Good False Albacore Action in Sarasota
Capt. Rick Grassett
September 27, 2012
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout and jacks in Sarasota Bay and false albacore (little tunny) and Spanish mackerel in the coastal gulf off Sarasota during the past week.
Bill Rhodes, from Hernando Beach, FL, fished the coastal gulf off Sarasota with me on Monday, 9/24. Large schools of Spanish mackerel fed in glass minnow schools while smaller schools of false albacore busted baits around the edges of mackerel schools. He caught and released a couple of albies to about 8-pounds and several Spanish mackerel on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly.
John Stenger and his son, Jeff, from KY, fished shallow and deep grass flats along the east side of Sarasota Bay and near Buttonwood Harbor with me on Tuesday, 9/25. They caught and released trout and jacks on DOA Deadly Combos, CAL jigs with a variety of tails and top water plugs.
It was a "go to Mexico" kind of day and the action was good in the coastal gulf on Wednesday, 9/26. In addition to numerous schools of false albacore and mackerel, a couple of big kings were spotted skyrocketing through bait. Small schools of albies were moving fast and not staying up long, but several fish to about 8-pounds were caught and released on flies.
Fishing for false albacore, Spanish mackerel and more in the coastal gulf will continue to get better as the water cools and baitfish schools become more concentrated. Catch and release snook fishing before dawn in Sarasota Bay should also be good next week. This time of year we sometimes also catch reds and trout in the lights along with snook. Tarpon of all sizes should be another good option in upper Charlotte Harbor depending on conditions.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis- Endorsed Outfitter Guide
CB's Saltwater Outfitters-2011 Orvis Outfitter of the Year
www.flyfishingflorida.net
Sarasota Fishing Forecast:
Capt. Rick Grassett's Sarasota, FL Fishing Forecast for October 2012
Reds should still be schooled up early in October. However, schools will break up later in the month and reds will be more widespread on shallow flats. Snook will be staging around docks and bridges in the ICW and on shallow flats as they make their move towards winter areas. Trout fishing will improve as the water cools and fish spend more time feeding in shallow water. Migratory species such as king and Spanish mackerel, cobia, tripletail and false albacore (little tunny) should be plentiful in the coastal gulf as they migrate south
This is a great month for reds in shallow water. Schools of reds will roam shallow flats early in the month. It is easiest to find them when the tide is low. Look for them pushing wakes along bars and on top of shallow grass flats. When they are sitting still, the school may appear as a patch of "nervous" water. Once you've located them, get ahead of the school and work around the edges to avoid spooking the whole school. Top water plugs, fly poppers and Gurglers may make reds show themselves. When the top water bite slows, I like CAL jigs with jerk worms or wide profile baitfish fly patterns. By later in the month, schools of reds will begin to break up and spread out on shallow flats. With plentiful baitfish and cooler water, they are usually more aggressive. Instead of large schools of reds, you may find them as singles, doubles and small schools. Key on mullet schools to locate reds later in the month
Catch and release snook fishing should also be good in October. Snook will be in a transition mode this month. As they move towards backcountry areas, they will stage around docks and bridges and along sandbars where you may be able to catch them in shallow water. I like to use top water plugs, CAL jigs with shad tails or jerk worms, fly poppers, Gurglers and wide profile baitfish patterns for snook in shallow water. Look for them along mangrove shorelines when the tide is high and in potholes or along bars when the tide is low. You'll also find them staging around docks and bridges in the ICW at night where small white flies and CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms should work well. There may also still be some snook in the surf, although their numbers will thin out as they move to inside waters.
Tarpon may still be an option this month, particularly juveniles in upper Charlotte Harbor. Look for them rolling in canals and creeks or on shallow flats near the mouth of canals and creeks. Spin anglers should do well with fast sinking plastic baits, like the DOA TerrorEyz and Baitbuster. Fly anglers should do best with sinking fly lines and scaled down versions of tarpon flies that we throw on the beach. In deeper water, a faster sinking fly line usually works better. You may also find large tarpon feeding in baitfish or ladyfish schools in open water of upper Charlotte Harbor or along beaches. I have found frenzies of tarpon feeding in baitfish and ladyfish schools along the beaches in the fall before. It's hard to predict and more often it's about being in the right place at the right time!
Trout should also be a good option this month. Look for big trout in skinny water at first light. They may be mixed with mullet or feeding in bait schools. Top water plugs, DOA Shrimp or Baitbusters and CAL jigs with shad tails or jerk worms should all work well for shallow water trout. Fly anglers should score with Gurglers, poppers and wide profile baitfish patterns. Some of my favorite shallow flats for big trout, reds and snook are in north Sarasota Bay. You'll also find trout on deep grass flats later in the day. I like to make a series of drifts across deep grass flats, casting ahead of the drift with CAL jigs with a variety of tails, DOA Deadly Combos or weighted flies on sink tip fly lines to find trout. Once you've located fish you can shorten your drift or anchor on them. In addition to trout, you might also find bluefish, Spanish mackerel, pompano or flounder on deep grass flats. The flies and techniques to find them are the same as for trout, although you may need to add wire or heavy fluorocarbon when toothy fish are around. Blues and mackerel may feed on the surface or pompano may "skip" making hem easier to find.
You might also find blues and Spanish mackerel feeding on the surface in the coastal gulf, but I think the most fun will be with false albacore (little tunny). Look for diving birds and baitfish being forced out of the water to find them. CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms and small top water or floating/diving plugs, should work well for spin anglers. Fly anglers should score with my Grassett Snook Minnow fly or small (#4) Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on a clear intermediate sink tip fly line. Sometimes you'll see Spanish and king mackerel or false albacore launching out of the water as they skyrocket through bait. You may find also find them around the edges of feeding schools of Spanish mackerel or albies. Blind casting a top water plug or big fly popper in the right area at dawn might draw an explosive strike. If you don't get them to eat on the surface, drift over structure, such as artificial and natural reefs, and use a ¼ or 3/8-ounce CAL jig, TerrorEyz or weighted fly on fast sinking fly lines to get into the strike zone.
Tripletail may also show up by the end of the month. With lots of crab traps going into the water by Oct 15 as stone crab season opens, look for tripletail around crab trap floats. I usually pick a line and run it for a while before moving inshore or offshore to another line. Once located use a trolling motor, into the wind or current to maintain control of the boat, and cast a bulky, lightly weighted fly to them. Spin anglers should score with live or DOA shrimp and CAL jigs with shad tails. It may require some effort to find them, but they're a great sight casting opportunity. You might also find cobia around crab trap floats or free swimming on the surface, especially over structure. They'll require medium heavy spinning tackle or a 9-weight or larger fly rod. Top water plugs, DOA Baitbusters or 5 ½" CAL jerk worms should work for spin anglers. Fly anglers should score with wide profile baitfish patterns, such as Lefty's Deceiver or Tarpon Bunny flies.
In addition to stalking reds and big trout in skinny water, I like to fish the coastal gulf for false albacore, Spanish mackerel, tripletail and more this month. There are good options both inshore and offshore depending on conditions and tarpon are still an option in upper Charlotte Harbor. Whatever you choose to do, please limit your kill, don't kill your limit!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Orvis Endorsed Outfitter Guide
CB's Saltwater Outfitters-2011 Orvis Outfitter of the Year
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
www.flyfishingflorida.net
Target Species:
reds, trout, snook, tarpon, Spanish mackerel, false albacore, tripletail
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