The Fly Fishing Report

Reds will be schooling on shallow flats this month. Snook will be found in the surf and around lighted docks and bridges close to passes. Tarpon will be in the upper reaches of Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay and early in the day will be the best time to fish the flats for trout.

Reds will be found in large schools on shallow flats and around sand and oyster bars during September. They are creatures of habit and will often be found in the same places at the same stage of the tide. They are easier to find when the tide is low. Look for wakes and patches of nervous water. A school of big reds may look like a boat wake coming at you. I prefer to be as quiet as possible, using my push pole to get ahead of them and intercept them. Large profile baitfish fly patterns, such as EP flies, or fly poppers are good flies to throw at them. Fly poppers may cause a school of reds to show themselves by drawing them to the surface. Some of my favorite areas for reds in September are in north Sarasota Bay, lower Tampa Bay and Gasparilla Sound.

Tarpon may be found in upper Charlotte Harbor, Tampa Bay or in areas of Sarasota Bay. Look for them rolling on the surface when conditions are calm. I have done well fishing schools of breaking ladyfish for tarpon with large profile EP flies. If the ladyfish will stay up on the surface long enough, tarpon will find them and also be drawn to the surface. Tarpon may also rally up along the beaches as they prepare to leave the area. Unlike May and June when large schools are migrating and preparing to spawn, these fish are now in a feeding mode and they will crash bait schools and gulp glass minnows by the mouthful.

Juvenile tarpon from10 to 30-pounds will be found in creeks, canals and turning basins during September. Morning is usually the best time of day for me. Look for fish rolling in dead end canals or turning basins and cast scaled down tarpon flies on fast sinking fly lines to them. 8 or 9-weight fly tackle will work fine for these mini torpedoes, which will usually jump higher and more frequently than their larger counterparts. I have done best when using an Orvis 300 or 350-grain Depth Charge fly line. These smaller fish are usually gulping air at the surface but feeding near the bottom in 10’ or more of water. The fast sinking fly line will get your fly into the feeding zone quickly. I use many of the same type tarpon flies that I use for larger fish only the leaders and hook sizes are smaller (usually 1/0 or 2/0).

Snook stocks are being reassessed as this is being written to determine if the season will reopen in September. They had a rough winter earlier this year, particularly in some shallow areas such as Charlotte Harbor. You can go to www.myfwc.com to check on the current status of snook regulations.

They will be found in the surf this month where you can walk along the beach and sight cast to them. I prefer a clear intermediate sink tip fly line, which will get your fly below any wave action. You will need polarized sunglasses, a cap and a means to carry drinking water and supplies, such as flies, leaders, etc. Walk along the beach away from the water’s edge and look for snook cruising and feeding in the trough right next to the sand.

You’ll also find snook around lighted docks and bridge fenders in the ICW this month. I like to fish before dawn this time of year, which is the coolest time of day. Cast small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, and strip them across shadow lines where light meets dark. I like to anchor slightly up tide from structure, so I can cast across the current and let it swing my fly into the feeding zone. Snook have had a rough year, so you should use tackle heavy enough to land them quickly and handle them gently.

Trout fishing has been phenomenal this spring and summer in Sarasota Bay following the extreme cold we had in January and February. I’m not sure if there is a connection, but it is the best I have ever seen it. We are catching and releasing 3 to 4-pound trout on most trips. You may find big trout in skinny water at first light during September. Look for baitfish and mullet activity to find them and cast a fly popper with a dropper of a smaller weighted fly behind it. An Ultra hair Clouser fly fished on an intermediate or intermediate sink tip fly line is also a good choice, although often the sound of the pooper will draw more strikes. As soon as it gets bright out, activity in shallow water will drop off sharply as they move to deeper water. Drift and cast ahead of your drift to find them. Deep grass flats close to passes, on points and around sand bars are some of my favorite areas to fish for trout. You might also find blues, pompano, jacks and ladyfish mixed with them. When fishing deep grass flats during September watch for terns feeding in glass minnow schools to find action. The longer they stay on the surface, the more action you will have. It will start with ladyfish and everything else that is around, including tarpon, may come into the fray.

You may find little tunny, Spanish mackerel and tripletail in the coastal gulf. Look for diving terns or bait being forced out of the water to find them. You may also see mackerel and little tunny skyrocketing on baits. I like to use fly poppers or Crease flies on floating fly lines and Ultra Hair Clousers on sink tip or intermediate fly lines when fly fishing for little tunny and mackerel. You’ll need to use either wire or heavy fluorocarbon leader (60-pound) when targeting mackerel. Tripletail may be found around crab trap floats or buoys. A floating fly line with a shrimp or bendback fly pattern on spinning tackle will work well for tripletail.

There are lots of options this month. I prefer to start and end my trips early in the day to avoid afternoon heat and thunderstorms. Fish lighted docks and bridge fenders before dawn for snook and then hit the flats or the coastal gulf at first light for some of the best action of the day.

Whatever you choose to do, remember to always limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

(941) 923-7799

E-mail snookfin@aol.com