Good Night Snook Fly Fishing & Flats Action
Capt. Rick Grassett
February 25, 2018
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing trout in Sarasota Bay on CAL jigs with shad tails and flies, snook and blues in the ICW at night on flies and reds, snook and trout on CAL jigs with shad tails in Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande during the past couple of weeks. The best action was with snook and blues in the ICW at night and with water temperatures in the 70's, shallow water fishing is turning on!
Siesta Key and Longboat Key winter residents, Joe Brinkmeyer and Jim Brady, Phil and Brenda Rever, from MD and Bill Morrison, from Anna Maria Island and his grandson, Patrick Morrison, from MA, all fished deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay with me on several different trips during the week of 2/12. They had good action catching and releasing trout and more on CAL jigs with shad tails and flies.
Jerry Poslusny, from Palmetto, and Rich Hunter, from Longboat Key, fished the ICW with me on Tuesday night, 2/13. We had a blues invasion as hungry bluefish dominated some of the areas we fished. They caught and released about 20 fish on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly, half snook and half bluefish up to 4-lbs. It was not a problem, since the chunky blues fought as hard as or harder than many of the snook!
Martin Marlowe, from NY, fished the ICW at night with me on Thursday, 2/15. He also had great action with snook to 27" and blues to 4-lbs on the same fly. I saw something that night that I've never seen before in more than 30-years of fishing our waters, a 75-lb or larger Goliath grouper in a snook light along with many snook, blues and ladyfish. The big fish took a prominent ambush spot behind one of the outside pilings of a boat lift. Although we caught snook and blues out of the same dock light, the fish never tried to eat any of our hooked fish or our flies. The more time you spend on the water, the more likely you are to see strange things like this!
I was one of the FFI (Fly Fishers International) casting instructors (CI), along with Master Casting Instructors (MCI) Capt. Pete Greenan and Capt. Rex Gudgel for Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers annual fly casting clinic at The Meadows in Sarasota on Saturday, 2/17. An enthusiastic group of fly anglers showed up for the event. Beginners received basic instruction while more experienced casters fine-tuned their casting. A great event by MCFF, free and open to the public!
Sam Diviase, from Longboat Key and Mark Rinalli, from PA fished deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay with me on Monday and Tony Merlis, from NH, fished the same area with me on Tuesday, 2/19 & 20. They had good action catching and releasing trout to 18" and more on CAL jigs with shad tails and Ultra Hair Clouser flies.
Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL and Ron Shay, from SC, fished the backcountry of Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande with me on Wednesday, 2/21 They had good action catching and releasing trout to 4-pounds, reds and snook on CAL jigs with shad tails. Larry Wachtel, from Boca Raton, FL and Stan Brady, from OH, fished the same area with me on Thursday. 2/22. They also had some action catching and releasing trout to 21" and a nice red, also on CAL jigs with shad tails.
I was the instructor for a full class at CB's Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing School on Saturday, 2/24. Students received fly casting instruction and also learned leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques. The next school will be on March 24th. Contact CB's Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or [email protected] to make reservations.
There should be good action with trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Fishing shallow water for big trout, snook and reds should also be a good option. Our natural resources are under constant pressure, 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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