Fast Action in Sarasota Bay and Coastal Gulf
Capt. Rick Grassett
November 1, 2011
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Action in the coastal gulf shut down due to dirty and rough water following the first strong front of the season. However Sarasota Bay action turned on, particularly in shallow water. Action with albies also returned to the coastal gulf after conditions settled. 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 reds, trout, snook, blues, Spanish mackerel and albies on lures and flies during the past couple of weeks.
John Evans, from the UK, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 10/17. It was breezy and the action wasn't fast, but he caught and released trout on Clouser flies along the east side of the bay and near Long Bar. We had windy and rainy conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday, 10/ 18 and 19, as the first strong front of the season pushed through, so those trips had to be rescheduled. I attended a continuing education seminar for fly casting instructors at the annual FFF-Florida Council Conclave in Kissimmee, FL on Thursday, 10/20. It was time well spent covering various topics related to teaching fly casting.
After weather conditions settled a little, Tim Graham, from Nokomis, FL, and Dale Vollrath, from Sarasota, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday, 10/21. They had a great day catching and releasing trout and more than 10 reds on CAL jigs with shad and grub tails. They sight fished some of the reds in potholes in north Sarasota Bay at the bottom of the tide. A great day!
Fly angler Richard Gilliam, from CA, fished the same areas with me on Saturday, 10/22. He was weathered out on Tuesday and this was our only chance to make the trip up. He caught and released numerous trout, several Spanish mackerel and connected with a red. He used an Ultra Hair Clouser fly on deep grass flats for the trout and mackerel and my Grassett Flats Minnow fly for the red. Orvis representative Robert Bryant, from Greensboro, NC, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Sunday, 10/23. We caught a few trout and a Spanish mackerel on Ultra Hair Clouser flies fished on sink tip fly lines along the east side of the bay before heading for shallow water. Robert had several eats, connected with a couple of reds and landed one on my Flat Minnow fly. The reds got more aggressive as the water warmed and the tide rose. He had numerous sight fishing opportunities and we worked hard to get the bites, but it was very rewarding!
Mark Eddy and his son-in-law, Andy Sherman, both from CO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 10/24. They had good action on deep grass flats near Buttonwood Harbor with trout and blues on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Jon Yenari and Kyle Ruffing, both from Sarasota, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday, 10/25. We had planned to fish Gasparilla Sound in Charlotte Harbor, but due to reports of red tide along the coast in that area, we opted to fish Sarasota Bay instead. We spent some time in skinny water sight casting to reds, but they didn't cooperate. We fished a couple of deep grass flats along the east side of the bay in the afternoon and caught and released trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies.
Jerry Roth, from Longwood, FL, fished a couple of days in Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday and Friday, 10/26 and 28. We fished the west side of the bay near Buttonwood Harbor where he had good action both days with a slam on Wednesday, including a couple of snook to 27", several reds and nice trout on CAL: jigs with grub tails. Action was a little slower on Friday, but he caught and released a 5-pound blue on a top water plug. What an explosion!
Patrice Camillieri, from France, fished a couple of days with me. We fished the coastal gulf on Thursday, 10/27. False albacore returned after disappearing for a week or so following the first strong front of the season about 10 days ago. He caught and released 7 albies to 10-pounds on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. They were very tough at first, not staying up long and moving fast, but as the day went by they got more aggressive. What a great fish to catch on a fly!
Patrice also fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 10/31. It was cool, rainy and windy that morning, but we decided to give it a shot. We waded on the east side of the bay, which was the best way to deal with the wind. Patrice caught and released several trout on my flats Minnow and Clouser flies, including a couple in the 2-1/2 to 3-pound class and he ended the day with an over slot 9-pound red!
I fished the 7th annual MCFF/CCA "Fall Fly Fishing Challenge" with my son-in-law, Capt. Andy Cotton and Jeremiah Acevedo, both from Sarasota on Saturday, 10/29. It was a good event with 36 anglers targeting reds, trout, snook and more in a CPR format (catch, photo, release). Since we had 3 anglers and it was a windy day, we waded a couple of spots to best deal with the conditions. We had a great day, although not good enough to win any awards. Andy and I each had a pair of reds and several nice trout to 23" on my Flats Minnow and Clouser flies. I also caught and released a 4-lb blue while wading in 2' of water. Jeremiah had a good day with several nice trout on Clouser flies.
Next week's tides will improve towards the end of the week. Action should be good in skinny water in Sarasota Bay for reds, trout and snook and for Spanish mackerel and albies in the coastal gulf.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
www.flyfishingflorida.net
Sarasota Fishing Forecast:
Capt. Rick Grassett's Sarasota, FL Fishing Forecast for November 2011
This is one of my favorite months for fishing both inshore and the coastal gulf waters. Seasonal species like cobia, Spanish and king mackerel will pass through our area as they follow warmer water and baitfish south. Albies (little tunny) will thrill fly anglers and tripletail will also provide sight casting opportunities. Reds and trout will feed aggressively in shallow water and snook will stage around bars and docks and bridges in the ICW. Deep grass flats will have a smorgasbord of activity with trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, flounder, pompano and more.
