Sarasota fishing report Capt Jim Klopfer 11/29/2014
Capt. Jim Klopfer
November 29, 2014
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Weather was once again the story, particularly early in the week. It was foggy on Monday, then a front moved through Tuesday morning with a lot of thunderstorms, and it was cool and windy on Wednesday. Thursday was Thanksgiving and I was back at it on Friday and Saturday; with action improving as the water settled down and cleared up. Ladyfish were plentiful on some of the deep flats, with bluefish, trout, flounder, and sea bass mixed in. Bass Assassin jigs fooled most of the fish, but Rapala X-Raps and live shrimp also produced. Black drum and sheepshead took live shrimp under docks in Robert's Bay.
On Monday Bob Siemering from Massachusetts took his three sons Michael, John, and Joey out fishing. We were greeted by thick fog and had to wait it our for a half hour or so. Black drum were caught under docks in Robert's Bay. The tide quit and we moved to docks in Big Pass, but the spot-tail pinfish were so thick we had to leave. Several drifts near Marina Jack resulted in steady action on ladyfish, with a few trout and catfish mixed in. Tuesday and Wednesday were cancelled due to weather and Thursday was Thanksgiving.
On Friday Sarasota residents Doc Dojutrek and Bill Kish experienced steady action on the deep grass flats. We left Centennial Park and they caught a bunch of ladyfish, several bluefish, and sea bass using Bass Assassin jigs at the radio Tower and marina Jack flats. We then hit a few docks in Robert's Bay but only caught a few sheepshead. We finished up the charter with some good action at Stephen's Pt on trout, bluefish, and speckled trout using live shrimp and jigs.
Fishing was very steady on Saturday at the Radio Tower and the Middlegrounds. Marsha Crabtree, a Sarasota resident, fished with me in the morning and Pete Parreco from Upper Marlboro, Md and his son-in-law Ben Cosby went out in the afternoon. I never was more than a couple miles from the ramp at Centennial Park all day. Anglers landed a LOT of ladyfish, with bluefish, flounder, and sea bass mixed in. Green and Glow Bass Assassin jigs accounted for most of the fish. In the afternoon, the ladyfish were very thick and we kind of wanted to catch another species, so I tried an old trick. I trolled #8 olive Rapala X-Raps at the Middlegrounds, and while we did catch ladyfish, we also caught several nice blues. The ladies are so aggressive that it can be difficult getting a bait past them.
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