Fishing Reports by Capt. Jim Klopfer

Good action before the front in Sarasota. - Fishing was very good this week on the deep grass flats in Sarasota Bay. Almost all of the fish were caught by clients using Bass Assassin Sea Shad baits on a ¼ ounce jig head, with Glow/chartreuse being the most productive color. A few fish were c more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

Blues, trout, and a LOT of ladies in Sarasota - Fishing was good this week on the deep grass flats and in the passes this week. Tides were very good later in the week as we approached the super moon and the bite was very good. Ladyfish were plentiful throughout the area, with speckled trout, b more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

snook, jacks, trout, and blues in Sarasota this week. - I started to transition from using live bait to casting jigs on the deep flats throughout the area, though chumming will still work on snook for a couple more weeks. As the water cools off into the low 70s, bait becomes more scarce and fish are more more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

Decent bite in Sarasota, despite the wind - The key to success on charters this week was dealing with the wind. Still breezes out of the northeast made fishing parts of Sarasota Bay impossible. Working the open flats early when the wind was not as strong, then moving to protected areas as the more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

Grouper pleasing inshore anglers in Sarasota - I was on vacation out west and returned mid-week. Action was steady this week, despite some challenging conditions. Wind has been brisk out of the northeast and there is still some lingering red tide. The key to success was moving around a bit then o more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

Decent action in Serasota though red tide is a factor - Fishing was productive this week, despite the scattered red tide that is in the area. Persistence and the ability to adapt to ever-changing conditions are the keys to success. A spot that produces one morning might be dead two days later. Bait fis more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

Decent action in Sarasota despite some red tide. - Fishing was good this week both on the deep flats for speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, jack crevelle, gag grouper, mangrove snapper, and ladyfish. The Radio Tower was hot early in the week but we have some red tide in the area and that seemed to pu more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

Good Spanish mackerel bite in Sarasota Bay - Fishing was steady once again on the deep grass flats in Sarasota Bay. The Middlegrounds, Radio Tower, and Bird Key flats produced speckled trout to 18, Spanish mackerel to 3 pounds, bluefish, mangrove snapper, jack crevelle, gag grouper, ladyfish, more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

Fishing in Sarasota rebounded after Hermine - Fishing rebounded quickly after the passing of Tropical Storm Hermine. The water did have a tannin look to it, kind of like iced tea, but it was not muddy and the water temperature dropped a few degrees. Bait was relatively plentiful and fairly e more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota

Big cobia surprises Sarasota angler! - Fishing on the deep flats was outstanding this week! Clients landed speckled trout to 20, Spanish mackerel to 3 pounds, mangrove snapper, gag grouper, bluefish, jack crevelle, sharks, and more. Catch of the Week goes to Michelle Moczynski who la more...
Capt. Jim Klopfer - Sarasota