July 29, 2007
Sarasota Florida Fishing Report
By Capt. Bob Smith
The Spotted Seatrout has been the top action on the open bay and on most of the grass-flats! The Redfish and Snook action around the docks and channels has been spotty but fish are being caught.
Last week we caught trout up to 23.5", Bluefish over 3 pounds and an occasional Spanish mackerel, not to mention lots of Ladyfish. Using only the 3" DOA shrimp for bait, we seemed to be able to catch more keeper trout than the live bait fishermen. The shrimp are poor now and the white-bait is iffy for trout. Small pigfish (grunts) fished with a float is a killer for big trout but pigfish are hard to find at this time. Some of the bigger trout tried to take the small snapper as we were bringing them in.
One of the hotspots on the bay has been Whale Key. Watch for the birds feeding along the shoal and you will find all kinds of fish feeding below them. It is unusual to see a lot of different species chasing the baitfish at the same time during midday.
Snook and tarpon can still be caught along the beach. First and last light is best.
Offshore in about fifty feet of water, there have been plenty of barracuda hanging around the artificial reefs. A few nice mangrove snapper and permit have also been caught in the same areas.
Enjoy & Protect
My Website: http//www.sarasota-fla-fishing.com