Sarasota Fishing Report Capt Jim klopfer 8/30/2014
Capt. Jim Klopfer
August 30, 2014
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Mangrove snapper fishing continues to be outstanding on the grass flats throughout the area. The best action on charters this week continued to be over the deep grass flats near the passes. Marker #5, marina Jacks, Bird Key, and the Radio Tower were the top spots for me. Bait is plentiful and the water is cleaner and cooler. Speckled trout to 26", bluefish, Spanish mackerel, gag grouper, sea bass, sharks, ladyfish, and more came into the chum and hit free lined pilchards and threadfins. The keys to success this time of year are a livewell full of bait and getting out there early.
I started my week off on Sunday with Carvel and Frank Gould from Atlanta, GA. Bait was easy, two tosses and I was loaded up. It took a couple of short moves, but we got them fired up at the Marina Jack flat. For two hours it was a bite on every cast! Speckled trout to 26", Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper, gag grouper, sea bass, and ladyfish kept the rods bent. It was very hot with no breeze, so when the bite slowed we called it a morning.
On Tuesday the Denise and Jamie Dietz from Canfield, OH had a VERY good charter with their sons James (14) and Luke (10). None of them had fished very much, but they could all cast well enough, so after filling up with bait, I hit a deep flat in the Yacht Club Channel. It was quite breezy, but we had some protection. Action was steady, but slowed as the tide quit and then turned. I moved to a flat near Selby Gardens and action was non-stop until it was time to go. Speckled trout, bluefish, mackerel, grouper, snapper, sea bass, and ladyfish all came to the chum.
I finished off my week with a good charter with Aaron Edwards from Kansas City, MO, his mom and dad Marcia and Brian, and 5 year old son Mason. Bait was easy in Big Pass despite a fairly stiff breeze. A couple stops near Bird Key produced a few fish, but not what I was looking for, though Marcia caught a nice little bonnetthead shark. A move to the Radio tower flat proved to be a good decision as we sat in one spot and caught fish for over two hours. Action was steady on speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, sea bass, snapper, and catfish. The mangrove snapper bite was very good, with twenty or so grovers to 14" coming to the boat.
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