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Sarasota and Venice
Capt. Rick Grassett
September 8, 2003
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Florida Keys & Sarasota, FL Fishing Report for 9/1 through 9/8/2003
I spent most of the past week in Islamorada in the Florida Keys participating in the Islamorada-Sarasota Shootout Fishing Tournament. The tournament is a fun, family type fishing tournament that pits members of the Sarasota Sportfishing Anglers Club against Islamorada anglers. Although Sarasota anglers fished hard and won or placed in several categories, Islamorada won the tournament this year.
Aledia Tush, owner of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters in Sarasota, FL, and I fished with Capt. Duane Baker, an Orvis-Endorsed guide in Tavernier, FL. We fished the ocean side flats near Tavernier on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and experienced some of the best fishing I’ve had in the Keys. Capt. Duane expertly put us on fish after fish and they cooperated very well. Aledia caught and released 6 bonefish, a permit and jumped a tarpon fishing with live shrimp. I also caught and released 6 bonefish on Gotcha flies and had several shots at permit.
Although they weren’t weighed, some of the larger bonefish were in the 6 to 7-pound class. Not huge for Keys bonefish, but very nice fish to catch! Aledia took second place and I won the bonefish category. It was my best bonefish outing ever in the Keys!
On Monday, Capt. Bill Miller from Tampa, FL, joined me to film a segment for his “Hooked on Fishing” TV show which airs on Thursday evenings on Brighthouse Cable (formerly Time Warner) in Pinellas, Hillsborough and Manatee counties. I hadn’t fished Sarasota Bay for more than a week and with all the rain that Tropical Storm Henri dumped, I knew it would be a challenge. We managed to catch about a dozen trout to 18” and a pair of reds to 22” on CAL jigs with jerkworms and shad tails, DOA Tiny TerrorEyz and Exude slugs at Stephen’s Point and near Buttonwood Harbor.
This week’s strong outgoing tides in the afternoon should be good for snook. Flats fishing should be best early in the day as the tide is rising.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
www.flyfishingflorida.net
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