Sarasota Fishing Report 12-24-2011

Sarasota, FL Fishing Report
Capt. Rick Grassett
12/24/2011

Catch and release night snook fishing was on fire early last week! 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 snook, reds, trout and bluefish during the past week. The best action was fly fishing for snook at night in the ICW near Venice. Snook gorged themselves on glass minnows around lighted docks and ate my Snook Minnow fly just as well. In addition, we also caught trout and reds around docks on the same fly.

Bruce McLean, from Sarasota and his son, Gray McLean, from Charlottesville, VA, fished the ICW near Venice with me on Monday evening. They caught and released more than 15 snook to 23”, 6 trout to 18” and 4 reds to 22” on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. Not only did Gray catch his first snook on a fly, he also caught and released several slams!

The action got even better on Wednesday evening when Bill Rhodes from Hernando Beach, FL, fished the same area with me. The bite was so good at quitting time that we decided to turn it into a 6-hour trip. Bill also had a fly rod slam catching and releasing more than 40 snook to 23”, 6 trout to 19” and a 22” red on my Snook Minnow fly! Exercise caution when snook fishing this time of year. I always use tackle and leaders heavy enough to land them quickly with minimal handling. If water temperatures plummet following a strong front, I won’t fish for them at all until conditions stabilize.

Bill fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday morning. The action was slow, but he managed to catch and release a couple of trout and a bluefish on a Hansen Glass Minnow fly near Whale Key. He fished a tandem fly rig with a smaller fly about 24” ahead of a larger fly on an intermediate shooting head fly line creating the illusion of schooling bait fish.

Jerry Roth, from Longwood, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday morning. Despite beautiful conditions it was slow to start. We had a negative low tide with good sunlight and mullet so thick you could walk on them, but we covered a lot of water before we scored. Jerry finished the day with 4 reds to 24” caught and released on a CAL jig with a shad tail near Buttonwood Harbor.

Negative low tides early next week as we head away from a new moon should concentrate reds and trout in potholes. Fish deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay for trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and flounder. As long as it stays mild, we should also have action with false albacore, Spanish mackerel and tripletail in the coastal gulf when conditions are good. Have a Merry Christmas!



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



Gray McLean, from Charlottesville, VA, caught and released this red on a Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing the ICW near Venice at night with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Bill Rhodes, from Hernando Beach, FL, caught and released this snook on a Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing the ICW near Venice at night with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Jerry Roth, from Longwood, FL, caught and released this red on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Apalachicola Fishing Report

Redfish rule in December and January on the mild sunny days that we love to experience here in winter on the Forgotten Coast. Just this past week of beautiful warm December weather, Capt. Tommy Holland's clients came in with about 60 legal fish and Capt. Chris is fishing for Reds as I type with Rob Bartosh. That's not to say that colder weather isn't fishable... because it is! If you've got the fishing bug bad enough, there's always someplace to tuck up out of the weather & hook up on striped bass or redfish or trout. Fortunately we do have a year round fishery here. Note: Tarpon are a HOT weather fish.



Congratulations Shawn Jarrell for correctly guessing the number of spots on the redfish in our last fishing report. Capt. Chris Robinson reported there were 41spots on that redfish. And local Shelley Shepard was the closest on the weight of the Bull Redfish. It weighed 22 lbs on the Boga-grip. Shelley's estimate of 22.5 was the closest. Shawn, your hat is on the way to you in the mail and Shelley, you have to come by our new office to get yours!




Bill Mudd just finished fishing with Capt. Tommy Robinson December 11-15 in the Florida Everglades for Snook, etc. The season for snook is closed, but they are still an exciting fish to catch & release. Tommy plans to continue to fish with clients in the Glades every year. Let me know if you're interested in Dec. 2012!



Dr. Ed Hall also enjoyed his Everglades fishing trip with Tommy this December! Plenty of snook, some "Ditch" fishing and a python. Fishing with Tommy is nothing but pure entertainment!

Ok, enough fooling around. Here's the news. Capt. Jr. is in the process of building Robert the fish cleaner a new fish cleaning building. All of y'all who have had their fish professionally cleaned by Mr. Robert will appreciate this. Look for photos of his new place in the next newsletter.

Next on the agenda...Deposits for 2012 fishing trips. If we have contacted you and given you your dates and you wish to fish then your deposit is past due now. Reservations are not guaranteed without the deposit.

We LOVE our new space!! Can't wait for everybody to come see it!

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year & Tight Lines!

Kathy Robinson
Robinson Brothers Guide Service/Robinson Real Estate Company
44 Avenue E
Apalachicola, FL 32320
www.FloridaRedfish.com
850-653-8896

Indian River Lagoon Fishing Report 12-17-2011

Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
Capt. Chris Myers
December 17, 2011

The story so far this December has been one of weather and water. Neither one have been cooperating. The weather has been less than optimal for sight fishing. While there have been a few days with light winds and sun, there have been many more with one or both of those factors working against us. This time of year, the waters of the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River should be crystal clear. Unfortunately, that is not the case in most parts of the Lagoon system. The water temperatures are still hovering above 65 degrees and the bloom of exotic algae that plagued us most of the summer and fall is still lingering on. To see the fish, you need both sun and clean water, a combination that has been hard to get lately. The good news is that there are redfish around and they have been more than willing to eat well placed lures and flies.

To start the month off, I had fellow FFF Certified Casting Instructor Dan Boggs on board for what I was hoping would be one of the best fly fishing days of the year. The fish had been tailing well the week before and I was certain Dan would be able to hit the target. We arrived to find winds sustained at 19mph, chilly temperatures, and plenty of clouds. Not only do redfish not tail as much in the wind, it is more difficult to spot them when they do. Needless to say, the tailing fish were nowhere to be found. Dan's
father reeled in the only redfish of the day.



A few days later, I was joined by fried Rick for a day of fun fishing. We spent the first part of the morning exploring miles of water that held very few fish. After much searching, we found some clean water and plenty of cruising redfish. The black redfish worm fly and the watermelon holographic DOA shrimp were pounced on by most of the fish that saw them. While many of the fish we saw were digging in the grass feeding, we saw very few tails break the surface.



The following morning, I returned to a slick calm flat to find schools of tailing redfish in every direction. The first cast of the day with my 5wt flyrod resulted in a
redfish eating my brown and gold bendback fly but the fish broke off. I tied on a green and silver bendback and got 4 bites on the next 5 casts but no hookups. I inspected the fly and discovered the hook had broken just below the eye on the first bite. I grabbed my black redfish worm and quickly began hooking, and landing, fish. About 45 minutes later, the tails all went down, the fished moved off, and I never saw them again. I spent the remainder of the day scouting for some places to fish on what I knew was going to
be a windy charter the following day.

Scottish angler, Brian, joined me for another one of the days of 20 mph winds we have had. To go along with the wind, we had morning temperatures in the 40's. The water temperature had dropped thirteen degrees overnight. It was the last day of his trip, however, and he wanted to give it a try. His preference was fly fishing but, due to the wind, he decided a spinning rod might give him a better chance. Unfortunately, none of the fish I had found the previous day were in wind protected areas. We were the only boat in sight when Brian began getting bites on his weedless rigged three inch DOA CAL. For some reason, the fish were not getting hooked so I switched him to a four inch CAL in golden bream color. We were fishing in about 2 feet of slightly cloudy water with both grass and sand patches. A Woodies Rattle in the baits seemed to be helping the fish locate the small lure. Brain caught redfish on the 3, 4, and 5 inch CAL baits. The bite was consistent and he even got out the flyrod and made some blind casts with a brown crab pattern. He landed his flyrod redfish and turned some poor weather into an excellent day of catching.



