Florida Fishing Reports

Fishing report for item #399.

Fishing Report:   Capt. Rick Grassetts Fishing Report for 9/5 through 9/25/2005

Anglers fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had a variety of action during the past several weeks. Spin and fly anglers caught snook around lighted docks and bridge fenders before daylight and reds on the flats. I usually take some time off during September and this year was no different. I spent several days in the Keys catching bonefish with a fly and a couple of days in the Chesapeake Bay catching stripers with a fly.

Brian and Joanne Shenstone, from Gross Point Woods, MI fished a pre dawn snook trip with me early in the month before I headed for the Keys. The snook bite was not as good as it was in August, but Brian caught and released about 6 snook to 24” on a variety of flies in Little Sarasota Bay. They were feeding very selectively, so it was a challenge to make the right presentation and get a bite.

My wife, Karen, and I spent several days in Islamorada from Sept. 6th-11th where I fished the Islamorada/Sarasota shootout with other members of the Sarasota Sportfishing Anglers Club. Aledia Tush, owner of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters, shared several trips with me with good results. We fished with Orvis-Endorsed guides Duane Baker and Albert Ponzoa on two days. We also spent a day with Capt. Rusty Albury. I caught and released 3 bonefish, including a 28 ½” fish, on a Merkin Crab fly while Aledia caught and released a pair of bonefish and a pair of tarpon on spinning tackle.

Aledia gets an assist on two of my bonefish. One of them ran the fly line through an “I” bolt on a mooring anchor and she bailed out of the boat in waist deep water to free my fly line. On the other fish, which was the 28 ½” fish, I had knot in the fly line, which cleared the guides going out the rod tip, but couldn’t be reeled back in. She picked the knot out while Capt. Duane drove the boat to keep the line tight so the fish could be landed. Thanks Aledia!

We spent a portion of one of our days targeting permit and although we had several shots, I’m still looking for my first permit on a fly. I finished 1st in the bonefish division with the 28 ½” fish and Aledia finished 3rd with a 20 ½” fish. A good showing in that division but Islamorada won the tournament 18 to 12 based on a point system.

I was home for a few days of fishing in Sarasota from Sept.12th-15th and found the snook to be very finicky. Fly angler, John Evans from the UK, caught and released about 6 snook with me on Grassett’s Grass Minnow flies with me in Little Sarasota Bay one morning. Another pre dawn fly trip in the same area that week with Norm Worthington, from Sarasota, FL, produced only one snook and a jack. Snook were feeding under the lights, but didn’t want to eat what we were offering. We also had a couple of shots at reds cruising on a sand bar, but they didn’t want to bite either.

Scott Miller, from Wheeling, WV fished Robert’s Bay with me one day that week and caught a 25” snook on a DOA Tiny TerrorEyz before daylight and a couple of nice reds to 24” on a MirrOlure She Dog, Jr.

I was on the road again from Sept. 16th –21st visiting family in Delaware. Of course, I also fished a couple of days in the Chesapeake Bay while I was there with my brother and a couple of guide friends. Last Sunday, we were the guests of my friend Capt. Matt Tawes, from Crisfield, MD, aboard his 21’ Parker. We fished Tangier Sound where we caught several schoolie stripers on flies and jigs. The following day we fished Eastern Bay, near Kent Island, with Capt. Scott Hopkins aboard his 20’ Jones Brothers boat. We caught and released about 40 stripers, which were breaking on the surface that day, mostly on Clouser flies.

I got back to Sarasota just in time to fish the 21st annual Tampa CCA Photo All-Release Challenge, which my wife, Karen, and I have fished for about the last 15 years. This year, Aledia Tush, also fished the tournament with us. We had a great day of practice fishing on Friday from the Manatee River to near Bishop Harbor, catching and releasing snook to 34” and several nice reds. Although they weren’t tournament species, we also had good action with bluefish to 3-pounds.

Friday was so good it was almost a bad omen. Friday was overcast and although it made sight fishing impossible, fish bit well all day long. Saturday was sunny with a little more wind and the bite was not quite as good. I started the day with a nice red on a fly in the Manatee River and then things got slow. We headed north of the Skyway Bridge where we got it going again. Aledia and Karen caught and released several short snook on a variety of jigs, MirrOlure Top Dogs and DOA Deadly Combos and I had another short snook on my Flats Minnow fly. I finally caught a barely legal trout, also on my Flats Minnow fly and Aledia caught a 19 ¾” trout on a weedless-rigged CAL jerkworm. It was a tough day of fishing, but our efforts paid off. Aledia won the Ladies Division for trout and I finished as the runner up in the Fly Fishing Division with 36 ½” of fish. Scott Dalton, from Bradenton, FL, was the winner of the Fly fishing Division with 53” of fish.

Next week’s tides are favorable for snook fishing before dawn and early in the day or reds on the flats. In addition, juvenile tarpon should also be an option in Little Sarasota Bay and the Peace River.

Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

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