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, Spanish mackerel, pompano, flounder, bluefish and a cobia on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails during the past couple of weeks. With water temperatures around 70 degrees, cobia have been showing up in areas of Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf.
Keith McClintock, son-in-law Rick Anderson and grandson, Garrett Anderson, all from IL, fished deep grass flats on the west side of Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 12/22. They caught and released trout, ladyfish and a flounder on CAL jigs with shad tails. Alan Sugar, from MI, fished the same areas with me on Tuesday, 12/23 and caught and released trout and ladyfish on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly fished on a sink tip fly line.
Wednesday's trip was rescheduled due to wind gusting above 20-mph as a front passed through. Action improved towards the end of the week following the front. Ian McEachern, from Sarasota, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 12/26. We fished deep grass flats on both sides of the bay where he caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and ladyfish on an Ultra Hair Clouser.
Lane Thurgood, from VA, and daughters Bella and Beatrice, fished the same areas with me on Saturday, 12/27. Lane fly fished while the girls used spinning tackle. They had good action catching 6 species of fish, including trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, ladyfish and a small gag grouper on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.
Keith McClintock, from IL, and his son Steve McClintock, from PA, fished deep grass flats on the west side of Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 12/29. They caught and released trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle, ladyfish and a cobia on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Denis Clohisy and his son, Deny, from WI, fished the coastal gulf with me on Tuesday, 12/30. Our plan was to sight fish for tripletail but with sea fog, cloud cover and a chop, conditions weren't great. With not much happening on the surface, we went to an area of structure where we spotted a "push" on the surface which was a school of 6 or more big cobia. Deny connected with a nice cobia on a CAL jig with a shad tail and despite tough conditions they also had some shots at tripletail with DOA Shrimp, CAL shad tails and flies.
Joe Brinkmeyer and Jim Brady, from Cincinnati, OH, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 1/2 and Buddy Hammond, from NJ, fished with me on Saturday, 1/3. We fished deep grass flats on both sides of the bay and action was similar each day, catching and releasing trout, ladyfish and scattered blues and Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more should be good options on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Look for reds and big trout mixed with mullet schools on shallow flats and edges of bars. Tripletail and false albacore should be good options in the coastal gulf depending on conditions. Look for albies feeding near the surface and tripletail around crab trap buoys. Catch and release night snook fishing in the ICW is also a good option now. Fish peak tidal flows for the best action.
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