This week's weather was even less flats fishing friendly with gray skies dominating the days. Steve and Hank joined me on the Lagoon for some sight fishing. The winds were light for a change but the clouds were thick in the morning. Unable to find any tailing fish we tried some trout fishing while we waited for the clouds to clear. I tied on a couple DOA Deadly Combos and we began hitting islands, bars, and dropoffs. They caught a dozen or so and we suddenly had a break in the clouds. We raced off to the flats in search of redfish. We had just located a decent concentration when the clouds. Unable to see the fish until we ran into them, they were forced to change tactics to blind casting for the rest of the day. Both guys had several bites from redfish but failed to set the hook and they never managed to land one.

When the weather cooperates and the fish are tailing, the fishing is excellent. During periods of clouds and wind, finding the fish can be a challenge. Hopefully, as we move towards what is traditionally the coldest time of the year in Florida, the algae bloom will clear and more areas will be open to sight fishing. Clean water and blue skies are at the top of my Christmas wish list.

Captain Chris Myers
321-229-2848http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
cmyers@floridafishinglessons.com

Tarpon Springs Fishing Report 12-2011

Tampa Fishing Reports
December 2011 Tampa Fishing Report
by Stewart Ames



With winter rapidly approaching, the fish targeted on Tampa fishing charters will become much more predictable. Large seatrout will become the primary species and, although not open until January 1st south of Fred Howard Park, will provide consistent action. As the water is not real cold yet, these fish should readily eat suspending plugs and swim tail plastic jigs. Anglers fortunate enough to get on the water during the early hours of the day on a calm morning during the week can successfully entice big trout to crash surface lures as well. Although bringing home a limit of trout to eat is a primary motivator for many anglers, those wishing to enjoy some great sport should fish before the season opens as action will be strong and fishing pressure much lighter. On productive days, catching 15 to 20 trout over twenty inches is a realistic expectation. From a live bait perspective, most Tampa fishing guides start each day well stocked with select shrimp when big trout are the focus. Fishing these under a slip bobber is a can't miss proposition although, on days when fish are less aggressive, simply free-lining a shrimp can be another productive approach.



November RefishThe other logical early winter target is the redfish. Once November rolls around, many areas holding larger redfish see an influx of smaller fish and a departure of the larger ones. True to form, recent Tampa fishing charters targeting redfish are being rewarded with good numbers, but fish are ranging from 16 to 23 inches. Nevertheless, there's decent action and fillets for the table. The big breeder redfish action appears to have subsided so areas prospected by Tampa fishing guides for these fish will probably get little attention until next year. Tampa redfish dinnerDocks and oyster bars become much more important structures for redfish in the winter...maybe because of the abundance of small crabs. With other bait fish becoming more scarce, these locations may offer better dining options. Also, dark oyster bars and and dark muddy bottoms found around residential docks may hold heat a little better as well. Whatever the reason, these locations, along with some of the spoil islands along the inter-coastal waterway, are good areas to target. With redfish being crustacean focused, shrimp are probably the most effective winter bait. A good second choice would be smaller pieces of cut bait and small pinfish. "Bobbering" and "free-lining" a shrimp are two effective tactics when fishing oyster bars. Docks are best fished with heavy split shots to facilitate accurate casting and to hold your bait in a desired location away from pilings.





Big Tampa Shallow water grouperNear shore gag grouper fishing was as good this year as it has been in quite some time, making the grouper season closure next year even more perplexing. The latest word is that the season will open from July 1st through October 31st, which translates to two things. Anglers wanting to catch grouper during the open season next year will need to burn some gas as fish will be deep and inshore Tampa fishing charters that target grouper during the late fall will not be allowed to harvest them. Tampa Fishing for fall grouperNevertheless, Tampa fishing guides working depths from 20 the 35 feet consistently found fish over the last month. Although there were days when only one or two legal fish were hooked, most trips resulted in several quality fish being landed. Unlike grouper hooked at greater depths, large fish hooked in shallow water tend to run "sideways", giving the angler a clear indication of where the rock is that they are running to. The initial strike of a big fish could safely be classified as violent in this shallow water. With pinfish migrating out to these near shore rocks and large thread herring suspending a quarter mile off the beach, grouper were perfectly willing to eat both although, interestingly, showed a strong preference for one or the other on certain days. Heavy conventional grouper tackle was the standardAssorted fish on fall Tampa Fishing Charter approach employed by most Tampa fishing guides however when fish became reluctant to eat, going to lighter tackle and less weight would often trigger three or four strikes in a row on a spot that had yielded no bites with the heavier gear...dispelling any theory that grouper aren't occasionally line or "heavy sinker"shy.



Although there are few fish better to eat than the grouper, two other species were fairly abundant this year in the same areas targeted for grouper...the black seabass and the flounder. Both provide exceptionally tasting fillets. Flounder, laid up on sand bottoms Tampa's best fish dinnerimmediately adjacent to these near shore limestone "patch reefs", would eat smaller pinfish and cut baits. Tampa Fishing for flounderSeabass would eat the same offerings as, even though smaller in size, they have big mouthes. Once seabass approach about a foot in length, they are worthy of filleting. Legal length is 10 inches. It may take two or three to feed one hungry person but when placed side by side with grouper in a taste comparison, most people will choose saebass, which is actually a grouper, as the tastiest. So even after grouper season closed on the 15th, catching grouper on light tackle for sport and bringing home some seabass and grunts to eat made for an enjoyable day. If the tide was strong enough, some Tampa fishing guides would split thier time between grouper and redfish, providing a nice mix of onshore and offhsore fishing.



As winter descends upon us, good fishing days will be determined by two factors....strong tides and the movement of weather fronts. Like most fishing, winter fishing for trout and redfish is almost always better on days with good tidal movement. The other critical factor is the timing of the cold fronts. Fishing the days in front of an approaching cold front is almost always productive. Fishing immediately after is usually frustrating and disappointing. So, look for strong tide days in front of an approaching front and you've given yourself the best odds for a good day of winter fishing. Good luck and good fishing.

Captain Stewart Ames
727-421-5291
http://www.captainames.com/
sames001@tampabay.rr.com

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 12-13- 2011

Mosquito Creek Outdoors Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
December 10, 2011
By Captain Tom Van Horn


Upcoming Seminars and Events

Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby Dates
Thursday December 15th, Shad and Crappie Derby Anglers Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Mosquito Creek Outdoor, 170 South Washington Avenue in Apopka.

Saturday December 17th, Shad and Crappie Derby begins at safe light.

Saturday January 14th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Crappie Rally and Seminar at Boat Tree Marina at the Port of Sanford.

Thursday January 26th 6:30 - 9:00 PM, Free Shad and Crappie Fly Tying Event at Orlando Outfitters, 2814 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL 32808, phone (407) 896-8220. Visit: www.orlandooutfitters.com. Fly tying instruction and seminar by Capt. Beau Osborne. Learn what you need to catch shad and crappie on fly in the Orlando area and see how easy it is to tie effective fly patterns for both species. These tying techniques can also be used to create your own shad and crappie jigs.

