Sarasota, Capt Rick Grassett 7/9/2016

Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf in Sarasota with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with catch and release snook, trout and tarpon with flies and DOA Lures during the past week. We had numerous shots on several days of fly fishing for tarpon, seven hook ups and two tarpon caught and released in the coastal gulf. We also fished Sarasota Bay on a pre-dawn snook/flats trip one day and had good action with snook and trout on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.

Craig Henke and Jerry Ciandella, both from Charleston, SC, fished a pre-dawn snook/flats trip in Sarasota Bay with me on Monday. With the holiday weekend crowd on the water, it was a good way to avoid the crowd and the heat. Despite a slow tide, snook went on a binge, crushing glass minnows and eating their flies just as readily. They caught and released more than 20 snook on flies before we moved to the flats at dawn. They also did well with trout, catching and releasing numerous trout to 23”on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.

Jerry Poslusny and Bill Nesbitt, both from Rochester, NY, fly fished for tarpon several days in the coastal gulf in Sarasota with me. They had good action, getting numerous shots at tarpon each day. We fished a variety of conditions from slick calm in the morning to strong afternoon sea breezes. They were up for the challenge, hooking up with 7 tarpon and bringing 2 to the boat. A great job!

Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should be a good option next week, particularly on the strong, outgoing tides in the afternoon, depending on conditions. There are more singles, doubles and small schools, rather than the large schools that we see in June and since many tarpon have already spawned, they are more aggressive now. Snook season is closed now on the west coast of Florida, but catch and release night snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW with flies and DOA Lures should be good. There should also be good action with trout, bluefish and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay.

Tight Lines,