Anglers on the Snook Fin-Addict had good action with tarpon early in the week in the coastal gulf waters off Sarasota. Tarpon schools settled down, moved slower and showed more frequently, making them easier targets. There were even several laid up schools of tarpon on Monday and Tuesday mornings. However, by the end of the week the wind turned to a westerly flow making tarpon fishing in the gulf impossible.
Harry Davis, from Dalton, GA, fished with me on Monday and the tarpon were hungry. He jumped two tarpon on live crabs and had several other bites, including one on a fly. Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, and a group of 5 other anglers joined me for the rest of the week with several other guides, Capt. Jim Klopfer, Capt. Kelly Stillwell and Capt. Ed Hurst.
Tuesday was the best day with 12 hook ups and several fish landed between 3 guide boats. Wednesday was also a good day, with 8 hook ups and several fish landed between the 3 boats. By Thursday, the wind turned to the west and tarpon were not showing very well at all. Although we got a couple of bites, we didn’t hook up. We were blown out for tarpon on Friday due to a stiff west wind, so we retreated to Sarasota Bay to do some flats fishing. The anglers caught and released trout, ladyfish and Spanish mackerel on jigs and plastic baits before catching an afternoon flight home.
We should be entering the best part of our tarpon season as we head toward the full moon in June. After we get out of the westerly wind pattern that we will probably be in for a few days, tarpon should be hungry.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
(941) 923-7799
E-mail [email protected]
www.snookfin-addict.com or www.flyfishingflorida.net
