasts. He also maintains a second website that is specific to fly fishing and fly casting instruction, www.flyfishingflorida.net.

941-923-7799
Click Here For Past Fishing Reports by Captain Rick Grassett