Trout Action Good in Sarasota
Capt. Rick Grassett
January 8, 2011
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released trout, reds and flounder on jigs and flies during the past couple of weeks. A strong front with high winds came roaring through Sunday morning, 12/26, dropping water temperatures back into the low 50's and forcing the cancellation of a couple of trips. Cold water kept fish concentrated in channels, creeks and deep edges of flats. By the end of the week, conditions improved and water warmed back to the mid to high 50's.
Brian Glock, from Portland, OR, and his dad, Tim Glock from Cincinnati, OH, fished Gasparilla Sound in Charlotte Harbor with me on Wednesday, 12/29. We fished the edges of bars, creeks and potholes and they caught and released more than 15 trout to 18" on Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails. Everette Howell, from Nashville, TN, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday morning, 12/30. Action was slow to start, but he caught and released about 6 trout on Clouser flies near Long Bar. Action improved that afternoon when Greg Smith and his son, Alex, from MI, fished the same areas with me and caught and released about 15 trout on Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.
Andy Rotherham, from Alexandria, VA, caught and released about 15 trout to 18" near Cortez with me on Friday, New Years Eve day. He fished a channel with a 300-grain Orvis Depth Charge fly line and a heavily weighted olive Clouser fly to stay in the strike zone.
Action improved last week as Sarasota Bay waters warmed to near 60 degrees. Trout moved into shallow water and fed more aggressively due to warmer water. Keith McClintock, Rick Andersen and Victor Feldman, all from IL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday, 1/3. We fished both shallow and deep areas and found the best action in 2' to 3' of water. Fishing shallow grass and potholes along sand bars on the east side of the bay from Stephens Point up to Long Bar, they caught and released more than 25 trout to 19", 3 small reds and several flounder on CAL jigs with grub and shad tails. We used 1/16 ounce CAL jig heads to work our plastic baits over the shallow grass. We caught and released the flounder and a few ladyfish in deep channels.
I was the guest of my friend, Capt. Rick DePaiva (www.saltwaterflyfishing.org), on Tuesday, 12/4, to fish the fertile waters of Pine Island Sound. The lush grass flats, sand and oyster bars and mangrove shorelines are breathtaking, much like Gasparilla Sound to the north only vaster. The only thing better is the amount of shots we had at tailing, cruising and laid up reds. An amazing fishery! If you are in the Ft. Myers, Sanibel or Captiva area give Capt. Rick a call at 239-246-8726 or e-mail [email protected] .
If you are interested in learning to fly fish or improving your skills, I will be the instructor for a CB's Saltwater Outfitter's Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Jan. 15, 2011. Located at 1249 Stickney Point Rd., on Siesta Key in Sarasota, FL the school will cover fly casting basics, line control, shooting line and the roll cast. I will also cover leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques. The course, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will focus on basics but also work with intermediate casters on correcting faults and improving casting skills. Cost for the school, which will run from 9 AM to 3 PM, is $150 per person and includes the use of premium Orvis fly tackle, a text book and lunch. Contact me or CB's Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or [email protected] to make reservations.
Trout season is now open in the south region after a 2-month closure. Look for reds and trout in potholes and on shallow grass along sand bars, especially on sunny afternoons. Following a front, look for fish in deeper water such as creeks and channels. Happy New Year and special thanks to all of my customers that fished with me during the past year!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
www.flyfishingflorida.net
Sarasota Fishing Forecast:
Capt. Rick Grassett's Fishing Forecast for January 2011
Trout season reopens in the south region this month and fishing is usually quite good following the closure. Trout and reds may be found on shallow flats when it is mild. In addition, look for trout, blues, flounder and sheepshead on deep grass flats or around structure. Snook season remains closed although there may be some good action in the ICW depending on weather. Check out the coastal gulf on nice days for tripletail, little tunny, blues and more.