Trout will be aggressive on both shallow and deep flats this month and will feed more throughout the day due to cooler water. You may find big trout in skinny water early in the day where they should be aggressive on top water plugs. Later in the day, CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos will work well. I like deep flats that have a good mixture of sand and grass and good tidal flow, such as the Middleground and Radio Tower flats, Stephens Point and Bishop Point in Sarasota Bay. Trout season closes this month and will remain closed during November and December in the south region. It is inevitable that you will catch trout, especially since so many other species will be found in the same water this month, so handle them gently. You can get more details and boundary information at www.myfwc.com .
Reds will also become more aggressive this month. You'll find them in potholes and along bars when the tide is low or along mangrove shorelines and the top of bars when the tide is high. They will feed on a variety of baitfish, including finger mullet, pinfish and pilchards. As it gets cooler they will feed more on crustaceans (crabs and shrimp). Reds may take some time to locate, but once you've found them they will be worth the effort. I like to target reds on a rising tide beginning at the bottom of the tide. Less water means they should be easier to locate. I prefer sight casting whenever possible but you'll probably need to do some blind casting with CAL jigs with plastic grub or shad tails to locate them. Best visibility for sight casting will be on light colored bottom on top of bars or along mangrove shorelines. North Sarasota Bay is one of my favorite areas for reds in November.
Snook season remains closed, so use tackle heavy enough to catch and release them quickly with minimal handling. If you need to remove the snook from the water to remove the hook, be sure to hold them horizontally and support their body. You'll find snook around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW where you can cast small white flies, CAL jigs or DOA shrimp around shadow lines. Fish peak tidal flows for the best action. On the flats they may be staging along sand bars or in potholes when the tide is low or along mangrove shorelines when the tide is high. I like to fish the area of the ICW near Venice known as "snook alley" for snook at night. The same areas in north Sarasota Bay that hold reds will also hold snook in November.
Deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay will have a lot of variety and action this month. In addition to trout, you may also find blues, Spanish mackerel, jacks, flounder and pompano. I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift with CAL jigs and plastic tails, DOA Deadly Combos or flies fished on intermediate sink tip fly lines to locate fish. Surface activity or diving birds may also indicate the presence of blues, jacks, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel. I fish the same deep Sarasota Bay flats that I fish for trout when targeting these species.
Fishing the coastal gulf in the fall is one of my favorite things to do when conditions allow it. Look for albies (little tunny) and Spanish mackerel feeding on the surface. You might also find ladyfish, blues, jacks, sharks and even tarpon in the frenzy. Terns are one of the best indicators of baitfish and predators. Get ahead of schools of breaking fish by following the birds and cast small white flies or CAL jigs with shad tails and 4" jerk worms to them. They will also take top water plugs, Crease flies and fly poppers if they are the right size. "Match the hatch" by observing what size baits that fish are feeding on and duplicating it with the same size lure or fly.
You might also have a shot at cobia, which may be swimming on the surface, around crab trap floats or over structure. A DOA Baitbuster or BFL on medium or medium heavy spinning tackle with 20-pound braid should work well for cobia as will a large profile fly, like a Deceiver, on 9 or 10-weight fly tackle. Tripletail may be found around crab trap floats, buoys or flotsam in the gulf or bays where they will float near the surface mimicking a piece of debris. A DOA shrimp or CAL jig with a shad tail on medium spinning tackle or a variety of flies on an 8 or 9-weight fly rod should work well for them. I like flies that suspend or sink slowly and will stay in the strike zone when targeting tripletail.
The longer that fish are feeding on the surface the more likely that other species are to join the fray, including sharks and tarpon. Be prepared with heavier tackle and wire for the sharks. Work wider profile plastic baits like DOA Baitbusters and Swimming Mullet and Deceiver or Enrico Puglisi style flies around the edges of breaking fish. If you can keep your lure or fly away from the faster moving mackerel and little tunny, you may connect with a shark or a tarpon.
This is one of my favorite months. I'll either be fishing the coastal gulf when conditions are good or fishing the flats for reds, trout, snook and more. Whatever you choose to do, please limit your kill, don't kill your limit!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
www.flyfishingflorida.net
Capt. Rick Grassett's Sarasota, FL Fly Fishing Forecast for November 2011
This is one of my favorite months for fishing both inshore and the coastal gulf waters. Seasonal species like cobia, Spanish and king mackerel will pass through our area as they follow warmer water and baitfish south. Albies (little tunny) will thrill fly anglers and tripletail will also provide sight casting opportunities. Reds and trout will feed aggressively in shallow water and snook will stage around bars and docks and bridges in the ICW. Deep grass flats will have a smorgasbord of activity with trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, flounder, pompano and more.
