Snook, trout, and tarpon action in Sarasota!
Capt. Jim Klopfer
July 24, 2016
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Excellent fishing continued this week on charters for anglers working the grass flats in 6' to 8' of water near both passes. The Middlegrounds, Radio Tower, and Bird Key flats all produced great action. Anglers free lining live pilchards, threadfins, and shrimp caught good numbers of speckled trout to 23", Spanish mackerel, bluefish, mangrove snapper, gag grouper, jack crevelle, sharks, ladyfish and two large tarpon were hooked as well. But, catch of the week goes to 10 year old Andrew Robinson from TX who caught his best fish ever, a 15 lb snook that hit a live shrimp in Big Pass! Well done, Andrew!!
Norm Shade, his son Steve and Steve's father in law out on a fishing charter Monday morning. The bite was good early at the Middlegrounds with the boys catching some nice speckled trout, including fish that went 21" and 23". It slowed a bit and I hit several spots before we got them cranked up again near Bird Key, catching trout, jacks, snapper, ladyfish, grouper, and even jumped a 100 lb tarpon! We finished up near New Pass with a nice flurry on decent sized trout.
Mike Haggerty from Kansas and his grown son Mason experienced very steady action on Tuesday. We hit three spots, the Middlegrounds, Radio Tower, and Bird Key, spending an hour or so at each spot. Speckled trout to 20", ladyfish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevelle, grouper, snapper, and sharks kept the rods bent.
The Balkwell family from Ontario, Canada had a decent charter on Wednesday. The numbers were a bit lower but the quality was there with speckled trout to 20", Spanish mackerel, snapper, grouper, jacks, and other species providing steady action.
Scott Robinson and his son Andrew (10) from Texas had a great charter on Thursday. We started early in hopes of catching snook and were not disappointed as Andrew landed a beauty of around 15 pounds on a live shrimp! We caught bait, moved to the flats, and had good action near Bird Key on speckled trout, mangrove snapper, gag grouper, mackerel, jacks, and ladyfish before heading in.
I finished up my week with a good charter with Charlie Conner from Massachusetts, his wife Kerry, and 15 y/o son Shane. I had a few shrimp left over from the day before, so we began at first light free lining shrimp at the Radio Tower. Kerry caught a nice blue on the first cast and several good trout came in as well. After I ran out of shrimp, I loaded up with bait and began chumming. Action was very good all morning with trout to 21", bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jack crevelle, gag grouper, snapper, ladyfish, and a shark keeping me busy at the Middlegrounds and Bird Key. Right near the end Kerry hooked a tarpon which dumped the spool then broke off, cool way to end the trip!
More Fishing Reports:
