Saltwater Fishing Report for Sarasota, Florida.
Capt. Bob Smith
April 13, 2000
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Gulf is Hot
Offshore is where most of the fast action has been. Kingfish, Barracuda, little tunny, grouper, snapper and there are large schools of baitfish everywhere. M-7 has been hot for the kings and live shrimp or baitfish has worked well. At anchor or drifting, we have free-lined the live bait out for a quick pickup. Most of the kings have been well under twenty pounds so using 12lb test line, 40# mono leader, six inches of #six steel leader and a 3/0 to 5/0 hook was very productive and a lot of fun. M-5 has been very hot for large little tunny. They have been taking the bait so hard and deep that you cannot see the hook when you land them. Tunny are becoming popular as a food fish when they are carefully trimmed, marinated in Soya with herbs and then grilled. Barracuda have been taking live bait, tube lures and sometimes your king mackerel. Grouper and snapper have been best on hard bottom in deeper water but you can find them all over.
On the bay, we have been able to find some large trout, 20 to 25 inches but it has not been consistent and we need to work for them. We have found most of the large trout on Helicopter bar and the Ringling grass flats. Large live shrimp on a popper float or free-line has worked well for us. An occasional pompano, cobia, and Spanish mackerel can also be found in the same places. We have found red and black drum, sheephead and snook around the docks but for only short periods. Large ten-pound jacks are still holding around the New Pass Bridge.
The cloudy water along the beaches and in the passes do to the windy conditions we have had lately has slowed but not stopped the action on the bay. The bay has faired better then the (I) reefs but the water looked much better today.
Enjoy and Protect
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