Sarasota Fishing Report 1-24-2011

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota Bay & Gasparilla Sound Fishing Report 
1/23/2011
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, reds and ladyfish on several trips last week. Action was good with trout in Gasparilla Sound and Little Sarasota Bay. In addition, we also caught and released several reds and ladyfish in the same areas.

Isaac Humphrey, from Dayton, OH, and his brother-in-law, Jason, from Buffalo, NY, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday. They caught and released more than 25 trout to 18”, several ladyfish and a red on CAL jigs with shad tails. However, a trip on Wednesday in Sarasota Bay near the downtown area was slow. We caught and released only a few trout on Clouser and Grassett Flats Bunny flies.

The action picked up on Thursday when Tom Lamb, from Geneva, Switzerland and John Freeman, Jr., from Venice, FL, fished Gasparilla Sound with me. They caught and released numerous trout to 19”, with almost all trout in the slot, and 4 reds to 20” on CAL jigs with shad tails. A front pushed through on Friday and cold air rushed in behind it on Saturday morning, but that didn’t stop Sarasota winter resident, Nick Reding, and his guest, Greg Geoffroy, from Ames, Iowa, from catching fish on flies. Conditions were challenging that day with winds whipping up into the mid 20 mph range and air temperature dropping throughout the afternoon. We waded a flat in north Sarasota Bay where they caught and released 6 or 8 nice trout to 20” and a small red on Grassett Flats Minnow flies.

The pattern should remain the same with low tides concentrating trout and reds in potholes and along bars. Afternoons may fish better due to warmer water.

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



Longboat Key winter resident, Nick Reding, waded a flat in north Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett on a blustery day and caught and released this nice trout on a Grassett Flats Minnow fly.



Siesta Key winter resident, Tom Lamb, caught this red on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound with Capt. Rick Grassett.