Saturday February 25th, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Shad Rally and Seminar at the Jolly Gator Fish Camp on the St. Johns River and HWY 46 east of Geneva.

Saturday March 17th, Shad and Crappie Derby ends at dusk.

February 11th and 12th, Old Florida Outdoor Festival in Apopka, Florida.


This Weeks Fishing Report
Like selecting a candy from an assorted box of Christmas chocolates, you never know what to expect while fishing during the month of December on Florida's Space Coast. Sometimes you're looking for somewhere to spit, and others reward you with unforgettable memories difficult to duplicate. Well that's the story of my life on the lagoon coast this past week, and a reflection of years past during the month of December.

In December, calm days are few and far between, so you fish when you have a chance, and on Thursday strong post frontal winds and 40 degree air temperatures almost made me call off the charter. I'm glad we didn't. We departed the dock around 8 a.m. and headed east across the lagoon. On the previous day during calm conditions we located a few large redfish while on a scouting mission and my plan was to start in that location despite being on the windward side of the flat.

As we drifted into position, heavy chop broke over the stern and the water look like chocolate milk. I was hoping for the best as I staked out the boat, thinking maybe we would get lucky and catch a few fish. Well, the fish gods must have felt sorry for the only fools on the water, blessing us with 8 redfish and a nice sea trout, with 4 of the redfish exceeding 30 pounds. About the only tactic we could use on a day like this was stake out and chunk bait, but as a guide you do what you have to do to catch fish, and on Thursday the tactic work well.



Grampa Don and Grandson Mike with a double header to start the day.

On a different note, my good friend Charlie McCullough caught his first shad on the discharge side of Lake Harney while slow trolling for speckled perch. The shad derby starts next Saturday, and on Thursday the 15th we have our anglers meeting and seminar at Mosquito Creek Outdoors and general sign up begins on Friday the 16th. For more information on the 3rd Annual Shad and Crappie Derby visit www.cfshadderby.com.

Lastly, the holiday season is upon us, so be generous this year and spend some time fishing with those close to your heart, and be obliged to those spending their time away from their families serving our country.

As always, if you need information of have any questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com
http://www.irl-fishing.com
(407) 416-1187

For all of your outdoor needs, visit www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begins.

Sarasota Bay Fishing Report 12-12-2011

Sarasota, FL Fishing Report
Capt. Rick Grassett
12/10/2011

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, blues, Spanish mackerel and flounder on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay during the past week. Tom Lamb, from Geneva, Switzerland, and Roy Glah, from CT, fished Stephens Point, Long Bar and near Whale Key with me on Tuesday. They had steady action with trout and a flounder on CAL jigs with shad and grub tails.    

Walt Poxon, from MN, and Bill and Sue Poxon, from Sarasota, fished the west side of the bay from the Middleground flat to Whale Key with me on Wednesday. They caught and released numerous trout, flounder and Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A front came through on Wednesday evening and the wind was blowing more than 20 mph on Thursday morning, so we rescheduled that trip.

Conditions were good when John Damico and Bryan Beebe, both from Sarasota, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. They had good action with trout and Spanish mackerel to 2-1/2 lbs and blues to 3 -1/2 lbs on CAL jigs with shad tails and Ultra Hair Clouser flies at Stephens Point and near Whale Key.

Next week’s negative low tides are good at the beginning of the week should be good for reds, trout and flounder in potholes in shallow water. Look for trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Action with Spanish mackerel and albies (little tunny) in the coastal gulf should resume when sea conditions improve.

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



John Damico, from Sarasota, FL, caught and released this nice Spanish mackerel on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Bryan Beebe, from Sarasota, FL, caught and released this nice trout on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly fished on a sink tip fly line while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Amelia Island Fishing Report 12-8-2011

Amelia Island Fishing Report
December 2011

Hello Anglers!
I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We'll be fishing right on through the winter months so don't forget to check out the NEW LOOK Amelia Island Fishing Report to see what's biting. Get away from it all, book a trip, and Let's Go Fishing on The Angler's Mark!

November Reports/December Forecasts




As predicted, Amelia Island Fall Fishingthe Fall fishing here on Amelia Island was outstanding! Just when I thought that fishing couldn't get any better, we'd have a "lights out" kinda fishing trip. On a couple of trips, oversized Redfish were brought to the boat and released and Seatrout were caught until we ran out of bait! See the complete November report at NEW LOOK Amelia Island Fishing Report! December reports will be slow to come. It seems everyone has Christmas shopping and families to see! If you just need to get away from all...Let's go Fishing! If you dress warm, the water's of Amelia Island are beautiful this time of year and we're still catching fish! Contact me to set a trip up.

And the winner is....Mike and Barbara Van Beyer!



Shark Fight!

I want to thank all of you who chose me to be your Amelia Island fishing guide this year and I wanted to show my appreciation by entering your name into a drawing for a FREE 1/2 day fishing trip on The Anglers Mark. I wrote down all of the names (some had more than one entry for double trips) and put them in my "Temptation Bait" hat. Mike and Barbara (trip #37) were the lucky winners. I'll be sending them a gift certificate for Christmas! I was lucky to meet and fish with a whole bunch of great folks. I've noticed that most of the time ya'll come as strangers but leave as friends...and fishing buddies!

Capt. Lawrence Piper
The Anglers Mark
Amelia Island, Florida
904-557-1027
lwpiper@comcast.net
theanglersmark.com      

Great Boating Gift? Life Jackets

What would make a great holiday gift for boaters? How about a comfortable life jacket. As this article from Florida's Fish & Wildlife Commission points out, many boaters don't wear a life jacket when they are on the water. Why? They are hot and uncomfortable. These new life jackets are light and cool. Perfect for a day on the water. If there is a sudden accident your loved ones will already be wearing there life saving devices.  

Life-saving holiday gift for boaters




News Release

Thursday, December 01, 2011

Media contact: Katie Purcell, 850-459-6585

Photo Gallery

Boating Safety

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has a suggestion for anyone shopping for a boater this holiday. A new, comfortable life jacket makes an ideal gift, and it could save someone's life.

"A lot of people don't wear life jackets because they feel they're uncomfortable," said Capt. Tom Shipp of the FWC's Boating and Waterways Section. "However, with newer models, such as belt packs or suspenders, you hardly feel them. Replacing an old, bulky life jacket with a newer model makes a great gift."

Belt-pack and suspender life jackets are inflatable. Some inflate automatically when a person falls into the water, while others inflate after the wearer pulls a cord. Prices of the belt-pack and suspender life jackets start at approximately $60.

"Frequently, a life jacket can save a life during a boating accident," Shipp said.

One of the main responsibilities for FWC officers is helping residents and visitors boat safely. They often check boaters for adherence to safety regulations and educate them about safe boating practices. Unfortunately, at other times, FWC officers are called to the scene of boating accidents.

"Many people don't expect to need a life jacket, particularly if they feel they are good swimmers," Shipp said. "However, when boating accidents happen, you may not be able to rely on your swimming skills."

Many of the boating accidents the FWC investigates involve drowning deaths. Last year, there were 79 boating fatalities - 49 of them by drowning. The FWC confirms that life jackets may have saved those lives and recommends boaters wear one at all times on the water.

Bottom line: If you fall overboard with a life jacket on, your chances of survival are greatly enhanced.

This holiday season, the gift of a life jacket could be a gift of life.

