Tarpon Plentiful Off Sarasota Beaches
Capt. Rick Grassett
May 25, 2012
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers fishing the coastal gulf off Sarasota with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, jumped several tarpon on live crabs, landed one on a fly and had lots of shots during the past couple of weeks. Tarpon schools increased dramatically in size and numbers as we headed towards a new moon and ate well, however they were very finicky as we headed away from the moon. We also caught and released trout, bluefish and a nice red on DOA baits on a trip in Sarasota Bay.
Fly angler Hal Lutz, from Parrish, FL, fished the coastal gulf off Sarasota with me on Monday, 5/14. It was slow to start, but he had numerous shots at tarpon on the outgoing tide. On the last cast of the day, Hal hooked a hot fish on a black Lefty's Deceiver! After a couple of smoking runs and numerous jumps, he got the fish back on the fly line and under control. He had the fish, an estimated 90-pounder, alongside the boat in about 40 minutes. Often fish in this size category can be more ornery than a larger fish.
Bill Moore and sons, Mark and Scott, all from IL, and his brother, Chris Moore, from OR fished Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 5/16, 17 and 18 with Capt. Andy Cotton and me. There were plenty of fish on Wednesday morning, 5/16, although conditions weren't great-rainy and cloudy. Chris and Scott jumped a couple of tarpon on live crabs and Chris brought a big girth fish to the boat with Capt. Andy. Mark jumped a large tarpon while fishing with me and fought her for more than an hour that day.
Storms and west winds on Wednesday night turned to rough seas in the coastal gulf and more rain on Thursday morning, 5/17. However, we fished Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor in Sarasota Bay and caught and released trout, bluefish and jacks on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos. Bill ended the day with a nice red on a CAL jig with a shad tail out of a huge school of mullet in skinny water near Buttonwood Harbor. Mark jumped a pair of tarpon on live crabs with me on Friday, 5/18. One of them put on a great show with multiple jumps close to the boat. Scott landed a 90-pound tarpon on a live crab while fishing with Capt. Andy also on 5/18.
Tarpon fishing was tough last week. We had lots of shots at tarpon with a fly on Monday, 5/21 and Thursday, 5/24. We had a few leans and follows, but no bites. Anglers using spinning tackle on a trip on Wednesday, 5/23 also had lots of shots at tarpon and a bite on a live crab, but no hook up. We had a new moon on Monday, 5/21 which is when tarpon form into large schools as they prepare to spawn. We observed and cast to "daisy chaining" schools of tarpon and saw small males free jumping, both activities are spawning behavior. Often their main focus is migrating to spawn and they can be indifferent to lures, flies and even live bait although some may eat a well placed offering.
There are a few things that may up your odds when tarpon are finicky. When casting lures or flies to tarpon schools, let the lead fish pass your lure or fly and move it in front of the followers further back in the school. Fish further back in the school usually feel more secure and willing to eat. Also, if you spook the lead fish she will take all the other fish with her. Live bait anglers should leave their baits in the water on the same line where fish are spotted rolling. When large tarpon schools are traveling they are often strung out in a long line and are moving fast. There may be a lot more tarpon still coming on the same line where you see a fish roll, so be patient and wait for a bite.
As we head further away from last Monday's new moon, tarpon should be in a better mood and eat more. Look for schools of tarpon at first light in the morning in deeper areas along beaches. Spin anglers should hook up with live crabs, pinfish, DOA 4" shrimp, Baitbusters and Swimming Mullet. Fly anglers should do best with baitfish fly patterns such as Lefty's Deceiver and EP flies in dark colors fished on intermediate sink tip fly lines.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
www.flyfishingflorida.net
Orvis- Endorsed Outfitter Guide
CB's Saltwater Outfitters-2011 Orvis Outfitter of the Year
Sarasota Fishing Forecast:
Capt. Rick Grassett's Sarasota, FL Fishing Forecast for June 2012
Tarpon fishing should be strong this month as the migration hits full stride. Also look for false albacore, tripletail and cobia while tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf. You should find reds and trout in shallow water and trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more on deep grass flats. Look for catch and release snook in the surf or around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW at night.
Tarpon fishing will be the focus of many anglers during June. Tarpon schools will increase in size and numbers as we approach the full and new moons and they should be plentiful off Sarasota and Manatee county beaches. There is usually significant surface activity for the first couple of hours after daylight in the morning. They can be finicky, especially when moving fast, but they will eat if you get something right in front of them. Fish in the back of the school may be more likely to eat, so leave your bait in the water as a string of fish swims past. Fly anglers can benefit from the same principle when casting to tarpon schools in shallow water. If you let the lead fish swim by before stripping your fly, you should avoid spooking the whole school and may be more likely to catch a fish in the back of the school.
