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Sarasota and Venice
Capt. Rick Grassett
October 23, 2005
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Southwest Florida Fishing Report for 10/16 through 10/23/2005
Willl-maa! No, that’s not Fred Flintstone yelling for his wife, it’s Hurricane Wilma racing toward Southwest Florida. All eyes are on the storm as we try to figure just where she’ll make landfall. Hopefully, she’ll avoid the most populated areas and not cause too much damage.
Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released bluefish, Spanish mackerel, snook, trout, ladyfish and jacks during the past week. Action was slow early in the week, probably due to the effects of the full moon on Monday but things picked up toward the end of the week. Fall action is about to explode, as bluefish and Spanish mackerel seem to be moving into our area.
Tuesday’s trip in the Terra Ceia area with fly anglers was very slow. The action picked up a little on Wednesday as Dan Miller and Dave Buchert, both from Cincinnati, OH, fished with me near Sarasota’s Big Pass and Roberts Bay. They caught and released several snook and a jack on DOA Deadly Combos, CAL jigs and a MirrOlure She Dog, Jr.
Fly anglers, Kyle Ruffing and Jon Yenari, both from Sarasota, FL, fished Charlotte Harbor near Boca Grande with me on Thursday. They caught and released several trout and ladyfish in Gasparilla Sound on Clouser flies. The bonus was a 4-½ -pound Spanish mackerel and a nice bluefish also caught in the same area. Kyle and Jon also caught several nice trout and a jack near Turtle Bay and had several shots at reds cruising on a sandbar, but no takers.
Fly angler, Jim Davis from Rumson, NJ, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me early Friday morning on a pre dawn snook/flats trip. There were plenty of snook around the lighted docks and bridge fenders, but despite a strong outgoing tide they weren’t on a bite. Jim managed to catch and release several snook and a jack on a variety of flies. A front or two will give snook fishing the shot in the arm that it needs.
John and Barbara Freeman, from Edina, MN, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday morning. We headed north out of City Island and found good conditions in north Sarasota Bay. As far north as the Ringling Mansion on the east side of the bay and Buttonwood Harbor on the west side, we found clear water and plentiful baitfish. They caught and released 6 or 8 bluefish and numerous ladyfish on CAL jigs, DOA Deadly Combos and top water plugs.
After Wilma passes through our area early Monday morning, we are supposed to get the first real front of the fall season. Action should get hot on the flats, in bays and the coastal gulf waters as the water temperature drops into the low 70’s. There is still time to sign up for the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers & Coastal Conservation Association-Florida “Fall Fly Fishing Challenge” to be held next Saturday, October, 29th, out of the City Island boat ramp at Sarasota’s Ken Thompson Park. Anglers will target snook, redfish and trout with flies only in a catch-photo-release format. For more info or to sign up, fly anglers can contact me.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
www.flyfishingflorida.net
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