Thank You To The FWC For This Great Article.

Sarasota Bay Fishing Report 12-7-2011

Sarasota, FL Fishing Report
Capt. Rick Grassett
12/3/2011

It was cool and breezy following a front early last week, dropping water temperatures in Sarasota Bay about 5 degrees. My Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, was in the shop for several days last week for scheduled maintenance and waiting for parts to correct a problem with the outboard’s lower unit. However, I was able to get out on Thursday to do some scouting with a friend and we had a few shots at reds and trout in north Sarasota Bay. We cast lightly weighted flies on sink tip fly lines to get our flies down to fish that were along an edge where a shallow flat dropped off to deeper water.

Many species of fish are starting to get into a winter pattern. Fish DOA shrimp and CAL jigs slow and close to the bottom in channels, creeks, canals and along drop offs when it is cool. Fly anglers may score with sink tip fly lines and weighted flies. Afternoons may fish better than mornings as fish move onto shallow grass flats that have been warmed by the sun. Fish ahead of approaching fronts or in windows of good weather between fronts for the best action.

Next week’s tides will improve towards the end of the week as we approach a full moon on Dec. 10th. Look for reds, trout and flounder in shallow water and trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more on deep grass flats. Action with Spanish mackerel and albies (little tunny) in the coastal gulf should resume when sea conditions improve.

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



Look for flounder in skinny water, in potholes and along the edges of bars, in the same areas where you may find reds and trout. Tony Ryan, from Osprey, FL caught this flounder on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett several weeks ago.

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 12-5-2011

Indian River Lagoon Coast Fishing Report
November 30, 2011

Upcoming Seminars and Events
Saturday December 3rd, Kel's Rod and Reel 2nd Annual Parking Lot Swap Meet. Located at 430 Hwy 436 Casselberry, Florida - 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. Call Terri at 407-834-3008 for more details.

Thursday December 8th - 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., Free Round Table Shad and Crappie Seminar at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 S. Washington Ave. Apopka Florida.  Contact Rory Roush at  407-464-2000 or rory@mosquitocreek.com

Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby Dates
Thursday December 15th, Shad and Crappie Derby Anglers Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Mosquito Creek Outdoor, 170 South Washington Avenue in Apopka.

Saturday December 17th, Shad and Crappie Derby begins at safe light.

Saturday January 14th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Crappie Rally and Seminar at Boat Tree Marina at the Port of Sanford.

Thursday January 26th 6:30 - 9:00 PM, Free Shad and Crappie Fly Tying Event at Orlando Outfitters, 2814 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL 32808, phone (407) 896-8220. Visit: www.orlandooutfitters.com.  Fly tying instruction and seminar by Capt. Beau Osborne. Learn what you need to catch shad and crappie on fly in the Orlando area and see how easy it is to tie effective fly patterns for both species.  These tying techniques can also be used to create your own shad and crappie jigs.

Saturday February  25th, 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. Shad Rally and Seminar at the Jolly Gator Fish Camp on the St. Johns River and HWY 46 east of Geneva.

Saturday March 17th, Shad and Crappie Derby ends at dusk.

February 11th and 12th, Old Florida Outdoor Festival in Apopka, Florida.


December Fishing Forecast
Cooler conditions will force anglers to dig out their winter shorts in preparation for their day on the water. Like November, December is loaded with outstanding fishing opportunities, with the only difference being the impact of cold fronts on water temperatures and fishing conditions. Currently, surf and lagoon water temperatures are in the seventies with offshore water temperatures remaining near the eighty-degree mark. As these fronts approach and pass, gusty breezes will kick up the sea shutting down most offshore and site fishing opportunities.

In and around the inlets, look for oversized redfish feeding on surface baits during periods of slack tide. At both Sebastian and Ponce De Leon inlets, target these fish outside the inlets near the end of the falling tide in areas of bird and bait activity. These fish will hit artificial swim baits, but live pinfish, pigfish, and finger mullet are the most productive baits.

Snook fishing will also remain steady as long as the water temperatures stay warm, with Sebastian Inlet proving to be the prime location. It is best to target inlet snook during periods of slack tide drift fishing live pigfish or pinfish at night in the channel under the inlet bridge. This style of angling can be quite rewarding when the bite is on, but it can also be challenging due to the number of anglers competing for the same action.

Flounder is another notable species worth mentioning when speaking of inlet fishing in December. The warmer than normal weather and water temperatures have delayed the traditional flounder migration from the lagoon to the warmer coastal waters.

Along the beaches, look for pompano to begin moving off the inshore flats to the deeper troughs along the beach in search of sand fleas (mole crabs) their favorite winter food. Also look for schools of bluefish and Spanish mackerel shadowing pods of glass minnows and other bait ii the surf. To target both blues and Spanish, watch for birds working bait pods and through small jigs and spoons with a fast retrieval to avoid cutoffs.

Near-shore when the seas permit it, look for tarpon and sharks to be cruising the beaches working remaining bait schools as they move south. Also, solid concentrations of kings will be holding on the near-shore reefs and wrecks in 60 to 100 feet of water. Several prime locations to target kings are the north end of Pelican Flats and 8A Reef. The kingfish bite should remain steady as long as the water temperature stays above 74 degrees. To target these fish, slow troll live bait if you can find it, or troll dead Spanish sardines or cigar minnows (spinning minnows) dressed with skirts. When near-shore water temperatures approach the 70-degree mark, look for tripletail and cobia to begin to show up on the Port Canaveral buoy line and the near-shore water off the beaches and the bight of the Cape. These fish normally hold on structure such as floating weeds and other debris, but they also have a tendency to free swim on the surface once the sun warms the surface water.

Inshore, both redfish and sea trout will remain in the skinny water as long as the water temperatures stay in the 70-degree range. Fish in protected areas and sunny spots, and look for fish to be holding in sand pockets (potholes) until the sun gets overhead. Now is also the time of year to begin looking for tailing black drum in the Banana River Lagoon No Motor Zone. Try fishing early in the day, and preferably with a west wind, and if you've never seen black drum tailing before, it's worth the paddle.

On the freshwater fishing side, the 3rd Annual Shad and Crappie Derby kicks off on December 17th with several free seminars available leading into the event to anglers. Last year, I caught my first American Shad on fly on December 18th, so stand by for some great light tackle action.

As always, if you need information of have any questions, please contact me.


Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com
http://www.irl-fishing.com
(407) 416-1187

For all of your outdoor needs, visit www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begins.

Apalachicola Fishing Report 12-1-2011

Bill Oyster in the Oyster Capital or Get ya some Redfish!



Can you guess the number of spots on this Redfish held by flyfishing angler Bill Oyster? The first person to guess correctly will score a Robinson Brothers Guide Service fishing cap! Bill & his fishing buddy Riley Gundakunst fished with Capt. Chris Robinson last Monday & Tuesday before Thanksgiving, and as you can see, they had a successful 2 day trip.



Bill Oyster again, holding up a fat Bull Red. If you guessed wrong on the spotted redfish, the closest correct guess of this fishes weight will also win the coveted RBGS cap.

