Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fishing Report for 6/11/2016
Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action with tarpon in the coastal gulf in Sarasota, getting numerous shots at tarpon, jumping one and fighting the fish to the boat one day during the past week. The early part of the week was blown out as tropical storm Colin passed on Monday, churning the gulf into rough seas and muddy water for a few days. However, conditions improved by Friday and tarpon returned to their normal patterns.
Denis Clohisy, from WI, and Jim Dempsey, from IL, fished with me on Thursday and Friday. With the coastal gulf still churned up on Thursday, we opted to fish inside waters in Tampa Bay on Thursday. However by Friday, even though the wind was still from the west, seas were down and water had cleared enough to allow tarpon to return to their normal patterns. We had shots at numerous tarpon in the form of scattered singles and schools of fish.
Denis hooked up with a “hot” tarpon on a live pinfish. He fought the fish through several long runs, almost getting spooled on the initial run and numerous jumps and had the fish alongside the boat. Unfortunately, just as I was preparing to land the fish it was attacked by a large hammerhead shark. We tried to fend off the shark but the shark succeeded in getting it’s meal. Although sharks are more prone to attacking hooked tarpon in some areas, I haven’t had this happen for several years.
Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should be good next week, depending on conditions, as we head towards the next full moon. Trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and more should also be good options on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Snook season is closed now on the west coast of Florida, but catch and release night snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW or in the surf with flies and DOA Lures should be another good option. Look for reds, snook and big trout mixed with mullet schools or cruising shallow flats and edges of bars in backcountry areas of Charlotte Harbor and lower Tampa Bay.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
IFFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB’s Saltwater Outfitters
Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
www.snookfin-addict.com, www.snookfinaddict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
(941) 923-7799
Capt. Rick Grassett, owner of Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc., is a full time fishing guide and fly casting instructor based in Sarasota, FL. Specializing in fly fishing and artificial baits on light tackle, he fishes the bays, back country and coastal gulf waters of Sarasota Bay, lower Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor in his 17’ Action Craft flats skiff. He has been guiding since 1990 and is an Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing guide at CB’s Saltwater Outfitters, Orvis Outfitter of the Year for 2011, on Siesta Key in Sarasota. He is an International Federation of Fly Fishers (IFFF) Certified Instructor and an instructor for the Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing School at CB’s Saltwater Outfitters. Capt. Rick is also a fly tier and designer with 3 fly patterns currently being sold by Orvis.
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