Trout, trout, and more trout in Sarasota Bay
Capt. Jim Klopfer
July 16, 2016
Sarasota - Saltwater Fishing Report
It sounds like a broken record, but the speckled trout fishing remained very good once again this week. Trout outnumbered all of the other species combined, with quite a few going to 20". Top honors go to young Lilly Derry from the UK who put one in the boat that had to go 6 pounds! I did not weigh or measure it as I do not like to stress these big fish, just a quick photo. Anglers also caught mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, jack crevelle, sea bass, gag grouper, and ladyfish on the deep grass flats near Bird Key, Middlegrounds, Radio Tower, and Stephen's Pt. All of the fish were caught using live pilchards. I fished Big Pass early one morning with hand-picked shrimp and did well on snook to 24".
Dee and Jason Mullins from St. Augustine, FL and their children Madeline and Jason experienced very steady action on Monday. Speckled trout were the predominant species with several in the 20" range. They also caught a dozen or so mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, gag grouper, jack crevelle, ladyfish, and a small shark. The deep flats near Bird Key were the best spots.
Ben Durborow and his buddy Matt, both from Harrisburg, Pa joined me on Tuesday morning. Since there were only two guys and they were both experienced anglers, we started early and hit the structure in Big Pass in search of snook. Large live shrimp produced a half dozen along with several that escaped. The bite slowed as the sun rose so I netted bait and we moved to the deep grass flats. Action was fast with the boys catching a LOT of speckled trout to 18". Spanish mackerel, bluefish, snapper, grouper, and jacks also hit the pilchards.
I picked up Ed Atkinson and his grandchildren Aisley (10) and Hayden (16) at the North Bridge Park early Wednesday morning. I caught bait in Big Pass and the first stop was a deep flat near Bird Key. Trout, mackerel, jacks, ladyfish, sea bass, snapper and more provided steady action. The tide quit so I moved and we experienced similar action at the Radio Tower and Middlegrounds.
UK resident Jolene Derry treated her children Jesse and Lilly along with her dad Bob to a charter on Thursday. Action was steady all morning with the group landing 75 fish including trout, mackerel, jacks, snapper, and grouper at the Radio Tower and Middlegrounds. Lily finished the charter with a bang by catching a huge speckled trout near Bird Key.
Ryan Schmidt and his son Luke caught 80 fish between them on Friday. Most of the fish were speckled trout caught near New Pass and Stephen's Pt. My buddy Capt Roy String had them balled up and eating and called me over. The boys also landed snapper, jacks, and ladyfish.
I finished off my week on Saturday with a good charter with Cain Politzki and his son Colby from Sarasota and a couple of friends from Colorado, Desmond and Darien Fulton. We his a half dozen spots and the bite was steady all morning with the boys catching an estimated 100 fish, mostly trout with bluefish, mackerel, jacks, snapper, grouper, and ladyfish sprinkled in.
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