 |
Sarasota and Venice
Capt. Rick Grassett
March 28, 2004
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Sarasota, FL Fishing Report for 3/20 through 3/28/2004
Anglers on the Snook Fin-Addict caught some quality fish during the past week. A persistent east wind all week, which was 15 to 20 mph and gusty, made fishing difficult. We had one good day with reds and also caught and released, a cobia, pompano and a legal snook during the week.
Rick Peregord, from Southgate, MI, fished 3 days with me last week. On Monday morning, he started the day off by landing a 14-pound cobia on a DOA shrimp at the Middleground flat. The wind cranked up and we moved to the east side of the bay along a sandbar where Rick caught and released 5 reds on CAL jigs with shad tails.
We fished Blackburn Bay on Tuesday afternoon and evening. Rick did well catching and releasing numerous ladyfish and jacks, 3 snook and a pair of reds casting to docks along the leeward side of the bay. As darkness fell, snook began to feed heavily around lighted docks on glass minnows and tiny shrimp. However, they were extremely selective and ignored our lures and even a fly rigged to fish with spinning tackle. Ladyfish were more aggressive and banged our lures outside the lighted areas.
Rick caught his best snook ever, a feisty 27-incher, and a 2 1/2 –pound pompano on Thursday. The pompano was caught on a Cotee jig with a grub at the Middleground flat and the snook was caught on a CAL jig with a shad tail along an oyster bar on the east side of Sarasota Bay. It was a tough day of fishing, but Rick slammed by also catching and releasing a small red and several nice trout on CAL jigs with shad tails.
Ohio State head football coach, Jim Tressel, and his father-in-law, Frank Watson, both from OH, fished with me on Wednesday morning. The wind was gusting over 20 mph and made most spots unfishable. I found a concentration of trout on a grass flat near Big Pass where they caught and released more than 15 trout on Cotee jigs with grubs.
Friday’s trip was a repeat of trips earlier in the week, wind and more wind. Fly angler, Greg Poppe, from Midland, MI, fished Sarasota Bay with me. It was tough fishing a fly, but Greg hung in there most of the day. He caught and released several trout, ladyfish and a Spanish mackerel on Clouser flies and Cotee jigs with grubs at Stephens Point and near Big Pass.
Rusty Chinnis and I instructed an Orvis-Endorsed fly casting school on Longboat Key on Saturday. Another group of anglers are on their way to becoming fly anglers, a sport they’ll hopefully enjoy for a lifetime. The next school is slated for next Saturday, April 3, 2004, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key. Anyone interested in participating can contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or me at (941) 923-7799 to sign up.
Next week’s tides are favorable for reds, snook and trout on the flats and snook at night, particularly toward the end of the week. Cobia, Spanish mackerel and pompano are also options in the coastal gulf waters and the flats.
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
More Fishing Reports:
|
|
|
|