My tarpon gear consists of 20-30-pound class Crowder spinning rods with Quantum, Cabo and Boca 60 reels spooled with 50-pound Hi-Vis Power Pro braid. I use about 4' of 80-pound Orvis Mirage fluorocarbon as a leader with a 3/0-5/0 Owner AKI hook depending on the size bait used. Spin anglers should do well with live crabs, pinfish and threadfins. I like to keep some rods rigged with a DOA 4" Shrimp, Baitbuster or Swimming Mullet. When tarpon aren't showing well on the surface, I've caught them by blind casting with a DOA bait in their lane of travel.
Fly anglers typically use 12-weight rods with floating, intermediate sink tip or full intermediate lines depending on water depth. I use Orvis Helios rods with Orvis Mirage Large Arbor reels. Tarpon leaders usually have one or 2 bimini twists, to absorb shock from jumps, terminating in 80-pound Orvis Mirage fluorocarbon. Top producing flies are Lefty's Deceiver, Tarpon Toads and EP flies in a variety of colors, although black or other dark colors usually work well.
You'll find snook in the surf, in passes and around docks and bridges close to passes this month. Snook season remains closed, so this is a catch and release only fishery. Use tackle heavy enough to catch and release them quickly with minimal handling. You can walk along the beach and sight fish them in the surf. You will find them in the trough, very close to the sand, and it is much like sight fishing for bonefish on a gin clear flat. Fly anglers should do well with small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, DT Specials or Lefty's Deceiver. Spin anglers should score with a 1/16-ounce CAL jig and shad tail or jerk worm or a DOA shrimp. You might also find them around lighted docks at night, where the same lures and flies will work, or in passes and bridge channels. Drift bridge channels and passes and vertically jig with a DOA TerrorEyz or Baitbuster. Also, swinging a 4" DOA shrimp across the current may also work well. The highest concentration of snook this month will be around passes both on the inside and along the beaches.
You'll find reds in skinny water early in the day. It will be best then when the light is low and the water is cooler. Look for them along the edges of bars when the tide is low or along mangrove shorelines or roaming over shallow grass when the tide is high. Surface walking top water plugs, DOA Shallow Running Baitbusters and CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms are some of my favorite lures for reds. Fly anglers should score with Gurglers or wide profile baitfish patterns, such as Lefty's Deceiver fished on floating fly lines with a 12' or longer leader. You may also find big trout in the same areas and the same lures and techniques will work for them. Some of my favorite flats for reds and big trout are in north Sarasota Bay and the south shore of lower Tampa Bay.
You may also find blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano or flounder mixed with trout on deep grass flats. I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift with CAL jigs and shad tails or jerk worms or DOA Deadly Combos. Fly anglers should do well with lightly weighted flies, such as Clousers or my Grassett Flats Bunny. Drift until you locate fish and then either shorten your drift or anchor on them. Deep grass flats in Sarasota Bay that get good tidal movement such as the Middleground, Radio Tower and Marina Jack flats and Bishop or Stephens Point should all produce this month.
In addition to tarpon, look for false albacore (little tunny), Spanish mackerel, tripletail and cobia in the coastal gulf during June. You can find Spanish mackerel and false albacore by looking for diving birds or fish breaking on the surface. You might find cobia or tripletail around crab trap floats, buoys or channel markers. An 8-weight fly rod with a sink tip line and a Grassett Flats Minnow fly will work well for tripletail. You can fish a Grassett Snook Minnow or an Ultra Hair Clouser fly for Spanish mackerel and false albacore on the same fly tackle. Your 12-weight fly tackle and whatever tarpon fly you have tied on will also do double duty for cobia.
This is a great month for tarpon. It's hard for me to fish for anything else unless conditions won't allow tarpon fishing, but there are plenty of other options in Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf if battling a 100-pound or more tarpon isn't for you. Whatever you choose to do, please limit your kill, don't kill your limit!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
www.flyfishingflorida.net
Orvis Endorsed Outfitter Guide
CB's Saltwater Outfitters- 2011 Orvis Outfitter of the Year
Target Species:
Tarpon, reds, trout, snook, bluefish, pompano, tripletail, cobia
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