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Sarasota and Venice
Capt. Rick Grassett
July 24, 2004
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Southwest FL Fishing Report for 7/18 through 7/24/2004
Anglers on the Snook Fin-Addict caught and released a variety of fish during the past week. Snook, trout, ladyfish, crevalle jack and bluefish were caught and released with DOA Deadly Combos, Tiny TerrorEyz and flies. In addition, spin and fly anglers connected with tarpon, jumping one with spinning tackle and two on flies.
Ed O’Carroll, his son, Aidin and brother-in-law, Craig Amos, all from Tampa, FL attempted to fish Sarasota Bay with me on Monday morning. We dodged rain first to the south and then to the north until finally there was no running away from it. They caught and released several trout at the Middleground flat and near Bishop Point on DOA Deadly Combos before we called it an early day due to rain and lightning.
The next morning, John Priede from Lake Mary, FL, and Anthony Coppola, from Longwood, FL, fished the same area with me. We started at 4 AM to target snook around lighted docks and found them finicky. John caught and released one on a Grassett’s Grass Minnow fly and then we moved to the flats. They had good action at the Middleground flat and near Bishop Point with trout and ladyfish on Clouser flies and DOA Deadly Combos. Anthony also caught and released a nice bluefish on a MirrOlure She Dog at the Radio Tower flat and John had a nice crevalle jack on a DOA shrimp in the ICW near Phillippi Creek.
Tim Hastings, from Corpus Christi, TX, fished the Peace River and canal systems of Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte for juvenile tarpon with me on Wednesday. Tim was in search of sight-fishing opportunities since that is all he does for big trout back in Texas. We had shots at tarpon all day long, had several bites and jumped one, about 20-pounds, on a DOA TerrorEyz. A couple of the bites also came on a DOA shrimp.
The wind dropped on Thursday and I couldn’t help thinking about giant tarpon on the beach. I scouted it and was pleasantly surprised to not only find them plentiful, but eating. I had 7 or 8 shots at singles, doubles and schools of up to 20 fish. I jumped 2, a big female of 120-pounds or more and an estimated 80-pounder on black and rust and black and purple flies! As Saltwater Angler editor Jon West says, “Keep ‘em flying!” which is what I intend to do for as long as I can.
I did the same thing on Friday with fly angler, Frank Lanzisera from Bradenton, FL. Despite good conditions to begin with, we only had a couple of shots and didn’t see more than 7 or 8 fish all afternoon. This time of the year it can change from day to day, but the only way to know if it’s going on is to go fishing. “You don’t know ‘til you go!”
Next weeks tides should be favorable for fishing the flats, particularly toward the end of the week. In addition, juvenile tarpon and large tarpon on the beach should be an option as we head toward a full moon next weekend.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
www.flyfishingflorida.net m
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