Anglers fishing with me on my flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel and albies on flies last week. John Evans and his son-in-law, Charlie, from the UK, fished deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay at Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor on Monday and caught and released a few trout to 17” and a couple of Spanish mackerel on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. John Lacy, from Kentucky, also fly fished the same areas with me on Tuesday with similar results.
My brother, Kirk Grassett from Middletown, DE, came down for a visit and we fished Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL, joined us on Thursday as we fished the coastal gulf near Longboat Key and Anna Maria Island. We caught and released more than a dozen albies to 10-lbs on small white flies. Sharks and kings also joined the fray, skyrocketing on baits and cutting one of our albies in ½. A front pushed through that evening and on Friday it was much rougher. The rough water scattered bait schools and predators, but they were still actively feeding over a much broader area. Kirk and I caught and released 4 or 5 albies on Friday and almost landed a 25 to 30-pound king mackerel. We found a few tarpon rolling in bait schools so Kirk tied on a big, black Deceiver with a heavy fluorocarbon bite tippet. After only a few casts, the big king skyrocketed on his fly, almost jumping into the boat and screamed off more than 100 yards of backing. We got the fish alongside the boat, only to have it chomp through the leader. An exciting battle!
On Saturday, we fished with Capt. Rick DePaiva of Flynutt Charters in Ft. Myers, FL. He expertly put us on lots of cruising reds and snook and a few “tailers”. Kirk caught and released a big red and we hooked and lost a couple of others on flies. Capt. Rick is an excellent spin and fly fishing guide in the Pine Island Sound area and can be reached at www.saltwaterflyfishing.org .
Next week’s tides are favorable as we approach a full moon next weekend. With water temperatures now in the mid 70’s, fishing should continue to heat up especially in the coastal gulf waters.
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
Kirk Grassett, from Middletown, DE, caught and released this albie off Longboat Key on a fly while fishing with his brother, Capt. Rick Grassett.-Rusty Chinnis photo.
Kirk Grassett, from Middletown, DE, caught and released this big red on a fly while fishing Pine Island Sound with Capt. Rick DePaiva (www.saltwaterflyfishing.org)
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