Steads action on the Sarasota flats!
Capt. Jim Klopfer
June 19, 2011
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Early in the week Paul Dougherty from Pittsburg, PA took his two adult sons out on a 6 hour charter It was a bit breezy, but we caught speckled trout to 18" and several Spanish mackerel, ladyfish, jacks, and sea bass on the flats near Big Pass. The deep grass flats near Otter Key were the most productive. Most of the fish took a small pinfish or pilchard.
Mike Pearson from Winchester, VA took out his sons Conner (15) and Braden (19) for a morning trip. It was still and hot, but we did well on a variety of species. Mike is a chef and wanted a few fish to prepare, we finished up with a couple of nice speckled trout and a half dozen mackerel for dinner.
On Wednesday, Todd Ronk and his 14 year old son Jake from Colorado Springs, CO fished with me. We netted up a well full of pilchards, and although small, they were just large enough to use. I anchored up near Marker # 5 near Big Pass and a few minutes of chumming had the fish lit up! We experienced non-stop action all morning on trout, mackerel, jacks, and ladyfish.
Friday morning was brutally hot! But, Gary McGuirk and his boys Mason (10) and Tristan (8) from the Pittsburg, PA area toughed out the heat and caught a bunch of trout and ladyfish.
My trips on Saturday and Sunday were very similar, we caught around 85 fish both days on gold Cotee jigs, Rapala X-Raps and live bait at Marker #5 and the Marina Jack flats. Saturday was a wedding party trip with two other boats, we won the friendly tournament with 81 fish. On Sunday Michael and Karen Compeau from Tampa, FL took out there 21 year old daughter Alyssa and her boyfriend George who were in town visiting. Spanish mackerel and bluefish to 2 pounds, speckled trout to 20", flounder, jack crevelle, loads of ladyfish, sea bass, and blacktip and bonnethead sharks to 4' were among the species caught this weekend.
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