Trout will be aggressive on both shallow and deep flats this month and will feed longer during the day due to cooler water. You may find big trout in skinny water early in the day where they should be aggressive on fly poppers or Gurglers. Later in the day, my Grassett Deep Flats Bunny and Clouser flies fished on an intermediate sink tip fly line on deep grass flats will work well. A popper/fly combo may also work well. Tie on a popper, add 30" of leader tied to the bend of the popper hook and put a smaller, lightly weighted fly behind it. Make sure you pause after each strip to allow the trailer fly to drop. I like deep flats that have a good mixture of sand and grass and good tidal flow, such as the Middleground and Radio Tower flats, Stephens Point and Bishop Point in Sarasota Bay. Trout season closes this month and will remain closed during November and December in the south region. It is inevitable that you will catch trout, especially since so many other species will be found in the same water this month, so handle them gently. You can get more details and boundary information at www.myfwc.com .
Reds will also become more aggressive this month. You'll find them in potholes and along bars when the tide is low or along mangrove shorelines and the top of bars when the tide is high. They will feed on a variety of baitfish, including finger mullet, pinfish and pilchards, but as it gets cooler their diet will shift more towards crustaceans (crabs and shrimp). I like to target reds on a rising tide beginning at low tide. Less water means they should be easier to locate. I prefer sight casting whenever possible but you'll probably need to do some blind casting to locate them. Best visibility for sight casting will be on light colored bottom on top of bars or along mangrove shorelines. When blind casting, focus on mullet schools and seams where grass and sand meet. Start with short casts and then lengthen your casts to avoid lining fish that you may not see. My Grassett Flats Minnow or crab fly patterns should be good fly selections when sight casting. North Sarasota Bay is one of my favorite areas for reds in November.
Snook season remains closed, so use tackle heavy enough to catch and release them quickly with minimal handling. If you need to remove the snook from the water to remove the hook, be sure to hold them horizontally and support their body. You'll find snook around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW where you can cast small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, around shadow lines. Fish peak tidal flows for the best action. I like to fish the area of the ICW near Venice known as "snook alley" for snook at night. On the flats, snook may be staging along sand bars or in potholes when the tide is low or along mangrove shorelines when the tide is high. I would use a wider profile baitfish pattern, like a Deceiver or EP fly for snook on the flats. The same areas of north Sarasota Bay that hold reds will also hold snook in November.
Deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay will have a lot of variety and action this month. In addition to trout, you may also find blues, Spanish mackerel, jacks, flounder and pompano. I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift with lightly weighted flies fished on intermediate sink tip fly lines to locate fish. Surface activity or diving birds may also indicate the presence of blues, jacks, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel. A fly popper/fly combo is also a good choice especially when blues and jacks are around. I fish the same deep Sarasota Bay flats that I fish for trout when targeting these species.
Fishing the coastal gulf in the fall is one of my favorite things to do when conditions allow it. Look for albies (little tunny) and Spanish mackerel feeding on the surface. You might also find ladyfish, blues, jacks, sharks and even tarpon in the frenzy. Terns are one of the best indicators of baitfish and predators. Get ahead of schools of breaking fish by following the birds and cast small white flies on intermediate sink tip fly lines to them. They will also take Crease flies and fly poppers if they are the right size. "Match the hatch" by observing what size baits that fish are feeding on and duplicating it with the same size fly.
You might also have a shot at cobia, which may be swimming on the surface, around crab trap floats or over structure. A large profile fly, like a Deceiver or EP fly, on 9 or 10-weight fly tackle should work well for cobia. Tripletail may be found around crab trap floats, buoys or flotsam in the gulf or bays where they will float near the surface mimicking a piece of debris. An 8 or 9-weight fly rod should work well for them. I like flies that suspend or sink slowly and will stay in the strike zone when targeting tripletail.
The longer that fish are feeding on the surface the more likely that other species are to join the fray, including sharks and tarpon. Be prepared with 10 through 12-weight fly tackle for sharks and tarpon. You'll need to use single strand wire for sharks. I like Orvis's re-twistable bite tippets for toothy fish. Work wider profile Deceiver or Enrico Puglisi style flies around the edges of breaking fish and hang on! If you can keep your fly away from the faster moving mackerel and ladyfish, you may connect with a shark or a tarpon.
This is one of my favorite months. I'll either be fishing the coastal gulf when conditions are good or fishing the flats for reds, trout, snook and more. Whatever you choose to do, please limit your kill, don't kill your limit!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
www.flyfishingflorida.net
Target Species:
reds, trout, snook, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano little tunny, cobia, tripletail
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