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Sarasota Fishing Report Capt Jim Klopfer 10/19/2013
Capt. Jim Klopfer
October 19, 2013
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me out of CB's Saltwater Outfitter on Siesta Key had another outstanding week of fishing! The species landed included snook, redfish, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jack crevelle, ladyfish, black sea bass, mangrove snapper, gag grouper, and sail cats. Live pilchards were the key to success this week; just about all the fish were caught using these great live baits. The deeper flats near Big Pass continue to be very productive. Despite terrific bait, the snook fishing has only been fair, perhaps a little cool weather will fire them up. I fished Upper Myakka Lake for the first time in a while. The water is high, the river is not really fishable, but the lake is fine. We caught bluegill, stumpknocker, a pair of shellcracker, and a bullhead trolling and casting black Beetlespins.
On Monday Taylor Hillier and his dad Lloyd Hillier, both from Canada experienced steady action on the deep flats near Bird Key. We started off casting Rapalas, but not much luck, a couple of ladyfish and jacks, the tide was barely moving. Bait was easy and action was good near Bird Key with a lot of Spanish mackerel along with speckled trout, ladyfish, sea bass, gag grouper, jacks, and mangrove snapper. We finished up trying for snook on the falling tide in Robert's Bay. I had them popping pretty good, but all we could get to eat was a couple of 3 pound jacks.
Jim Fitzpatrick and his buddy Roger Sowinsky had a good day on Wednesday. We left Ken Thompson Park and made a quick drift or two at the Radio Tower casting Gulp! Shrimp. Not much, a few jacks and smaller fish, so time to catch bait. We sat in one spot for 2 1/2 hours, landing 15 or so mackerel and losing a bunch more, a couple dozen jacks, ladyfish, grouper, and snapper. Surprisingly, no trout. We did finish up at the Radio Tower with a couple of trout.
John and Amy Krasinsky and Chris Packer, all from the State College, PA area had a good trip on Thursday. We left CB's, and idled north. Bait was thick at the north end of Siesta Key, so I loaded up and went to a spot near Bird Key that has been reliable. For an hour and a half just about every bait that hit the water got crushed. Decent Spanish mackerel, slot speckled trout, jacks, ladyfish, and more kept the rods bent. With the "action" part of the trip satisfied, we decided to go for snook and reds. Again, we did OK, but nothing spectacular. They caught a pair of snook, 2 nice mangrove snappers, 3 speckled trout between 16" and 18", and several jacks up to 4 pounds in Robert's Bay.
I had a great morning on Friday with Mike Kirby from CO and his daughter Beth Sagris and son-in-law George Sagris from Chicago. When I arrived at Centennial Park to launch the boat and there was bait and busting fish everywhere in the basin. I tossed the net and caught some nice pilchards. When my clients showed up, I shoved the boat off the dock and they caught a 22" snook on the first cast, followed by a few ladyfish and a small red. Nice way to start the trip, 2/3s of a "slam" before starting the motor! I went to Bird Key and action was steady on Mackerel, trout, snappers, jacks, and ladyfish. I ran out of bait, and quickly reloaded and hit Marker #5. The fishing was ridiculous! Spanish mackerel to 4 pounds, bluefish, trout, jacks, grouper, and ladyfish hit every bait. I was chumming heavily and it was just crazy! They actually wore out (plus it was quite warm) and we headed in early.
I was off Saturday and took my friend Bonnie Czepiel out to scout Myakka State Park. The water is still very high; the river is pretty much un-fishhable. So, we put in at the Upper Lake and cast and trolled black Beetlespins. It took a while to find them, but once we did the action was pretty fast. Bluegill, stumpknocker, shellcracker, and a bullhead came home for dinner.
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