Capt. Rick Grassett's Fishing Report

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had action with trout, ladyfish and redfish on deep grass flats of Little Sarasota Bay and Gasparilla Sound during the past couple of weeks. The bigger trout have been coming from the edges of bars, channels and troughs.

Mike Sprague and Kep Philips, both from NJ, fished Little Sarasota Bay near Midnight Pass with me on Monday, Feb. 8th. They caught and released a dozen or more trout to 18� and ladyfish on CAL jigs with shad tails. Keith McClintock and Hal D’Orazio, both from Lake Forest, IL, fished Gasparilla Sound with me on Tuesday, Feb. 9th with similar results. We caught and released about a dozen trout to more than 20�and a redfish also on CAL jigs with shad tails. A trip on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 14th, in Little Sarasota Bay produced several trout and ladyfish on the same lures.

On a couple of trips in Little Sarasota Bay last week, with water temperatures persisting in the low 50’s, we caught and released trout and ladyfish in the ICW channel, on channel edges or on deep grass flats close to channel edges. One of the best trips of the week was on Tuesday with Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, and John Freeman, Jr., from Venice, FL. They had good action catching and releasing about 10 trout and numerous ladyfish on deep grass near Spanish Point.

Next week’s tides will improve towards the end of the week as we head towards a full moon on Feb. 28th. With water temperatures still in the low to mid 50’s, afternoons should continue to fish better than mornings due to warmer water. Trout on deep flats or in channels and reds or sheepshead around docks should continue to be the best options. When the water warms a few degrees it should make a big difference. There are still some spots available for CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on March 6th. Contact CB’s at (941) 349-4400 to sign up.

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

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released mostly trout and ladyfish during the past couple of weeks. Action wasn’t too fast but was steady. However, there were a couple of great trips. In addition, we also caught a few ladyfish, a snook, flounder and redfish. The water has warmed to the low 60’s and fishing has been improving as a result.

Gary and Robbyn Hehe, from IN, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, Jan. 25th. They caught and released several ladyfish and trout on CAL jigs with shad tails. My sister, Michelle Mumford and her boyfriend, Bill Walterhoefer, both from DE, fished the same area with me on Wednesday with similar results. Michelle and Bill also fished with me on Friday and caught and released about 20 trout to 18� in Zwick’s Channel and a red and a snook in Roberts Bay all on CAL jigs with shad tails.

Fly angler Josh Fine, from CT, fished a couple of days with me in Sarasota and Terra Ceia Bays. He caught and released trout and ladyfish on Clouser and a bend back style rattle fly. We found some reds cruising a shallow grass flat but couldn’t get them to eat our flies.

The action heated up last week as we headed away from the full moon. Harry Beaty and Paul Rotz, both from Ontario, Canada, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, Feb. 1st. They caught more than 20 trout, including 8 slot-size trout on CAL jigs with shad tails. We also released a 23� trout that weighed over 3-pounds. We fished the east side of the bay from Stephens Point to Long Bar. We found the biggest trout in skinny water.

Keith McClintock and Larry Stillman, both from IL, fished the same area with me the next day. The trout were smaller than the previous day but we had one slot size trout and a nice flounder on CAL jigs with shad tails. Fly anglers Ron Cordes, from ID, and Dusty Sprague, from North Port, FL fished Blackburn and Little Sarasota Bays with me on Wednesday afternoon. They caught and released a few trout and ladyfish on Clouser flies fished on an intermediate fly line. It was a pleasure to have a couple of great fly casters like Ron and Dusty on board.

Fly angler Jerry Poslusny, from Rochester, NY, fished the Terra Ceia Bay area with me on Thursday. Jerry is the new owner of my previous Action Craft, so we were on a fishing trip and a shakedown “cruise�. We caught a dozen or more trout to 17� on a Clouser fly and had a few shots at reds in Terra Ceia.

