Anglers on the Snook Fin-Addict had good action with trout, pompano and permit during the past week. The best bite was with pompano and permit caught on DOA Tiny TerrorEyz and Cotee jigs with grubs near Big Pass. Anglers also caught and released snook, redfish and gag grouper while fishing lighted docks before daylight, although the bite was slow.
Ed O’Carroll, his young son, Aidan, and Craig Amos, all from Tampa, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday. After catching numerous trout to 18” and ladyfish on Cotee jigs with grubs at Stephen’s Point, we headed south to near Big Pass. The trio caught 6 pompano to 3 ½-pounds and 4 permit to 5-pounds on DOA Tiny TerrorEyz and Cotee jigs with grubs to finish the day.
The following day, Rick Johnson and his son, Jake, from Maineville, OH fished the same area with me with similar results. We opted for a pre dawn start to target snook around lighted docks near Big Pass before moving to the flats. Snook were plentiful, but not feeding, although they did catch and release a 24” redfish and an 18” gag grouper on a DOA Tiny TerrorEyz while casting for snook. Rick and Jake also caught and released numerous trout and ladyfish, 5 pompano to 3-pounds and a 5-pound permit on DOA Tiny TerrorEyz and Cotee jigs with grubs.
The goal was snook on a fly on Friday morning, when Erwin Edelman, from Sarasota, FL, joined me for a pre dawn trip. I headed south to “snook alley” in Venice to see if the snook would feed better there due to increased tidal flow. The results were almost the same as Thursday’s, plenty of snook but not feeding much. Erwin did catch and release one snook and had a couple of other strikes on Skitterbug and String Bean flies.
Tim McNamee, Brett Trudeau and Jonathan Turner, high school students from Winter Haven, FL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday morning. With their summer vacation winding down, they wanted to squeeze in some more fun before school starts in a couple of weeks. The action was steady with a lot of variety. They caught and released pompano, trout, flounder, mangrove snapper and ladyfish on Cotee jigs with grubs, jerk worms and DOA shrimp and Tiny TerrorEyz. The pompano were caught near Big Pass and the best trout action was near Buttonwood Harbor.
Next weeks strong outgoing tides in the afternoon and evening should be good for snook. Reds should be schooling any time and will be easiest to find when the tide is low.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
(941) 923-7799
E-mail [email protected]
www.snookfin-addict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.net