Rick Grassett

I was away on a family vacation last week, so I don't have a Sarasota fishing report. Before I left, my friend Capt. Rick DePaiva, invited me to fish Pine Island Sound with him on Wednesday afternoon, 8/20. Tides were right for reds to tail on shallow grass as the tide bottomed out at about 5 PM, which gave us a window to fish the falling tide and then the incoming just before dusk. We had some shots at reds and snook on the outgoing tide, but as the tide hit low, the water slicked off and conditions got right. We got out and waded as reds "snaked" their way back onto a shallow flat, crawling through the exposed grass. I caught and released a 30" red on my Grassett Flats Minnow fly with only a 20' cast. Very rewarding!

CB's Saltwater Outfitters guides are reporting good action on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay with trout, mangrove snapper, blues, jacks and more. Snook season reopens today on the west coast of Florida. Anglers may take one snook between 28"-33" per person per day from Sept. 1-Nov 30. Full regulations are available at www.myfwc.com . Personally, I ask that all snook be released on my boat and encourage other anglers to practice catch and release with snook, since stocks are still rebuilding to pre 2010 cold kill levels. Snook fishing should be good in the surf, in passes and around docks and bridges close to passes.

Reds are schooling on flats of Sarasota Bay. They may stage on edges of bars or shallow grass flats when the tide is low. Look for wakes or patches of nervous water when it is calm or slick spots when there is a chop to find schools. You should find trout, mangrove snapper, blues and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. There may still be some action with tarpon in the coastal gulf. However as they thin out in the coastal gulf, they are moving to inside areas where you may find them rolling on deep grass flats or in passes at first light.

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

Fish Species: Redfish
Bait Used: Grassett Flats Minnow fly
Tackle Used: fly
Method Used: fly fishing
Water Depth: 2'
Water Temperature: 88
Wind Direction:
Wind Speed:
Capt. Rick Grassettt Pine Island Sound fly redfish. Capt. Rick DePaiva photo.
Capt. Rick Grassettt Pine Island Sound fly redfish. Capt. Rick DePaiva photo.


Do you want to leave a comment? Login or register now to leave a comment.


No comments so far

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