Sarasota fishing report Capt Jim Klopfer 3/21/2015
Capt. Jim Klopfer
March 21, 2015
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing was decent this week, though unspectacular. Casting Bass Assassin Sea Shad baits over the deep grass flats produced Spanish mackerel to 3 pounds, speckled trout to 18", jack crevelle, cobia, small sharks, and a lot of ladyfish. The water was a bit murky from the wind near the passes, but those were the best spots for me. Sheepshead fishing remained steady this week. Tides were very strong early in the week, taking the structure in Big Pass out of play. Docks and structure throughout the area produced sheepies to 3 pounds with both red and gag grouper, mangrove snapper, and Key west grunts mixed in. I also ran two charters in The Myakka River and the fishing was slow. Recent unseasonably warm weather has the water temperatures in the low 80s, which has moved the snook out to Charlotte Harbor. It was a good season, but I am probably done with that until next fall.
I fished the Myakka River on Sunday and Monday. On Sunday Andrew Berryhill from Indiana and his 12 year old son Emmit hooked snook and gar casting Rapala BX Minnow plugs. On Monday fly fisher Bob Berry went on an afternoon trip, which was very slow. These will probably be my last river trips until next fall, the water has warmed up and most of the larger snook seem to have migrated down to Charlotte Harbor.
John Orestis from Maine and his brother-in-law Gary went out on a charter on Tuesday morning. Action was fair to steady at Stephen's Pt, Buttonwood, and the Moorings with the fellas catching Spanish mackerel, speckled trout, jack crevelle, ladyfish, and a small cobia. The best producer was a rootbeer/chartreuse Gulp! Shrimp.
I ran two trips on Wednesday. Sarasota resident Bob stack had some company in town and decided to take them fishing.. We fished docks the entire trip and landed sheepshead to 3 pounds, gag grouper, mangrove snapper, Key West grunts, and ladyfish. In the afternoon Drew Chapman from N.Y.C. and his children Sydney (11) and Gordon (9) had both action and variety at Marina Jacks and Marker # 5. The kids had equal success with Red Gold shiner Bass Assassin jigs and live shrimp. Drew caught his first ever saltwater fish on fly, landing trout to 17", jacks, ladyfish, and a small shark casting chartreuse over white Clousers.
Osprey resident Peg Heaslip and her friend Tom had a good trip on Thursday. Fishing was a bit slow to start off with, we moved around and eventually found the mother-lode, getting a bite on every cast under a Bird Key dock. Fishing with live shrimp around various structure, the pair landed red grouper, gag grouper, mangrove snapper, sheepshead, and Key west grunts.
Long-time clients Rich Ruis and Hank DeYoung went out on Friday morning and had a VERY good trip! We caught Big Pss on a tide change and for an hour it was a bite on every drop, with sheepshead running 2-3 pounds and snapper. The also caught a pompano and a gag grouper. A move to the flats near Bird Key resulted in trout to 20", mackerel, and ladyfish on free lined shrimp. After 22 straight days of charters, I took Saturday off!
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