Snook season remains closed this month and hopefully we'll have warmer weather this year. Although the season is normally closed now, we are in an extended closure on the west coast until Sept. 2011 due to the freeze last January. Snook are vulnerable to cold water caused by freezes or extended cold snaps, so I avoid catching snook during these time frames since they are stressed and may not survive catch and release fishing. However, in a normal weather pattern you'll find them around lighted docks in the ICW, in creeks and canals and on shallow flats on sunny afternoons. I use small white flies or CAL jigs with a variety of tails in the ICW at night. In creeks, canals or on flats CAL jigs with plastic tails or small baitfish fly patterns should work. Use good judgment as to when you fish and use tackle heavy enough to catch and release them quickly.
Reds will be found around docks, in potholes, the edges of flats and sand or oyster bars when the tide is low. They may tail on shallow grass flats of Gasparilla Sound on negative low tides from Jan 1-8 (new moon) and 16-23 (full moon). When targeting tailing reds, I like to use weedless-rigged CAL shad tails and DOA shrimp or flies that sink slowly or suspend, like my Grassett Flats Minnow. Weed guards or rigging plastic baits weedless is essential when fishing in these conditions. At higher stages of the tide, they will move up onto flats or along mangrove shorelines. Reds usually feed more in warm ups between fronts or as fronts are approaching.
Trout season reopens in the south region this month and fishing is usually good following the closure. You may find big trout along with reds when the tide is low in skinny water such as potholes or the edges of flats, where you may be able to sight cast to them. The action is usually faster when drifting deeper grass flats and casting ahead of the drift with weighted flies, CAL jigs and DOA Deadly Combos. In addition to trout, blues, flounder, jacks and large ladyfish may be found in the same areas. I like deep grass flats that have a good mix of sand and grass and a good tidal flow, such as the Radio Tower and Middleground flats, Stephen's Point and Bishop's Point in north Sarasota Bay.
You might also find blues and large ladyfish in Sarasota's Big Pass and New Pass. You can drift and vertically jig with jigs in the 3/8 to 1/2 –ounce range or cast with lighter jigs. When fly fishing, we use fast sinking fly lines with a short (6'-7 ½') leader and a weighted fly. When blues are plentiful, you'll need to use wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader to help prevent bite offs. Docks are a great area to find sheepshead, reds and flounder. Since sheepshead feed more with their nose, a free lined live shrimp or a CAL jig tipped with a tiny piece of fresh shrimp will work best for them. I like docks that are crusty (lots of barnacles and oysters), have deep water and a good tidal flow.
I like to take a look in the coastal gulf when the weather pattern is mild this time of year. Although many migratory species have probably moved further south by now, a few days of warm weather can change that. Look for tripletail around crab trap floats or "breaking" schools of blues and/or ladyfish, especially close to passes when the tide is moving. You might also find little tunny in the coastal gulf. Look for terns hovering near the surface or rafted up sitting on the surface. Birds will sit on top of bait schools that are too deep for them to get to and wait for predators to push bait to the surface so they are good indicators. CAL jigs, DOA shrimp and a variety of flies or fly poppers will work for them.
If you are interested in learning to fly fish or improving your skills, I will be the instructor for a CB's Saltwater Outfitter's Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Jan. 15, 2011. Located at 1249 Stickney Point Rd., on Siesta Key in Sarasota, FL the school will cover fly casting basics, line control, shooting line and the roll cast. I will also cover leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques. The course, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will focus on basics but also work with intermediate casters on correcting faults and improving casting skills. Cost for the school, which will run from 9 AM to 3 PM, is $150 per person and includes the use of premium Orvis fly tackle, a text book and lunch. Contact me or CB's Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or [email protected] to make reservations.
Even though conditions can be challenging in January, fishing can be very good especially if you have the luxury of choosing when to fish. Fish ahead of approaching fronts and in the "windows" of stable weather between fronts for the best action. I like to fish sunny afternoons following fronts, which is when fish may start to move around and feed. 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
Target Species:
Trout, reds, snook, flounder, bluefish, tripletail and little tunny
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