Jim Cox, from IL, and his sons, Mike and Jason, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday morning. A front passed through on Friday evening and the forecast was for high winds on Saturday, but that didn’t materialize until late in the trip. They caught and released about 20 trout to 19�, including 7 or 8 nice slot size trout on CAL jigs with shad tails. We also worked some docks in Blackburn Bay and hooked a big red that couldn’t be turned

Sadly, I learned that my friend, Capt. Mel Berman, passed away at the age of 81 on Friday due to complications from heart surgery. He had a radio program on Saturday mornings in the Tampa Bay area for 25 years. He was friend to conservation and an advocate of fishing with artificial baits. I was fortunate to have been a guest on his radio program numerous times over the years. Mel and I fished many days on Sarasota Bay over the years and always ended it with a “shore lunch� at The Old Salty Dog Restaurant on New Pass. He always had a joke or a story to share. He was also an animal lover, so we always enjoyed catching up on our “furry kids�. There will be a big void on Saturday mornings now. He will be missed.

Tides will improve towards the end of next week as we head towards a new moon on Feb. 14th. Unless the water gets colder, fishing should improve. Reds may tail on shallow grass flats of Gasparilla Sound on negative low tides at the end of next week.

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

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout and reds in Sarasota Bay and Charlotte Harbor recently. Water temperatures have warmed to close to 60 degrees and fish are starting to feed again.

The week of Jan. 10th was still very cold and there wasn’t much action. Dennis Stehlik, from IL, and Ron Mosetich, from RI, fished Charlotte Harbor with me on Friday, Jan. 15th. With the water temperature still in the low 50’s, they managed a few trout on CAL jigs with shad tails.

The action picked up during the week of Jan. 17th. Tom Lamb, from Geneva, Switzerland and John Freeman, Jr., from Venice, FL, fished Charlotte Harbor with me on Monday. They caught and released 10 or 12 trout to 17� and 3 reds to 28� on CAL jigs with shad tails. Fly angler Dave Wahl, from IL, fished north Sarasota Bay near Long Bar with me the next day. He caught and released about 10 trout on Clouser flies, including a 3-pound trout that he sight-fished out of a pothole. He also fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday and caught and released a pair of trout on Clouser flies before wind ran us off the water.

Keith McClintock and Victor Feldman, both from IL, fished north Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday. They caught and released about 10 trout, including a 3 ½ and a 5 ½-pounder, and a redfish on CAL jigs with shad tails. The bigger trout and redfish have been in skinny water in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, the recent freeze claimed more fish (snook, jacks, pompano and ladyfish) than we had hoped. Further south in the Keys, bonefish, permit and tarpon were killed. In response, the Florida FWC has instituted and emergency statewide closure on snook, bonefish and tarpon. Snook season will remain closed through the spring and will not reopen until Sept. 1st. Bonefish and tarpon will be closed through March 31st. These measures were necessary to protect species already extremely stressed due to the recent freeze. Catch and release fishing is allowed for these species during the closure, although anglers should use good judgment and handle fish gently. Personally, I wouldn’t recommend targeting snook in the near future. They will need all the help they can get for a while. For more details, go to www.myfwc.com .

Next week’s tides, as we head towards a full moon on Jan. 30th, are favorable for reds and trout in skinny water. Reds may tail on shallow grass flats of lower Tampa Bay or Gasparilla Sound on negative low tides towards the end of the week. Although our recent freeze was the worst in decades many fish survived. We are fortunate to have a variety of species, such as trout reds, bluefish and sheepshead, which can handle the cold 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

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released redfish, Spanish mackerel, blues, flounder, pompano, trout and ladyfish on flies and jigs during the past couple of weeks. We’ve been catching some of the biggest blues (up to 5-pounds) that I’ve seen in years. However, we are also experiencing some of the coldest weather that we have seen in quite a while which has affected fishing lately.
Denis Clohisy, and his son, Denis, from WI, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday morning, 12/26. The tide was poor, but they still managed to catch several nice blues, a Spanish mackerel and a nice trout on CAL jigs with shad tails and Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Jack McCulloch, from Englewood, FL, and his son, Mike, from St. Louis, MO, fished Gasparilla Sound with me on Monday, 12/28. They caught and released trout and blues around spoil islands in Gasparilla Sound on CAL jigs with shad tails. They also caught several reds, a snook, flounder and numerous trout in skinny water in Bull and Turtle Bays.

