Fall fishing is great fishing
Steve Gibson
September 18, 2009
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing has been good in both fresh and salt water.
Lake Manatee has been producing decent bluegill, bass, shellcracker, tilapia, stumpknocker and channel catfish.
One trip produced 17 hand-sized bluegill and five bass to 3 pounds on Myakka Minnows and No. 6 poppers. Next outing produced numbers, but not the quality: 40 bluegill, three shellcracker, a tilapia, stumpknocker and three channel catfish to 10 pounds on No. 10 poppers and No. 10 nymphs.
Recent rain as raised the water level in local lakes and streams, so action will get better in a couple of days when the water subsides.
Launched the kayak at Bishop Harbor off southern Tampa Bay and did well. Caught six snook, a redfish, 15 spotted seatrout, mangrove snapper, jack crevalle, ladyfish and a 4-pound pompano.
All fish were taken during a monster incoming tide.
We anticipate great fishing during the upcoming weeks as the air and water cool.
We're coming up on our favorite time of year to fish in Southwest Florida.
Sarasota Fishing Forecast:
We're exptecting really good fishing as the weather and water cool.
Saltwater should yield excellent redfish, spotted seatrout, snook, jack crevalle, bluefish, pompano and Spanish mackerel.
In fresh water, bass, bluegill, shellcracker, speckled perch (black crappie) and channel catfish will provide the bulk of the action.
Target Species:
Largemouth bass, bluegill, shellcracker, tilapia, redfish, snook, spotted seatrout.
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