Capt. Chris believes that the fishing is going to continue to be smokin hot through the rest of the month, weather permitting of course. What better way to spend the next few weeks until Christmas than fishing with one of our guides? Don't know what to get that special man/woman/outdoors kid in your life? We have gift certificates! The next 3 weeks should be fairly quiet here in Apalachicola and on St. George Island until the families roll in for the holiday so head on down


Kathy Robinson
Robinson Brothers Guide Service
44 Avenue E.
Apalachicola, FL 32320
850-653-8896
www.FloridaRedfish.com

Fort Lauderdale Charter Fishing 12-1-2011

Ft Lauderdale Offshore Fishing Report
12-1-2011

Fishing aboard the Reel Work, Fort Lauderdale Fishing Charters has been good over the last week. Our fishermen have been seeing good catches of mahi-mahi, blackfin tuna, king mackerel and some sharks. Sailfish are around but are still hit of miss.
The day before Thanksgiving we had an afternoon charter. Our crew caught plenty of dolphin, (mahi-mahi) but not much more. We heard of a few sailfish, kingfish and tuna being caught. The day after Thanksgiving our clients caught a bunch of mahi-mahi and a small shark. This mornings charter saw a nice mix of mahi-mahi, blackfin tuna and kingfish.

Reel Work Sport Fishing
301 Seabreeze Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
954-522-9399
1-877-524-9377
Email: lauderdalefishing@gmail.com
Website: lauderdalefishing.com
Fort Lauderdale Deep Sea Fishing

Indian River Lagoon Fishing Report 11-27-2011

Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
Capt. Chris Myers
November 27, 2011


Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report

This past week brought some excellent fishing to Mosquito Lagoon. Calm winds, clear water, and hundreds of tailing redfish made the sight fishing about as good as it gets. The redfish could be found in groups of 10-200 slowly roaming the flats feeding on small shrimp and crabs.



Tailing Redfish in Mosquito Lagoon

My clients for the day were new to sight fishing and found it challenging to cast to the schools. Combine an adrenaline rush with a lack of casting practice and even a group of 100 fish can be hard to hit. The DOA shrimp did hit its mark several times and resulted in instant bites.



The following day, a dozen redfish came to the boat. Some were caught on a black and purple bunny booger fly and the rest on the 1/4 ounce DOA shrimp on watermelon holographic.

On Wednesday, I had Dean from Rhode Island on board. He was an excellent caster and, as luck would have it, the weather turned sour and most of the tailing fish vanished. We saw tailing fish four times during the cloudy and windy morning and Dean put the DOA shrimp on the mark every time and was immediately hooked up. He also used a 4inch CAL tail to land several trout, a flounder, and another redfish.



The day after Thanksgiving, the wind was blowing when we arrived and by mid-morning it was blowing at a sustained 21 mph. Throw in lots of clouds and some dirty water and our hopes of sight fishing were dashed. I put on a couple 5.5 inch DOA CAL tails, added a Woodies Rattle, and had Mike and his son Brian cast in areas we hoped were holding fish. Soon, Mike was hooked up with a nice redfish on his Arkansas glow colored bait.



Things were slow the rest of the morning but Brian finally landed his first redfish right before we headed in.



A front will be moving through on Monday followed by some much cooler weather the remainder of the week. This may help clear up the algae bloom which is still causing cloudy water in many places in the Mosquito Lagoon and Indian River. The tailing redfish action should remain excellent through December and the schools should get even more plentiful.


Upcoming Seminars and Events
December 8 - 6:30 Shad and Crappie Round Table
Mosquito Creek Outdoors will be hosting a roundtable discussion on shad and crappie fishing with local experts. Bring your questions or knowledge to add to the mix.

December 15 - 6:30 - Shad and Crappie Derby Captains Meeting
With the 2012 Shad and Crappie Derby set to open on December 17, Captains Tom Van Horn and Charlie McCullough will be speaking about how to catch shad and crappie at Mosquito Creek Outdoors. Come and register for the event to be eligible for one of the many prizes. The derby runs through March 17, 2012.

Old Florida Outdoor Festival - February 10-12
Apopka will be holding the first Outdoor Festival with lots of fishing, hunting, and outdoors exhibitors and events. Some fishing celebrities will be in attendance. There will also be country music concerts and other events.


Changes to Spotted Seatrout Rules
Update
The FWC, in its meeting last week, decided to make changes to the spotted seatrout rules as well as the redfish limits. The closed seasons fro trout will be eliminated starting February 1, 2012. The daily bag limit will be increased to 6 fish in the Northeast Region. Commercial fishing for trout will be extended to 5 months and 2 anglers on a single boat can harvest 150 fish to 24 inches. The only way this can be stopped is to get the Governor and the FWC Commission to change trout to gamefish status which prohibits sale. Several of the current commissioners who support more commercial fishing will be up for reappointment next year including the chairman who led the charge on this latest proposal. Please encourage Gov. Christ to appoint members who are more in line with conservation and recreational fishing.

The redfish bag limit was also increased to 2 fish in the northeast and northwest regions but will remain the same from Volusia County south.

Capt. Chris Myers
Central Florida Sight Fishing Charters
http://www.floridafishinglessons.com/
321-229-2848

Sarasota Fishing Report- 11-30-2011

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Fishing Report
11/26/2011


Fly anglers had great action with albies (little tunny) in the coastal gulf during the past week. In addition, 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, flounder, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and a red on CAL jigs, DOA Deadly Combos and flies.

Albies were picky at first on Monday, but as the day went by they stayed up longer and got more aggressive. We hooked 7 or 8 and landed 5 or 6 up to 10-lbs on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. Norm and Francie Boardman, from Sarasota, fished with me on Tuesday. Macks and albies churned the water to a froth yet were very picky due to the size of the bait (glass minnows) they were feeding on. They hooked a couple and landed an albie and several Spanish mackerel on my Snook Minnow fly, Diamond jigs and CAL jigs with shad tails.

Everything came together on Weds when Everette Howell, from Nashville, TN and his son, Kirk Howell from NYC, fished the coastal gulf with me. An approaching front had the macks and albies on a feeding binge and they ate our flies almost as well as the glass minnows they were feeding on. They hooked 14 or 15 albies and landed 10 or 11 up to 12-pounds, including a couple of doubles, on my Snook Minnow fly. A great day!

Bill Beauchamp, from Bradenton, FL, his son-in-law Brian Earnest, from TX, and Dakota Tracy, from Bradenton, FL fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. Conditions were good although the wind came up in the afternoon. We fished the east side of the bay and near Buttonwood Harbor where they caught and released numerous trout to 4-lbs, several flounder, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, pompano and a red on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos.

Next week’s negative low tides in the morning should concentrate reds and trout in potholes of Sarasota Bay. Fishing the coastal gulf should continue to be hot until there are significant changes in conditions.

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



Albies (little tunny) blitz the beach off Sarasota last week.



Norm Boardman, from Sarasota, FL, caught and released this nice albie on a Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing the coastal gulf off Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Brian Earnest, from TX, caught and released this 4-lb trout on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing skinny water in Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 11-28-2011

Upcoming Seminars and Events 

Saturday December 3rd, Kel's Rod and Reel 2nd Annual Parking Lot Swap Meet. Located at 430 Hwy 436 Casselberry, Florida - 9 a.m.to 3 p.m. Call Terri at 407-834-3008 for more details.

Thursday December 8th - 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., Free Round Table Shad and Crappie Seminar at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 S. Washington Ave. Apopka Florida.  Contact Rory Roush at  407-464-2000 or rory@mosquitocreek.com


Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby Dates

Thursday December 15th, Shad and Crappie Derby anglers meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Mosquito Creek Outdoor, 170 South Washington Avenue in Apopka.