With the water temperature hovering in the mid 50�s, we had some action with blues and trout on CAL jigs with shad tails and Clouser flies on several other trips in Sarasota Bay later that week. We also caught and released scattered Spanish mackerel and pompano. The best trip of the week was on New Year’s Eve day with Scott and Scottie Heidler, from Hudson, OH. With a strong front approaching, we fished the Middleground flat for more than 5-hours and had nonstop action catching and releasing blues, Spanish mackerel, trout, pompano and ladyfish on CAL jigs with shad tails. We spent the last couple hours of the day in skinny water catching several nice trout, a pompano and hooked a snook that couldn’t be turned!

I had to cancel several trips from Friday through Monday (1/1 through 1/4) due to wind and cold. However, with the water temperature in the low 50’s I got back on the water later in the week on Thursday with Kevin Graham and his wife, Beverley, from Ontario, Canada. We fished Longboat Key canals looking for warmer water and found more than 20 dead or dying jacks due to cold water. Fortunately, we didn’t see any snook or other species that were being affected by the extreme cold. They caught a pair of trout, one on a fly and the other on a jig, on a deep grass flat near Bayshore Gardens. Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL and Victor Feldman, from Champagne, IL, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 1/9. Despite tough conditions, they managed to catch 3 reds to 30�, including a pair of nice slot-size fish, and a pair of trout to 16� on CAL jigs with shad tails.

With water temperatures now in the low 50’s, subtropical species such as snook and members of the jack family are now in a survival mode. The good news is that due to a series of fronts, the water temperature came down slowly, so fish have been able to move to safer (warmer) areas. However, if it gets much colder they still could be in trouble. In the meantime, you may be successful by changing your tactics or targeting species that are more tolerant of cold water, such as bluefish, sheepshead, trout or reds. Fish protected shorelines on sunny afternoons and you should have more action due to slightly 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

Merry Christmas! Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released snook, redfish, Spanish mackerel, blues, flounder, pompano, trout and ladyfish on flies and jigs the past couple of weeks. We’ve been catching some of the biggest blues (up to 5-pounds) that I’ve seen in years. The best action continues to be on deep grass flats along the east side of Sarasota Bay from Stephens Point to Long Bar.

Bob Harness, from St. Louis, MO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday. He caught and released several trout, Spanish mackerel and blues on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on an intermediate sink tip fly line. Great fun on 6 and 7-weight rods! CB’s Saltwater Outfitters manager, Doug Forde, and outdoor writer, David Brown from Tampa, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday. With a negative low tide, we focused on potholes and sand bar edges for most of the morning. Doug caught and released a mid 20� snook and we caught numerous trout including several in the 18�-20� class on CAL jigs with shad tails. In the afternoon, we had decent action with Spanish mackerel, blues and pompano on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails on deep grass flats.

Norm and Francie Boardman, from Sarasota, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday. With a strong front approaching, I thought fish would be feeding heavily, but they weren’t. It was slow, but they caught several trout, ladyfish, bluefish and a Spanish mackerel on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.

A front pushed through over the weekend causing cool, windy conditions for a few days. On Monday morning it was 45 degrees with a brisk north wind, but by afternoon conditions were better. Eric Everett and his wife, Julie, from VA, and brother-in-law, Antone, from Ireland, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday afternoon. They caught and released several trout and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails on the east side of the bay. Rob Thompson and his dad, Jeff, from the Baltimore area, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday morning. They had fast action with blues, trout and Spanish mackerel on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails at the Middleground flat. John Shoup and his friend Mark, from the Detroit, MI area fished with me in the afternoon. The action slowed, but they managed several trout, ladyfish and a nice pompano on flies near Stephens Point.

