Sarasota Fishing Report 3-14-2012

Southwest Florida Fishing Report
3/11/2012
by Capt. Rick Grassett


Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay and the ICW near Venice 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, trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on flies and jigs during the past week.

Everette and Sherry Howell, from Nashville, TN, caught and released numerous trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and a CAL jig with a shad tail fishing several deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay with me on Monday afternoon. Sarasota winter resident Phil Rever and his son, Matt, from NC, fished the ICW near Venice with me that night. They caught and released more than 15 snook to 23” on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. The wind blew in the 15 to more than 20 mph range from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday, so I didn’t fish those days.

Jim Ewoldt and Dick Callaway, from St. Louis, MO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday. It was still a little breezy so one angler spin fished while the other fly fished. They caught and released several trout on Grassett Deep Flats Bunny flies and CAL jigs with shad tails along the east side of the bay and near Whale Key. Holmes Beach and Sarasota winter residents, Bill Morrison and Gary Marple, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday morning. They caught and released a few trout on flies at the Middleground flat before I headed to New Pass to check it out. Although there was no surface activity, there were some mackerel just outside the pass and Bill caught a nice one on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly. Fly angler Bill Stanton, from Brunswick, ME, fished with me that afternoon. We caught and released trout, ladyfish, bluefish and Spanish mackerel on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly fished on a sink tip fly line at the Middleground flat and near Bishop Point.

Next week’s tides are better early in the week before they switch to 2-tide days on Wednesday. Reds and trout may be found along shallow edges of flats and bars when the tide is low before moving over shallow grass at the top of the tide. Look for trout, Spanish mackerel, blues, ladyfish or pompano over deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Catch and release night snook fishing in the ICW should also be a good option. Check the coastal gulf for Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), tripletail and more when conditions are good.

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

 

Holmes Beach winter resident, Bill Morrison, caught this nice Spanish mackerel on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly while fishing the coastal gulf at New Pass with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Sarasota winter resident, Phil Rever, and his son, Matt, from NC, caught and released this snook double on Grassett Snook Minnow flies while fishing the ICW at night near Venice with Capt. Rick Grassett.