Saturday December 17th, Shad and Crappie Derby begins at safe light.

Saturday January 1st, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Crappie Rally and Seminar at Boat Tree Marina at the Port of Sanford.

Thursday January 26th 6:30 - 9:00 PM, Free shad and crappie fly tying event at Orlando Outfitters, 2814 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL 32808, phone (407) 896-8220. Visit: www.orlandooutfitters.com.  Fly tying instruction and seminar by Capt. Beau Osborne. Learn what you need to catch shad and crappie on fly in the Orlando area and see how easy it is to tie effective fly patterns for both species.  These tying techniques can also be used to create your own shad and crappie jigs.

Saturday February  25th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Shad Rally and Seminar at the Jolly Gator Fish Camp on the St. Johns River and HWY 46 east of Geneva.

Saturday March 17th, Shad and Crappie Derby ends at dusk.

February 11th and 12th, Old Florida Outdoor Festival in Apopka, Florida.


This Weeks Fishing Report

This weeks adventures carried me down to Sebastian for 27th annual Sebastian fishing week with family and friends.  Over the years we have enjoyed our Thanksgiving get away, and although the weather and the fishing was not great, we still managed to get in some excellent fishing and some great catches.

Like the north lagoon, the water quality inshore was not great.  The water was cloudy with signs of algee bloom, and the sea trout and redfish bite was not good.  We did manage some quality flounder,but only a few.

The week started out with blustery winds up to 20 knots, so we decided to stay on shore and enjoy the many riverside entertainment establishments Sebastian has to offer.

The flounder were thick in the inlet, but all were small gulf flounder under the slot.  Over the four days of fishing we must have caught over 50 flounder is the inlet on Hook-up jigs tipped with Gulp Sand Worms and DOA CAL Jigs.

Away from the inlet an the flats is where we located out larger southern flounder with the largest weighing out at nine pounds.  although the catching wasn't great, the time away from the grind on the water was priceless.

As always, if you need information of have any questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com
http://www.irl-fishing.com
(407) 416-1187

For all of your outdoor needs, visit www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begins.

Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby

3rd Annual Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby

For Immediate Release
  

Date:               November 22, 2011

Contact:          Captain Tom Van Horn,

Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando

 mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com, (407) 416-1187

Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando, Fishing Florida Radio and our event sponsors proudly present the 3rd Annual Central Florida Shad and Crappie Derby to be held From December 17, 2011 to March 17, 2012 in the Greater Orlando area. The three month long catch photo and release (CPR) derby is free to all anglers who register at any of our derby sponsor sign-up spots. Anglers are permitted to fish anywhere they choose in Florida, and as much as they want during the derby timeframe. All participants must log into and upload their photos to www.cfshadderby.com. All photos must be taken using the official derby measuring device and include the official derby sponsor token.

American and Hickory shad are an anadromous species that return to the St. Johns River every spring to spawn, and their run is the closest we Floridians will ever see to the salmon runs experienced in the northeastern and northwestern coasts of North America. Crappies on the other hand are year round residents of Central Florida that inhabit all freshwater lakes and waterways. Black crappie are abundant during the colder months of the year and they are fun to catch using the same tackle, baits and techniques as shad.

Registration for the Derby will begin at the Captains Meeting on December 15th at Mosquito Creek Outdoors.

Derby Dates & Events:

December 17, 2011 Derby Starts at safe light. (Both shad and crappie derbies)

Thursday, December 15th - 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m,   Shad & Crappie Derby Anglers Registration Meeting at Mosquito Creek Outdoors. "Free Seminars" instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers and Charlie McCullough, "Preparing for the Shad Run & Crappie Season", anglers giveaways and more, located in the Outback at Mosquito Creek Outdoors, 170 South Washington Ave., Apopka Florida.

Saturday, January 14th - 11:00 - 2:00 p.m., Free Crappie Rally at Boat Tree Marina Sanford, 4370 Carraway Place, Sanford, FL 32771, phone (407) 322-1610. "Free Seminar" Instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers and Charlie McCullough, "Catching American Shad & Crappie". Event includes sponsor displays, giveaways and a raffle with all proceeds going to Anglers for Conservation (AFC), Hook Kids on Fishing Program.

Thursday, January 26th 6:30 - 9:00 PM, Free shad and crappie fly tying event at Orlando Outfitters, 2814 Corrine Dr, Orlando, FL 32808, phone (407) 896-8220. Fly tying instruction and seminar by Capt. Beau Osborne.

Saturday, February 25th 11:00 - 2:00 PM, Free Shad Rally at the Jolly Gator Fish Camp, phone (407) 349-5554, on Hwy 46 adjacent to CS Lee Park in Geneva, Florida - "Free Seminar" instructed by Captains Tom Van Horn, Chris Myers and Charlie McCullough, "Shad Fishing Tactics" Event includes sponsor displays, giveaways and a raffle with all proceeds going to Anglers for conservation (AFC), Hook Kids on Fishing Program.

Saturday March 17th Tournament ends at sunset...good luck fishing!

 2012 Shad and Crappie Derby Rules:

Derby starts at sunrise on Saturday December 17th 2011, and ends at sunset Saturday March 17th 2012.

There are no entry fees; anglers must register at one of the official derby sign-up locations and pick-up the official Derby Measuring Ruler and Derby Photo Token.

Anglers must meet all of the fishing regulations requirements of the State of Florida and possess both freshwater and saltwater licenses as they apply.

This is a catch, photograph and release (CPR) tournament.

Anglers are permitted to fish anywhere in Florida.

Angles must take fish with hook and line only.

Anglers are permitted to fish in any manner desired, paddle fishing, boat, shoreline or wade.

Anglers can fish as many times as they want within the derby timeframe.

Five categories will be awarded for both Shad and Crappie (10 first place prizes):

Fly, Conventional, Youth (15-years and younger), Ladies, and Pro Angler.

Fish must be measured using the official measuring device and the derby token; other commercial or homemade measuring devices are prohibited. Official measurement will be total length from nose (mouth closed) to the tip of the tail for crappie, and from nose (mouth closed) to fork of the tail on shad - the longest fish wins. Failure to comply with measurement rules will disqualify photo entry. Anglers are encouraged to include photo of the angler holding the fish.

Fly division photo must have evidence of fly fishing in photo to qualify.

Anglers are responsible for uploading photos to the official derby judging internet site.

Photos must include the official derby token, no exceptions. www.cfshadderby.com

Derby Judges reserve the right to refuse any angler's participation for any reason.

Derby Judges final decision stands.

2012 Shad and Crappie Derby Sign-up Spots

Sign-up begins on December 15, 2011

Mosquito Creek Outdoors

170 South Washington Ave.

Apopka, Florida 32703

(407) 886-1716

Orlando Outfitters

 2814 Corrine Drive
Orlando, Florida 32803
(407) 896-8220

                                                                                                                          

Boat Tree Marina Sanford

4370 Carraway Place

 Sanford, FL 32771
(407) 322-1610

Jolly Gator Fish Camp

4650 East State Road 46

Geneva, Florida 32732

(407) 349-5554

GT Marine

13649 Granville Ave # 1  

Clermont, FL 34711-7104
(407) 905-0003

Mud Hole Custom Tackle 400 Kane Court  

Oviedo, FL 32765
(407) 447-7637

Fish on Fire Restaurant

7937 Daetwyler Drive 

 Belle Isle, FL 32812-4809
(407) 812-6881

Travel Country Outdoors

1101 East Altamonte Drive  

Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
(407) 831-0777

Gander Mountain

3750 Flagg Lane  

Lake Mary, FL 32746
(407) 804-0514

Dick's Sporting Goods

 4615 Millenia Plaza Way

Orlando , Florida 32839

(407) 355-0733

Sarasota Fishing Report- 11-23-2011

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Fishing Report
11/20/2011


Action was good in Sarasota Bay and in the coastal gulf during the past week. 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, flounder, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and albies (little tunny) on DOA and CAL lures and flies.