John and Susan Weiss, from GA, fished the same areas with me on Wednesday. We found the action slower, but John managed a few blues and Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs with shad tails. Scott and Scottie Heidler, from Hudson, OH, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Christmas Eve day. The morning was slow, but they finished strong. They caught trout to 18�, blues to 4 ½-pounds, Spanish mackerel, flounder and a nice red on CAL jigs with shad tails along the east side of the bay.

Tides will improve as we head towards a full moon next week. Action may be better later in the day if it is cold in the morning. I’d like to thank all of you who have fished with me this year and over the years. Hope everyone has a happy and prosperous New Year!

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

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had fast action with pompano and bluefish during the week of 11/30. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, and I fished the east side of Sarasota Bay on Tuesday, 12/1 and caught and released more than 15 pompano to 3-pounds and several blues to 4-pounds on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on intermediate sink tip fly lines. Wind was an issue on Wednesday as a front moved in, but Jordan Hechtman and Frank Neubauer, both from Longboat Key, managed to catch a pompano, bluefish and several trout on CAL jigs with shad tails before we called it an early day. Jim Festa and Bob Benson, both from Sarasota fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. The action slowed as the front drifted back to the north; however they still caught a pompano, a couple of blues, a nice flounder and several nice trout near Long Bar on CAL jigs with shad tails before a steady rain ran us off the water.

Capt. Ed Hurst and I were instructors at CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Sat. Dec. 5th. The school covers fly casting basics, line control, shooting line and the roll cast. Winter/spring 2010 dates have been established and are Jan. 23, Feb. 20, Mar. 6, Mar. 27 and Apr. 17. Capt. Ed Hurst and I will also cover leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques. The course, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will also cover correcting problems and improving casting skills. Cost for the school, which will run from 9 AM to 4 PM, is $150 per person and includes the use of premium Orvis fly tackle, a text book, instructional DVD and lunch. Contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or cbsoutfitters@verizon.net to make reservations.

Mike Sprague and Kep Phillips, both from NJ, and their friend, Warner, from Naples, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday. They caught a couple of pompano and bluefish, numerous trout and a red on CAL jigs with shad tails. The best action was near Long Bar. Walt Poxon, from MN, and Bill and Sue Poxon, from Sarasota, FL, fished the east side of Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday. They had fast action with blues to 4-pounds, Spanish mackerel and numerous trout on CAL jigs with shad tails.

A front pushed through late Thursday, but I expect action to pick back up when the weather stabilizes by the weekend. Negative low tides, as we approach the new moon on Weds, Dec. 16th, should concentrate fish in potholes and along sand bars. Snook at night should also be a good option especially towards the end of next week when evening tides 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

Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, during the past week had good action with trout, blues and pompano on jigs and flies. A couple of trips in lower Tampa Bay also had action with trout, snook and reds. Deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay have been the best option for variety and action.

George Alberici, from Sarasota, FL, and Sal DeVita, from Valrico, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday. They caught numerous trout to 23� (4 ½ lbs), blue fish and pompano on CAL jigs with shad tails from Stephens Point to Long Bar.

Keith Roessler and Kevin Hunter, from Albuquerque, NM fished the same area with me on Tuesday except we also fished the coastal gulf. We spent a couple of hours off Lido Key and found lots of little tunny and Spanish mackerel feeding on tiny baits and being very picky. Keith hooked a nice little tunny on a white Clouser, but the rod broke, due to an equipment malfunction, as the fish made a blistering run, causing the fish to also break off. We came back into Sarasota Bay where they caught and released numerous trout, 4 bluefish (to 4-pounds) and 4 pompano (to 3-pounds) and a bonnethead shark on Clouser flies near Stephens Point.

Nick Frederick, from Lakewood Ranch, FL, and his son, Nick, from Arizona, fished the Terra Ceia Bay area with me on Wednesday morning. It rained hard until early afternoon as a front pushed through our area. It was young Nick’s first venture in saltwater with a fly rod. He caught and released several trout on Clouser flies while his dad did well with a CAL jig and a shad tail. That afternoon I fished the same area with part of a family group along with my friend, Capt. Ray Markham. Justin Barnes, his wife, Meredith (from Atlanta, GA) and her sister, Joy, from Dayton, OH, fished on my boat. We had steady action with trout to 23� (4-pounds), several snook to 22� and a 17�red. All fish were caught on CAL jigs with shad tails. Capt. Ray’s group also did well, catching a slam that included a legal snook, numerous trout, a red and a Spanish mackerel.

