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Sarasota fishing Report Capt Jim klopfer 2/1/2014
Capt. Jim Klopfer
February 1, 2014
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
sound like a broken record; good fishing early in the week, then a severe front moves through mid-week shutting things down. Monday and Tuesday were gorgeous! The Spanish mackerel bite has been surprisingly good on the deep grass, especially given the cold water. Trout, bluefish, and ladyfish also provided plenty of action, the Radio Tower and Middlegrounds were the best spots. Sheepshead to 3 pounds, mangrove snapper to 12", and gag grouper were caught under docks along Bird Key using shrimp. Then, the front moved through. Wednesday was windy, Thursday cold and rainy, and rain on Friday. But, the upcoming week looks fantastic, and the fishing should be very good both in Sarasota Bay and in the Myakka River.
I started the week out with a good trip on Sunday afternoon with friends Brett Moore, Len Hoffman, and Kevin Miller, all from the Chicago area. The tide was slack and there was very little wind, so I decided to try the docks in Big Pass. Good move! Sheepshead to 3 pounds, mangrove snapper to 14", a nice jack, and small gag grouper kept the boys busy. We also got broke off several times by what I assume were big grouper. With dinner in the box we moved to the nearby deep grass flats in search of action. Speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish, and a flounder hit gold and glow DOA CAL jigs.
I had another good trip on Tuesday, just before the front moved through. Jim Wiener took his wife Deanna, father Bob, and sister Lori out fishing. They wanted enough for dinner for 10 people. Fortunately, the Spanish mackerel were very co-operative, a bit unusual in 55 degree water. We idled out of the Ken Thompson ramp and mackerel were flipping on the surface, but at first we could not get them to bite. Then, the breeze picked up and so did the fishing. We did equally well drifting live shrimp, casting jigs, and trolling white Rapala X-Raps in the (08) size. Small speckled trout, a bluefish, and ladyfish were also landed. We finished up at the Middlegrounds catching more Spanish mackerel, trout, and ladyfish.
The slightly warmer temperatures and rain should result in continued good fishing in the Myakka River for snook, though bass, gar, juvenile tarpon and other species occasionally crash the party.
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