Sarasota fishing report Capt Jim Klopfer 12/6/2014
Capt. Jim Klopfer
December 6, 2014
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
I experienced another productive and diverse week of guiding this week, both in salt, brackish, and fresh water. I fished Sarasota Bay, the Myakka River, and Lake Manatee; I was all over the place! Spanish mackerel, bluefish, pompano, speckled trout, black sea bass, flounder, gag grouper, and of course a bunch of ladyfish were landed fishing the deep grass flats near the passes. Bass Assassin jigs, Rapala X-Raps, live shrimp, and Clouser Minnows (fly fishing) all produced at Marina Jacks, Radio Tower, and the Middlegrounds. A few sheepshead are showing up under docks near Big Pass, but most are on the small size, the run will improve as we get into January and February. Snook and largemouth bass hit Rapala Jointed BX Minnow plugs in the Myakka River near I-75. Speckled perch (crappie) were caught in Lake Manatee on charteuse Road Runners, though the bite was a bit slow.
I started off my week on Sunday with fly fishers from way up north in Canada, Greg Merrithew and Austin Marshall. They did not catch a lot of fish, but caught several species including speckled trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, flounder and ladyfish. Chartreuse and white Clouser Minnows on sinking lines caught fish at Marina Jack, Radio Tower, and Middlegrounds.
On Tuesday morning, Dan Crawford from Akron, OH treated his 16 year old son Jackson, and his friends Kim and Harris to a charter. Action was very steady at Marina Jacks, Radio Tower, and Marker #5. Chartreuse Bass assassin jigs caught most of the fish, though a few were landed using live shrimp. Ladyfish were abundant, but the crew also landed flounder, trout, gag grouper, and sea bass.
Wednesday morning found me in the Myakka River with Ian Thomas and Kev Langham, both from the UK. Fishing was a bit slow, it was too nice a day, bright and sunny, but they still caught a half dozen snook to 20" and a couple of largemouth bass using Rapala Jointed BX Minnows.
On Thursday Bob Siemering from Boston, MA and a couple of his business associates spent a morning fishing with me. As has been the case of late, ladyfish kept the rods bent, but they also landed several nice bluefish and Spanish mackerel at the Middlegrounds and Radio Tower. We finished up hitting some docks in Big Pass, catching a few sheepshead.
On Friday Doug Forde, manager at CB's saltwater Outfitters went to lake Manatee in search of crappie. Fishing was pretty slow, we caught a few, but nothing exciting. It was breezy and a full moon day, say maybe that contributed to it.
Ian and Kev fishing with me again on Saturday, this time in Sarasota Bay and they brought a buddy, David, with them. The bite was a bit slow at first, coming off the full moon. And, when we did get something going, the dolphins moved in and shut the fishing down. Action improved later in the morning, with the boys catching Spanish mackerel, pompano, bluefish, trout, and ladyfish at the Middlegrounds on jigs, Rapalas, and live shrimp.
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