“What is an albie?” a couple of people have asked recently. They are little tunny, known as false albacore or albies to anglers from the Carolinas to New England and called bonito in Florida. There is a pilgrimage of fly anglers every fall to Harker’s Island, NC (Cape Lookout) where hundreds of anglers gather to fly fish for false albacore or albies, which is where I was introduced to fly fishing for them. They are one of my favorite fish to catch on a fly and we also have a great fishery for them here in the fall and spring. Unlike some other areas, we also have good options for bay and flats fishing if sea conditions in the coastal gulf are rough.

Tony Ryan, from Osprey, FL, and Rich Carroll, from North Port, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me last Saturday (11/12). Following a front the day before, it was cool to start but it warmed up quickly. They caught and released trout, blues, flounder and a nice red on CAL jig with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos at Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor. Bill Moore and his son Mark Moore, from the Chicago area, fished the same areas with me on Sunday. They had good action with trout, blues and Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs and DOA Deadly Combos.

Wes Demmon, also from the Chicago area, fished Sarasota Bay with me on a foggy morning early in the week. We caught and released trout on CAL: jigs with shad tails near Bird Key while we waited for heavy fog to lift enough so we could go into the coastal gulf. He caught and released a few mackerel on flies and Diamond jigs and had some shots at albies. Wes also had a shot at a big tripletail as we ran a crab trap line on our way back.   

Denis Clohisy, from WI, and Pat DeCastro, from OH, fished several days with me from Thursday through Saturday. With an approaching front, we were still able to get out into the coastal gulf on Thursday. They had good action with Spanish mackerel and ladyfish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies in Big Pass and then we went and hunted albies in the coastal gulf. We located some feeding fish but they were still being picky like they were earlier in the week. We stuck with them and they had 3 hookups, one on a Clouser, one on a Crease fly and one on my Snook Minnow fly and landed one that day. The action ended that day with 2 or 3 big bait balls being crashed by mackerel, albies and sharks. An awesome sight!

Friday was very windy and we weren’t able to fish the gulf that day so we fished the east side of Sarasota Bay. Despite winds gusting more than 20 mph they still had decent action. They caught and released numerous trout, 4 reds and a couple of flounder on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad and grub tails. Conditions improved on Saturday and we were able to get back into the coastal gulf. Albies were plentiful and in a better mood that day, staying up longer and giving us a chance to get a fly in front of them. They hooked 6 fish and landed 4, all on a tan Grassett Snook Minnow. The fish were mostly in the 10-lb class and went deep into their backing. A good day!

Conditions should be good next week for more of the same. Tides will improve towards the end of the week as we approach a new moon on Nov. 25th, so deep and shallow flats of Sarasota Bay should also fish well.

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




Tony Ryan, from Osprey, FL, caught and released this nice red on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Bill Moore, from the Chicago area, caught and released this Spanish mackerel on a DOA Deadly Combo while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

 

Pat DeCastro, from OH, caught and released this nice albie (little tunny) on a tan Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing the coastal gulf with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Ft Lauderdale Offshore Report 11-22-2011

On Saturday the 12th we caught a lot of mahi and a few sailfish. I've also heard reports of some skipjack and blackfin tuna and a few kings.

The following Wednesday got out in the morning and caught some mahi and a skipjack tuna.Thursday afternoon our clients caught some mahi and a blackfin tuna. Heard a few sailfish and some mackerel.

Fishermen on the Reel Work had a good day of fishing this last Saturday. We caught two sailfish and some mahi. Other Ft Lauderdale fishing charters reported catching some small tuna and more mahi.

Reel Work Sport Fishing
301 Seabreeze Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
954-522-9399
1-877-524-9377
Email: lauderdalefishing@gmail.com
Website: lauderdalefishing.com
Fort Lauderdale Deep Sea Fishing

Tampa Fishing Report 11-21-2011

If you enjoy catching lots of big trout, now is your time of year. This week I was fortunate to have my guide friends from Charleston, SC visit me. They did not have a lot of time so we decide to do a quick trip out of Dunedin. We spent a little bit of time looking for white bait, but it was not there. I did not feel like going out and looking for it on the beach, but I have heard that it can still be caught out there.

Without white bait, I knew it was going to be an artificials day. We started in some grass near a spring, but the grass had bloomed and the pot holes were not there. Not to mention that the over cast skies and low tide made it even harder to see them. We picked a few trout here and there and then moved on.



A few miles north, we found some cleaner water and more salt and pepper style pot holes. This spot had some keeper fish on it. Our baits were jigs, Mirro-deans, and mini Zara spooks. I tried going back into the rivers and canals looking for snook but the tide was so low and that made it difficult. So we kept traveling north.

By this time, the tide started coming and we found some fish in the 3 to 5 ft range. Here we caught trout, lady fish, Spanish mackerel, flounder and blue fish all on jigs. As the water moved up on the flat, so did we and that is where our 3 to 4 lb trout came from. My friends from SC had a blast. Having guided up there for 5 years, I understood why they were so excited about our trout. In Charleston, they catch redfish like how we catch trout on the west coast of FL. I love catching snook, but trout make for great days this time of year.

Captain Rick Reddick
http://www.captainrickreddick.com/
813-787-0249

Tampa Fishing Charters | Tampa Fishing Guides

Clearwater Fishing Report 11-16-2011

Beautiful Weather, Fish On!
11/16/2011



Hi friends! Welcome to my fishing report for mid November. It's been a pretty mild fall so far with just a couple of significant cold fronts pushing through. There are certainly more to come, but at least for the near future the weather looks great. Fishing has been good too, so here is what I've been up to...
November 15th was the last day to keep Grouper in our waters. Although we can't keep them now, the keeper Grouper have been biting well. We've been getting them in 18 to 35 feet of water. There are plenty of short fish as well, but it's still fun to battle with them. I prefer cut pinfish or sardines but they will eat almost anything you drop when they are biting.

Trout are showing up along the islands in St. Joseph sound and surrounding waters. To protect this wonderful resource, they are closed in the south region until January 1st. I am still netting sardines on the beaches and having the most success using them for the Trout. Freelining has worked well but floating baits under a cork in the shallows works great also. Sometimes I can spot Trout laying in the sandy potholes and fire a bait right into the hole from a distance. They usually don't hesitate to chase and eat the bait immediately. White or chartreuse colored jigs with a 1/8 jighead has been getting results too.

