January 4, 2007
Sarasota Florida Fishing Report
By Capt. Bob Smith
Pompano have been showing up in the back-water on the bay. Drop-offs along the grass-flats and docks have been the hot spots, but they don’t stay long in one spot. Live shrimp or tipped jigs have been working best. Use DOA shrimp or small live shrimp if you can find them or just cut the big ones up and tip your jigs. Bluefish have been in and around the passes, the artificial “I” reefs and grass flats. A few Spanish mackerel have been mixed in with the bluefish.
Sheepshead fishing is picking up. You can find some on any structure, inshore or the coastal reefs. They only like crustaceans or mollusks. They don’t eat fish, so shrimp will make good bait.
Snook and redfish are possible but not plentiful around the bay.
Cobia is just beginning to show along the coast but have been mostly less than 33” long. Checking the crab trap floats for tripletail is still a good idea. You want to free-line a live shrimp for tripletail.
Further offshore at the “M” reefs, kingfish have been picking up the action. Live fish or trolling is working. This should be the last of the kings as the Gulf cools down. The Spanish should stick around.
This is the first time that the bait shrimp have been too large for regular fishing. They are just right for large snook, redfish, grouper and Capt. Bob’s dinner.
Enjoy & Protect
My Website: http//www.sarasota-fla-fishing.com
