Good Action on Sarasota Bay & Charlotte Harbor Flats
Capt. Rick Grassett
January 28, 2017
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, pompano, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails in Sarasota Bay and trout, snook and reds in Gasparilla Sound on CAL jigs with shad tails, 4" jerk worms and flies during the past couple of weeks.
Dick Striano, from MA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 1/16. We worked deep grass flats on the west side of the bay where he had some action with trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Carl Thomas, from KY, and Dave Saturley, from Sarasota, fished the same areas with me on Wednesday, 1/18 and had some action catching and releasing trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with had tails.
Bill Morrison, from Anna Maria Island and Gary Marple, from Sarasota, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 1/19. We worked deep grass flats on the west side of the bay where they had some action with trout and blues on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Dave Wahl, from Lakewood Ranch, and Dennis Dombrowski, from Reno, NV, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday, 1/21. Despite a strong approaching front, fishing was challenging. However they caught and released a few trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies, including Dennis's first saltwater fish on a fly!
Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL fished the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande with me on Tuesday, 1/24. He had a great day catching and releasing a "slam" including trout to 19", a couple of reds to 24" and a 26" snook on CAL jigs with shad tails and 4" jerk worms. We found a concentration of reds and snook, but couldn't get them to eat at first. With the tide a little higher, we backed off a little, changed the style of CAL plastic tail and worked the area a second time. That proved to be a winning combination as Keith caught and released a couple of nice reds and a snook!
Longtime friends and clients Tom Lamb, from Geneva, Switzerland and his daughter, Diane Muhlfeld, from Sarasota, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 1/26. They had some action with trout and a couple of pompano to 4-lbs on CAL jigs with shad tails. Lew Murray, from Tarpon Springs, FL, fished the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande with me on Friday, 1/27. We worked on shallow water fly fishing techniques and he caught and released his first snook on my Grassett Flats Minnow fly.
Trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more should be good options on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Catch and release night snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW with flies and DOA Lures should also be good. Also look for snook in shallow water along with larger trout and reds when conditions are good.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
IFFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters
Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011
Sarasota Fishing Forecast:
Capt. Rick Grassett's Sarasota, FL Fishing Forecast for February 2017
Trout and redfish should be good shallow water options in Sarasota Bay this month. You may also find trout along with blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and flounder on deep grass flats. Look for sheepshead, flounder, reds and more around docks. Catch and release night snook fishing around lighted docks in the ICW may be a good option if it's not too cold and Spanish and king mackerel and cobia may show up in the coastal gulf by the end of the month.
Snook season remains closed on the west coast this month, so use tackle heavy enough to catch and release them quickly. Since they are temperature sensitive, I won't target them following strong fronts when water temperatures dip below 60 degrees. However, I have had some great night trips catching and releasing snook on flies in the ICW at night this time of year. Since larger baitfish aren't that plentiful this time of year, snook will gorge themselves on glass minnows and shrimp. Small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, DOA Shrimp, the new DOA 2-3/4" Shrimp, DOA Tiny TerrorEyz or CAL Jigs with shad tails and jerk worms will all work well.
You may also find snook in rivers, creeks or canals this month. Fishing may be good in these areas on a blustery day when it isn't fit to fish anywhere else. I like wider profile flies and lures in these areas due to the baitfish that may be found there. Fly anglers should score with wide profile baitfish patterns, such as Lefty's Deceiver, fished on a sink tip fly line. Spin anglers should do well with CAL jigs and 4" swim baits and jerk worms, DOA Baitbusters or suspending plugs. Fish the deep spots, usually on outside bends, for the best action.
You might find reds in potholes or along the edges of bars and shallow flats when the tide is low. As the tide rises, they will feed higher on shallow flats, particularly on sunny afternoons. I like 1/16-ounce CAL jigs with shad tails or jerk worms for reds in shallow water. If it is too shallow or grassy to fish an exposed hook, a Mustad or Owner weedless hook will allow you to fish plastic baits in these areas. Fly anglers should score with lightly weighted flies, like Clousers or my Grassett Flats Minnow, with weed guards on floating lines with 10'-12' leaders. You may also find big trout in skinny water in the same places you find reds. The same lures, flies and techniques that you use to target reds will work for big trout in those areas. I release all trout over 20" since they are usually females and I feel that they are important to the health of our trout fishery.
You'll find trout on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. I like flats that have a good mix of grass and sand and good tidal flow. Flats that are close to passes are often good choices since water temperatures may be warmer there. Following fronts, silted up water will cover deep grass flats close to passes, often affecting fishing in those areas. There are other good grass flats in Sarasota Bay that are on points or around bars.
I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift with CAL jigs and a variety of plastic tails, DOA Deadly Combos or weighted flies on sink tip fly lines to locate trout. Once you've located them you can shorten your drift or anchor on them.
In addition to trout, you may also find blues, Spanish mackerel, flounder or pompano, depending on water temperature and conditions, on deep grass flats. The technique to find them is the same as for trout, although there may be other clues. Pompano may "skip" on the surface when you drift or run past them giving their presence away. When that happens, set up a drift upwind of where you saw a pompano and cast ahead of your drift. Blues and Spanish mackerel may force bait out of the water or feed on the surface. You may need to add heavy fluorocarbon or wire when blues and mackerel are mixed with trout on deep grass flats.
Fishing docks is another good option this time of year, especially when the tide is low. You might find reds, sheepshead or flounder under docks. I like docks that are deep (3' or more) and have a good tidal flow. Fish the end of long piers to find the deepest water. Also, look for big boats moored on docks or on boat lifts, which is also an indication of deeper water. Older docks with lots of barnacle and oyster growth usually hold more baitfish and predators. I like CAL jigs with shad tails, grubs or jerk worms or weighted flies fished on sink tip fly lines when fishing docks. Be sure to let your jig or fly get down close to the bottom. Tipping a jig with small piece of fresh shrimp will up your odds for sheepshead. If you use too much it will ruin the action of your jig.
There may be some action in the coastal gulf by the end of the month with king and Spanish mackerel and cobia. When the water warms to the high 60's to low 70's, these fish will move into our area from the south as they migrate north. Look for Spanish mackerel on the surface or in passes. Cobia may be swimming on the surface, around buoys, channel markers and crab trap floats or over structure.
February can be a tough month to fish. With frequent fronts and cool water, fish aren't always in an eating mood. If you're able to pick good tides combined with favorable weather conditions, you should be successful. If you don't have that luxury, you might do better by sleeping in and fishing later in the day when it's warmer. Whatever you choose to do, please limit your kill, don't kill your limit!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
IFFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters
Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011
Target Species:
trout, reds, snook, tarpon, Spanish mackerel, blues, pompano
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