Bill Beauchamp, from Bradenton, FL, and his brother-in-law, Chuck Kushto, also from Bradenton, fished the Terra Ceia area with me on Friday. The previous day’s cold front had dropped the water temperature and slowed the action. They worked hard and we caught a few trout, a flounder and a small red on CAL jigs with shad tails. Friday’s trip in Sarasota Bay was similar. Fly angler Paul Stokes, from Sarasota, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday morning. We took a look in the gulf off Lido and found a big swell and dirty water. We saw a school of mackerel or little tunny, but they were up and gone fast. We came back into Sarasota Bay, where Paul caught and released several Spanish mackerel, a bluefish and several trout on a chartreuse/white Ultra Hair Clouser. Action was slow at first until we found a protected area, which was a couple of degrees warmer than surrounding waters and had some activity.

Next week’s negative low tides should be good for reds, snook and trout in potholes and along sandbars. Deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay should continue to be one of best options for variety and action. When the gulf calms down and the water clears up, action should heat up again for Spanish mackerel and little tunny. Remember that snook season closes on Tuesday, Dec. 1st and trout season remains closed in the south region through December. For details, go to www.myfwc.com.

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

I hosted a group at Turneffe Flats Lodge in Belize from Nov. 14-21. This was my second visit to the lodge, which is 30 miles off the coast of Belize City. We had near perfect weather and as a result, fishing was good. Although there was only one permit caught at the lodge while we were there, all of us had shots at permit. Numerous bonefish to 7-pounds were caught and released.

Capt. John Hand and his wife, Leslie, from Ruskin, FL, John and Deb LaManna, from Lakewood Ranch, FL, Les Fulcher, from Longboat Key, Fen and Joann Sartorius, from Santa Fe, NM and Joe Bursel and I from Sarasota all met up at the Tampa Airport on Saturday morning for the flight to Belize City through Miami. Ben and Sue Estes, from SC, flew direct to Belize City from Charlotte and met up with the rest of the group there. My friend, Capt. John Meskauskas, from Stuart, FL, was also at the lodge with a group of 6 anglers, including long time friend Twig Tolle and his wife, Jean.

Turneffe Flats Lodge is a cut above other lodges that I have visited. The guides, staff and accommodations are outstanding; meals are delicious and presented well and there are lots of activities for non anglers. Deb LaManna and Joann Sartorius participated in the Atoll Adventure package and had their own guide, Abel, for daily activities that included shelling, snorkeling, birding and much more. They saw lots of sea life while snorkeling, including a variety stingrays and Moray eels. They collected Mayan pottery and glass bottles discarded by pirates that once roamed the area, including the infamous Blackbeard. They treated us to a slide show one evening that was like a National Geographic special!

Although most bonefish averaged 1 ½ to 2-pounds, there were numerous 3-pounders caught and several in the 6 to 7-pound class. An angler in Capt. John’s group, Rob, caught and released an 8 or 9-pound permit while wading with guide, Elvis, on the last day of the trip. Most anglers had shots at permit ranging from singles and doubles to large schools. Capt. John Hand and his wife, Leslie, fishing with guide, Eddie, had shots at permit every day, landed bonefish of 4 ½ and 6 1/2-pounds and lost an 8-pounder. Ben and Sue Estes, fishing with guide, Michael, caught so many bonefish (to 4 ½-pounds) that they lost count. Joe Bursel also caught and released lots of bonefish (about 100 for the week). He focused on action and had several “double digit� days while fishing with guide, Willie. Joe was also successful with bonefish while wading on his own at the lodge. He even caught one off the sea wall!

