Sarasota Fishing Report Capt Jim klopfer 1/24/2015
Capt. Jim Klopfer
January 24, 2015
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing was steady this week, with fantastic weather. Winter fishing is often all about weather and conditions. As has been the case, the deep grass flats near both passes continued to provide good action on a variety of species including pompano, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, speckled trout, black sea bass, ladyfish, and sharks. Big Pass gave up gag and red grouper, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, pompano, and bluefish. Phillippi Creek is holding snook and jack crevelle. The Myakka River continues to provide good snook fishing.
I started my week off with an afternoon trip to the Myakka river with Sarasota resident Bonnie Czepiel. Action was stead as a half dozen snook in the 22" to 27" range hit Rapala X-Raps, gold was the hot color this afternoon.
Brian Iarussi, his son Brian fished with me on Tuesday. Action was steady on ladyfish with a few bluefish, trout, and sailcats mixed in All of the fish hit Bass Assassin jigs and Marina Jacks and the middlegrounds were the top spots.
On Wednesday Patty and Barry Kelly from the Philadelphia, PA area went out on an afternoon charter. The weather was gorgeous and the fishing was steady at the Radio Tower, Middlegrounds, Country Club Shores, and Mooorings. Jigs caught most of the fish, though live shrimp fooled a few.
Doc Dojutrek, Bill Kish, and John Englander went out on Thursday and had a terrific trip! They landed a dozen species including nine pompano, several Spanish mackerel, bluefish, speckled trout, gag and red grouper, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, black sea bass, ladyfish, and sharks. Small pompano jigs accounted for most of the fish on the flats while live shrimp fooled the bottom fish. Big Pass and the surrounding flats were the best spots.
I finished off the week with Tom Davis and John Morris, buddies from Dallas, PA. We were cutting it close as a front was moving through and the wind was forecast to pick up mid morning, which it did. Action was steady near Bird Key, mostly ladyfish, which hit jigs. John did catch a nice sea bass. We moved to Big Pass and caught thre pompano, then finished up in Phillippi Creek with a 20" snook on a live shrimp.
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