Redfishing has improved tremendously! They really moved into the area, or at least started cooperating. I am favoring the lower tides to concentrate them in the sandy holes, just like the Trout. However, the higher tides have allowed them to school with the Mullet. I have been able to locate some large Mullet schools in Clearwater and focus my efforts on Redfishing, since Reds tend to school with the Mullet. While foraging on grass and algae, Mullet will flush out little baits that the Redfish chase and eat. There is also safety in numbers on the flats when the Sharks and Dolphin come into feed. Reds find protection by blending into the Mullet school. I know I've explained this before, but there are several newcomers to my report lately. Again, smaller pinfish under a cork is my favorite, but the sardines are getting hit too.

Kingfish and Mackerel seemed to have passed on by. We had a few good days but untimely cold fronts kept them moving to deeper waters and eventually to the south. We will have to wait til spring and their return north to hope to see many numbers of these fish.

Over the next few weeks I expect to see some brisk mornings with beautiful, mild afternoons. I love this time of year. The changing weather, when not too drastic, seems to get the Trout and Redfish moving and eating. If you are planning a trip to the area for the holidays, please call to reserve your day on the water. You may need a break from everything else... Let's go fishing! 727-365-7560 or e-mail brian@captbrian.com.

Captain Brian Caudill
727-365-7560
braincandle2@yahoo.com
www.captbrian.com

Sarasota Bay Fishing Report 11-16-2011

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Fishing Report for 11/11/2011
Action slowed in shallow water as we approached a full moon this week. 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, Spanish mackerel, pompano and sheepshead on flies during the past week.

Dean Hannemann, from Sarasota, FL, fished the coastal gulf with me on Monday. There were plenty of Spanish mackerel, but we only saw a couple of schools of albies and they were up and down very briefly. He caught and released several mackerel on Ultra Hair Clouser flies.

Nick Reding, from Sarasota, fished a couple of days with me in Sarasota Bay. We waded and fly fished several bars and flats on both sides of the bay. He caught and released trout, a pompano and a sheepshead on my Grassett Flats Minnow and crab fly patterns. We sight fished reds on a bar one afternoon, had several eats and Nick connected with one on my Flats Minnow fly.

Next week’s negative low tides in the morning should concentrate reds and trout in potholes. Action with Spanish mackerel and albies in the coastal gulf should be good once the gulf settles down.

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



Nick Reding, from Sarasota, FL, caught and released this sheepshead on a crab fly pattern while wading Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report 11-15- 2011

Last Weeks Fishing Report

The weather conditions are finally clearing up and cooling off along Florida's Space Coast.

On the lagoons this past week, water levels are starting to go down and the water is clearing up. Sight fishing for tailing redfish is showing signs of improvement with the redfish feeding shifting to shrimp and crabs begining.The breeder schools are starting to thin out but are still around, especially in the inlets of Ponce De Leon and Sebastian if the seas continue to settle down.

Offshore, the strong north east fetch and squally weather in the Atlantic kept most boats tied to the dock this week, but as the seas begin to settle down, there's a good chance they'll be out trolling for the last of the dolphin schools heading south for the winter and some wahoo in the early morning on the waining side of the full moon.

Along the beaches and in the inlets of Ponce De Leon, Port Canaveral and Sebastian, the mullet run is starting to slow down but there are still mullet pushing through. There have been good reports of snook and flounder in the surf, feeding on finger mullet, as well as your standard bluefish, jacks and Spanish mackerel, with the best results coming from casting live mullet on a slip sinker rig. The snook fishing has also been good in Port Canaveral and Sebastian, especially at night, again fishing with live mullet and mullet imitation lures like the DOA Bait Buster.

As always, if you need information of have any questions, please contact me.

Good luck and good fishing,

Captain Tom Van Horn
mosquitocoast@cfl.rr.com
http://www.irl-fishing.com
(407) 416-1187

For all of your outdoor needs, visit www.mosquitocreek.com, it's where your adventure begins.

Indian River Lagoon Fishing Report 11-10-2011

Central Florida Sight Fishing
Capt. Chris Myers
November 9, 2011

Mosquito Lagoon Fishing Report
Fishing is good on the Mosquito Lagoon! The past couple months have brought some tough fishing conditions to Mosquito Lagoon and the Indian River. A severe algae bloom clouded the water making sight fishing difficult, if not impossible, in most locations. Most of the fish retreated to deeper water. If you could see schools of fish along the edges of sandbars, they responded well to the DOA Baitbuster and the BFL 5.5 lures.



Some schools of big redfish were roaming around the Mosquito Lagoon and the northern Indian River Lagoon and they prepared for the spawning season.







Mid October brought two tropical systems to central Florida which dumped over 15 inches of rain. Water levels in the Lagoon system shot up over two feet. The water has since receded some but is still high.

Ranald was visiting from Sweden and wanted to experience some fly fishing for redfish. The only day he could go was on the tail end of the second storm front. With winds pushing 30mph, there was no fly fishing but he did catch 5 quality redfish.



On a positive note, the water temperatures are coming down and the algae is clearing up. This week, I saw quite a few areas with crystal clear water and many more that are getting better. Not all of them held fish but there were a lot of fish spotted. Most of the fish were digging in the grass and mud, a sure sign they are feeding. Indeed they were as some nice reds came to the boat for a quick photo.

One of the best things to present to tailing redfish is a fly. British fly angler Warren did just that. He used a black fly of his own creation similar to the black redfish worm .



Warren landed several redfish, had a few more bites, and made some excellent shots at fish throughout the morning. The only thing that brought and end to the catching were the clouds that moved in and stole our visibility.

Lee and Rose also got in on some of this week's redfish action as well.





As the water temperatures stay below 70, more areas of the Lagoon will continue to clear up. The water should begin dropping soon as we move into the winter pattern. Winter means schooling and tailing redfish and hopefully the return of the black drum. Fly anglers will continue to do well with small crab and shrimp patterns. The DOA shrimp should be the go to lure for those using conventional gear.


Upcoming Seminars and Events

November 17 - 6:30pm - Fly Fishing for Redfish
Capt. John Kumiski and I will be at Mosquito Creek Outdoors to discuss tactics for fly fishing redfish. The roundtable format will include how to make and select basic flies as well as presentation tactics.

December 17 - 6:30 - Shad and Crappie Tactics
With the 2012 Shad and Crappie Derby set to open on December 17, Captains Tom Van Horn and Charlie McCullough will be speaking about how to catch shad and crappie at Mosquito Creek Outdoors

Changes to Spotted Seatrout Rules
The FWC is scheduled to issue a final ruling on proposed changes to the spotted seatrout rules. For recreational anglers, the two month closed season would be eliminated. There are also proposed changes to the commercial rules including extending the season from 2 months to 5, allowing two anglers per boat to keep up to 150 fish to 24 inches per day, allowing those using seine nets in which trout are caught to sell trout as a bycatch and allow sale of trout year round.

While stocks around the state are generally healthy, the seatrout in the Lagoon system was severely damaged by the freezes of 2010 and 2011. there are few commercial trout fisherman now due to the lack of profitability. With the proposed changes, fishing for trout would be worth more money and more will do it. Can your favorit trout spot sustain commercil anglers taking out 150 breeding sized fish per day? None of mine can. Unless there is a public outcry, these changes will take effect and, once enacted, will be difficult to remove. Act now as time is short. Whether you live and fish here or like to catch trout when you visit, let the FWC know your opinion. Ask them to not change the current rules and to make seatrout a gamefish which would eliminate commercial sale. Here is a link to a form to contact the FWC Commissioners. The final rule is set to be made on Nov 16 so act now.