Fen Sartorius and I fished together several days with guides, Dubs and Dion. We focused on larger bonefish and permit, staying ready for one species while targeting the other. Fen also scuba dived a couple of days. He hooked up with me and Dion at lunch one day and after a successful dive, he caught 3 nice bonefish in the afternoon! Les Fulcher also had good action with bonefish, including several 3-pounders he caught on his own while wading in front of the lodge. John LaManna had great action with bonefish, landing 7 bones to more than 6-pounds while fishing with guide, Dubs, one day. He was very successful with a fly of his own creation that featured a tuft of rabbit fur as a wing and a small pheasant tail. John and I fished together with Dubs on a rainy day, the only inclement weather day that we had. I caught a “tailer� at the end of the day that was very rewarding given the conditions. The more challenging the conditions the more rewarding the catch!

This is one of the best run fishing lodges that I have visited. I had a chance to visit with the owner of Turneffe Flats, Craig Hayes, while at the lodge. He has done an outstanding job of constantly updating the lodge to make it one of the top destinations not only for fly anglers, but for divers, snorkelers and adventurers. Craig was also instrumental in getting the government of Belize to protect bonefish, permit and tarpon, which is rare in most tropical fishing destinations. This is definitely a place that you can bring your spouse and also experience great fishing!

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

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, bluefish and pompano on jigs and flies on a couple of trips this week. We fished deep grass flats on both sides of the bay as we dodged wind from Hurricane Ida, which was passing us by in the gulf.

Dick Meeker, from Aspen, CO, and his son-in-law, Jeff, fished Sarasota Bay from Stephens Point to Long Bar with me on Tuesday. They caught and released a dozen or more trout to 22� on CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms. Jeff also hooked a large bluefish, but it was able to bite through our heavy fluorocarbon leader before we put out hands on it.

With the wind clocking around to the west, Norm and Francie Boardman, from Sarasota, fished the west side of the bay with me on Wednesday. The afternoon was better than the morning, but they caught and released 12 or 15 trout to 22� and a 4-pound pompano on CAL jigs with shad tails and Clouser flies.

Next week’s negative low tides in the morning should be good for reds, snook and catch and release trout in potholes of Sarasota Bay. Look for action with little tunny and Spanish mackerel to get hot off the beaches when the coastal gulf calms. CB’s Saltwater Outfitters will be holding their Fishing Extravaganza on Saturday, November 21st from 9 AM to 4 PM. The event will feature seminars, including Mark Nichols of DOA Fishing Lures, fly casting, fly tying, fishing boats on display and clothing and fishing tackle on sale. Contact CB’s at (941) 349-4400 for more info.

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

[caption id="attachment_39" align="alignnone" width="432" caption="Norm Boardman, from Sarasota, FL, with a 4-pound pompano caught on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett."][/caption]

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, bluefish and pompano on jigs and flies on a couple of trips this week. We fished deep grass flats on both sides of the bay as we dodged wind from Hurricane Ida, which was passing us by in the gulf.

Dick Meeker, from Aspen, CO, and his son-in-law, Jeff, fished Sarasota Bay from Stephens Point to Long Bar with me on Tuesday. They caught and released a dozen or more trout to 22� on CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms. Jeff also hooked a large bluefish, but it was able to bite through our heavy fluorocarbon leader before we put out hands on it.

With the wind clocking around to the west, Norm and Francie Boardman, from Sarasota, fished the west side of the bay with me on Wednesday. The afternoon was better than the morning, but they caught and released 12 or 15 trout to 22� and a 4-pound pompano on CAL jigs with shad tails and Clouser flies.

Next week’s negative low tides in the morning should be good for reds, snook and catch and release trout in potholes of Sarasota Bay. Look for action with little tunny and Spanish mackerel to get hot off the beaches when the coastal gulf calms. CB’s Saltwater Outfitters will be holding their Fishing Extravaganza on Saturday, November 21st from 9 AM to 4 PM. The event will feature seminars, including Mark Nichols of DOA Fishing Lures, fly casting, fly tying, fishing boats on display and clothing and fishing tackle on sale. Contact CB’s at (941) 349-4400 for more info.

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