Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with trout and bluefish on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay recently. In addition, we caught larger trout in Sarasota Bay and reds and snook in Gasparilla Sound in skinny water. Water temperatures cooled to the high 50’s and low 60’s early in the week of Jan. 19th, slowing the pompano bite that was going on prior to that. However, fishing for trout and blues on deep grass flats remained good.
Rick Stoneman, from Toronto, Ontario, and a couple of friends fished a cool, windy afternoon on Weds, Jan 21. Despite poor conditions they had good action with mostly ladyfish and trout at the Radio Tower and Marina Jack flats. Keith McClintock and Hal D’Orazio, both from Lake Forest, IL, fished Gasparilla Sound in Charlotte Harbor with me on Thursday. The action was slow to start, but they finished the day with 4 reds to 24 and a few nice trout on CAL jigs with shad tails. Carter Fox, from VA, and a guest fished a ½ day in Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. We were still feeling the effects of cool water, but they managed trout and blues on several deep grass flats in north Sarasota Bay with CAL jigs.
I was the instructor at a CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Saturday, Jan 24th. The next class, which includes a textbook, instructional DVD, the use of premium Orvis fly tackle and lunch is scheduled for Feb. 28. Contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 to sign up.
My sister, Michelle Mumford, and her friend, Bill Walterhoefer, both from Dagsboro, DE, visited me the following week. We fished Sarasota Bay, Little Sarasota Bay and Gasparilla Sound on several trips. My wife, Karen Grassett, joined us on one of the trips in Sarasota Bay. We caught more than 15 trout to 17” and a dozen bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos at the Middleground flat. A trip in Little Sarasota Bay produced trout and ladyfish. Another trip in Gasparilla Sound in Charlotte Harbor was a little slow in the morning but got better in the afternoon. Bill caught and released a 34” snook that weighed 11 ½-pounds on a CAL jig with a jerk worm in Turtle Bay. Nice fish!
Harry Beaty and Paul Rotz, both from Toronto, Ontario, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday. The morning was slow with short trout and blues, but the afternoon got better. After lunch we moved into skinny water, where we sight fished trout in potholes. They landed about ten trout from 17” to 20” on CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms near Long Bar. This time of the year when the water is cool, fishing is often better in the afternoon when the water warms a few degrees.
Next week’s tides will improve towards the end of the week as we head towards a full moon on Feb. 9th. A cold front this weekend and a reinforcing front early in the week will probably cool the water again and slow fishing for a few days. Fish protected water in the afternoon for the best action.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com
Michelle Mumford, from Dagsboro, DE, with a nice Sarasota Bay trout caught and released on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing with her brother,Capt. Rick Grassett.
Bill Walterhoefer, from Dagsboro, DE, with a 34" snook that he caught and released on a CAL jig with a jerk worm while fishing Turtle Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.
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