Variety of Species on Sarasota Bay Flats
Capt. Rick Grassett
December 5, 2015
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released snook, flounder and trout on CAL jigs with shad tails, DOA Deadly Combos, top water plugs and live shrimp in Sarasota Bay and Little Sarasota Bay during the past couple of weeks.
Thanksgiving is family time and multiple family generations of long time clients joined me on the boat during Thanksgiving week. Sarasota winter resident Norm Boardman, his son Doug and grandson Dougy, both from Richmond, VA, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday, 11/25. Dougy did well on his first saltwater outing, catching and releasing, trout, flounder, jacks and ladyfish on a CAL jig with a live shrimp. Letting the jig hooked shrimp swing as we drifted deep grass flats proved to be an effective technique.
Three generations of the Lamb family, Tom Lamb from Geneva, Switzerland, grandson James Muhlfeld and great grandson Thomas Muhlfeld, from CA, and Daniel Burton-Morgan, from the UK, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 11/27. Action was similar with trout, flounder, jacks and ladyfish. Daniel and Thomas caught and released their first fish ever and Tom scored with a flounder on a CAL jig with a shad tail.
Sarasota winter resident, Mike Perez, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday, 12/3. We spent most of our time in skinny water where he caught and released a nice snook on a top water plug.
Don Tase, from NH, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 12/4. He caught and released a few trout to 18", ladyfish and jack crevalle on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos.
Catch and release snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges with flies and DOA Lures should be a good option now. Look for reds, snook and big trout mixed with mullet schools on shallow flats and edges of bars in backcountry areas of Charlotte Harbor and lower Tampa Bay. False albacore, tripletail, Spanish mackerel and more should still be a good option in the coastal gulf when conditions are good.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
IFFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB's Saltwater Outfitters
Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011
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