Good Night Snook Fly Fishing Action in Sarasota on ICW Docks
Capt. Rick Grassett
October 22, 2016
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Capt. Rick Grassett's Sarasota, FL Fishing Report for 10/9 through 10/22/2016
Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay with me during the past week, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout and small gag grouper on DOA Lures and flies. Fly anglers also caught and released snook in the ICW on several night trips. Water conditions in Sarasota Bay were good during the past couple of weeks; clear water with baitfish present and no signs of red tide in the areas that I fished, with exception of an active patch of red tide that I ran into in north Sarasota Bay on Friday, 10/21.
Stewart Lavelle, from Sarasota, FL and David Lavelle, from Venice, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me last Sunday, 10/9. We fished the east side of the bay, which had good, clean water. They caught and released a few trout and jacks on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and DOA Deadly Combos. Sarasota winter resident Tom Lamb and Roy and Diane Glah, also from Sarasota, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday afternoon, 10/13. They caught and released trout, including a couple of slot-size fish, and small gag grouper on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Shrimp.
David Weber, from Memphis, TN and Dudley Sandifer, from MS, fished the ICW near Venice with me on Wednesday evening, 10/12. We had a good tide but snook were being very picky and tough to get to eat our flies. However they persisted and caught and released a few snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly.
CB's Saltwater Outfitters had a good turnout for their Orvis Fly Fishing 101 introductory fly fishing clinic on Saturday, 10/15. I was one of the instructors for the clinic, which gave students an opportunity to fly cast and understand the principles of fly fishing. Contact CB's Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or [email protected] for info on upcoming Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Schools.
Bob Delano, from Savannah, GA, and Fred Crider, from PA, fished Sarasota Bay and Little Sarasota Bay on Monday and Tuesday, 10/17 & 18, with me. The best action was catching and releasing snook on dock lights in the ICW in Sarasota and near Venice on small white flies.
David Eddy, from Tampa, FL, and his guest, Daniel Dines, from Bucharest, Romania, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 10/21. The water looked good in most places, although we ran into an active patch of red tide in north Sarasota Bay. However, the best action was catching and releasing trout on CAL jigs with shad tails and Ultra Hair Clouser flies within a mile or so of the affected area.
Night snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW with flies and DOA Lures should be a good option. You might also find a few juvenile tarpon and reds in the lights along with snook. I look for action in the coastal gulf with false albacore (little tunny) and Spanish mackerel to take off as the water cools down and baitfish become more plentiful. Tripletail will also become a good option since stone crab traps are now in the coastal gulf, increasing the amount of available structure for them.
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
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