Good Action in Sarasota for a Variety of Species
Capt. Rick Grassett
November 18, 2018
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing snook at night, Spanish mackerel and tripletail in the coastal gulf on flies, trout and flounder in the Terra Ceia area and a variety of species on DOA Lures in Little Sarasota Bay during the past couple of weeks.
Kirk Grassett, from Middletown, DE and Nick Delle Donne, from Lancaster, PA, snook fished with me in Sarasota on 10/30 before heading over to Mars Bay Bonefish Lodge to fly fish for bonefish. We fished before daylight and had good action catching and releasing numerous snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. We fished the coastal gulf after daylight and caught and released Spanish mackerel and a tripletail on my Grassett Snook Minnow and Flats Bunny fly.
I also spent a couple of days fishing the Terra Ceia area on 11/8 and 9. Marshall Dinerman and his friend Edwin, both from Atlanta, fished with me one day and Tim Graham, from Nokomis and Pat Redmond, from Sarasota, also fished that area with me another day. We had some action with trout on deep grass flats and flounder in potholes on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Tom Sprague and Laurie Anderson, from MA, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 11/12. The action wasn't fast but they caught and released snook, trout, sheepshead and a large jack. We fished DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs with shad tails on the flats and CAL jigs with shad tails around docks. Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL and Jack McCulloch, from Lakewood Ranch, FL, fished the same area with me on Friday, 11/16 and had similar action catching and releasing several snook, jacks, trout and a bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms.
I was the instructor for CB's Saltwater Outfitters first Orvis-Endorsed Fly School of the season on Saturday, 11/17. Students received instruction in fly casting, leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques. Future schools will be held on Jan 19, Feb. 23, Mar. 16, and Apr 13, 2019. Cost for the 6-hr class is $195 per person and includes the use of premium Orvis fly tackle, workbook and lunch.
CB's Saltwater Outfitters will also hold an "Orvis Fly Fishing 101" introductory fly fishing clinic on Saturday, Dec 8, 2018 from 9 am – 11 am. Their staff of Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing guides will cover fly casting basics, fly tackle rigging and fly casting with premium Orvis fly tackle. There will also be special in store offers on Orvis and other fly fishing products. Cost for the clinic is $25. Contact CB's Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or [email protected] to make reservations.
Fishing dock lights in the evening or before dawn, is still a good option for catch and release snook fishing. This is also a great time of year to fish the coastal gulf for false albacore, tripletail, Spanish mackerel when conditions are good. The key to success is finding clean water. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by agricultural and residential runoff, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don't kill your limit!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFI Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters
Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011
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