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Sarasota and Venice
Capt. Rick Grassett
March 20, 2004
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Sarasota & Venice, FL Fishing Report for 3/14 through 3/20/2004
Anglers on the Snook Fin-Addict had good action during the past week with Spanish mackerel in Sarasota Bay. Fly anglers also scored with snook at night and caught a few reds and trout on the flats.
Fly angler, Larry Feiner from Newtown Square, PA, fished “snook alley” near Venice with me on Sunday evening. The bite was steady, but not real fast. Larry had done some steam fishing for trout in the mountains of Pennsylvania in the past and he quickly adapted to night snook fishing, which has some similarities. Much like drifting a fly in the current of a stream, we cast upside and let the tidal current swing our fly into the snook’s strike zone. Larry caught and released about 10 snook to 23” on Grassett’s Grass Minnow flies.
A front passed through the area on Tuesday morning, forcing the cancellation of the morning’s fishing. It was welcome time found that I used to install my new digital foot controlled Lenco trolling motor system. Tarpon season is just around the corner and will be here quicker than we can imagine.
Fly anglers, Nick Reding and Jim Ewoldt, both from St. Louis, MO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday. Our game plan was to wade and hunt reds, snook and trout on shallow flats. Although the water was beautiful, the fishing was slow. We waded a bar on the east side of the bay where they caught and released a redfish, a trout and a jack.
Nick had to head in early, so Jim and I fished a couple of more hours. Wind had become a factor, but we found a calm area in New Pass that was full of Spanish mackerel. It was a perfect opportunity to try out my new Orvis Multi-tip fly line. We had 10 to 20 feet of water and a fast current. I put the 15-foot Class VI sink tip on with a 6- foot leader and an Ultra Hair Clouser fly. It worked beautifully and Jim caught a half dozen or so Spanish mackerel.
My dad, Dave Grassett from Seaford, DE, joined me for a couple of days of fishing on Thursday and Friday. We spent Thursday morning catching Spanish mackerel at the Middleground flat in Sarasota Bay on Cotee jigs with grubs and Ultra Hair Clouser flies. We located some reds in the afternoon, but they were very spooky and didn’t want to eat.
On Friday morning, having had our fill of Spanish mackerel, we headed straight for redfish. We fished a bar on the east side of Sarasota Bay where we caught and released 4 reds to 26”, several trout in the 20” class, a snook and a flounder on CAL jigs with shad tails and my Grassett’s Flats Minnow fly. I caught a red on the first cast with a fly while working my boat down the edge of a bar with my new Lenco trolling motor system!
We’re going to head east of Sarasota this weekend in pursuit of Osceola turkeys, which is my dad’s favorite type of hunting. Next week’s tides are favorable for reds, snook and trout on the flats. Spanish mackerel should remain a good option and pompano are starting to show on deep grass flats close to the passes and in passes. Night snook fishing is also a good option, as long as you’re there during peak tidal flows.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
(941) 923-7799
E-mail [email protected]
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com
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