Saltwater Fishing Report for Sarasota, Florida.
Capt. Bob Smith
May 2, 2004
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Kings On "M"
King mackerel are still hitting hard offshore at the “M” reefs. All methods of baiting are working but live bait is top gun. Sardines, herring, and blue runners are plentiful at the “M” reefs, so don’t forget your Sabiki rigs. Pilchards are along the beaches but so far they have been hard to net. Some fish have been deep but a free-line will work most of the time. I use only one hook, 3/0 to 5/0, depending on the size of the bait. Many anglers will ad a second stinger hook if the fish are hitting short. I like to use only six inches of light steel leader and back it off with about three to four feet of forty pound mono. I like to catch the kings on twelve to twenty pound test line. Some sailfish have been reported in the same area also.
Tarpon have been seen along the beach but are very thin so far. It is time for them to run but I don’t have much news yet. I will be looking for them like everyone else, at least until the end of June.
We have been keeping busy on the bay with trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and ladyfish. They have been moving around on the grass flats. Most of the trout have been small but the number of keeper size fish is improving every day. I have found the Ringling flats to be the most consistent this past week. I used nothing but ¼ ounce DOA shrimp all week while fishing the bay and found them outstanding. Snook and redfish are being caught around docks and backwater but no hard runs that I know of. Pompano and cobia have been caught although they have been are very scarce.
Bottom fishing offshore has produced some snapper and grouper in the fifty and over depths. Shrimp for the snapper and live pinfish for the grouper have been top baits. You can buy the pinfish but catching your own just before you go out can dramatically increase your catch. Fishing very light for the snapper will also increase your snapper catch but you might lose a keeper grouper. I keep one rod for snapper and one for grouper and switch when necessary.
Enjoy & Protect
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