Capt. Favorite's Fishing Forum: Aug. 15, 2016

Posted Monday, August 15, 2016 12:00 am

Merab Favorite

BRADENTON – NOAA is predicting showers and thunderstorms though mid week. Gray triggerfish recreational harvest is now closed through December but amberjack season opens today. Our contributing captain Rick Grassett predicts good action with trout, bluefish and more on the grass flats of Sarasota Bay.

Gray triggerfish recreational harvest closed in Gulf waters through Dec. 31

The recreational harvest of gray triggerfish will remain closed to harvest in Gulf state and federal waters through Dec. 31, with the season reopening Jan. 1, 2017. At a meeting earlier this year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved this closure to take place if and when federal waters closed.
Recent stock assessments have indicated that gray triggerfish in the Gulf of Mexico are overfished, which means there are not enough fish for these populations to remain sustainable. The regular annual closed season for gray triggerfish in Gulf waters is June 1 through July 31.

Greater amberjack reopens to recreational harvest in Gulf waters Aug. 1

The recreational harvest of greater amberjack will reopen in Gulf state waters Aug. 1. It will remain closed in Gulf federal waters through Dec. 31, 2016.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) will consider a similar closure in state waters at its September meeting in St. Augustine.
Gulf state waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles.
The minimum size limit is 34 inches fork length and the daily bag limit is one fish per person for greater amberjack in Gulf waters.

Weekly Fishing Report by Capt. Rick Grassett

Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay with me, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, during the past week caught and released trout and ladyfish on flies and DOA Deadly Combos. We also fished dock lights one morning before dawn on a pre-dawn/bay trip and caught and released snook on CAL jigs with shad tails.

Jackson Bergdoll and his dad, Todd Bergdoll, of Columbus, Ohio, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday. Action was slow that day but they had some action catching and releasing trout and ladyfish on a DOA Deadly Combo and Jackson did well on his first saltwater fly fishing trip!

Dan and Sara Stults, of Highland Park, Ill., fished a pre-dawn snook/bay trip in Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday. They caught and released a couple of snook on CAL jigs with shad tails before moving to deep grass flats where they had some action catching and releasing trout on DOA Deadly Combos.

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 with flies and DOA Lures should be good. There are singles, doubles and small schools of tarpon in the coastal gulf now, rather than the large schools that we see in June, but it is worth checking on. You may only see a few fish but they are aggressive. There should also be good action with trout, bluefish and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota 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

Fishing Forecast

High pressure will continue to hold across the northeast Gulf of Mexico through the week with an east to southeast flow persisting. Winds will generally remain below headline criteria though elevated winds and seas may occur tonight and again Monday night as modest easterly surges develop. Rounds of marine thunderstorm may also locally enhance winds and seas.

Monday

East winds 10 to 15 knots then becoming southeast 5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Monday night will bring east winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to around 15 knots after midnight. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Scattered thunderstorms.

2016/08/15 Mon 12:49 AM 1.61 H

2016/08/15 Mon 04:50 AM 1.37 L

2016/08/15 Mon 10:44 AM 2.48 H

2016/08/15 Mon 06:56 PM 0.17 L

Tuesday

East winds around 10 knots. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Tuesday night will bring northeast winds around 10 knots then becoming east after midnight. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms.

2016/08/16 Tue 01:18 AM 1.64 H

2016/08/16 Tue 05:40 AM 1.3 L

2016/08/16 Tue 11:32 AM 2.58 H

2016/08/16 Tue 07:34 PM 0.13 L

Wednesday

East winds around 10 knots. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Wednesday night will bring east winds around 10 knots. Seas 2 feet or less. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms.

2016/08/17 Wed 01:41 AM 1.67 H

2016/08/17 Wed 06:26 AM 1.2 L

2016/08/17 Wed 12:17 PM 2.65 H

2016/08/17 Wed 08:09 PM 0.13 L

Thursday

Southeast winds around 10 knots. Seas 2 feet or less. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Thursday night will bring north winds around 5 knots then becoming east after midnight. Seas 2 feet or less. Bay and inland waters smooth. Scattered thunderstorms.

2016/08/18 Thu 02:03 AM 1.72 H

2016/08/18 Thu 07:12 AM 1.08 L

2016/08/18 Thu 01:02 PM 2.67 H

2016/08/18 Thu 08:43 PM 0.18 L

Friday

East winds around 5 knots then becoming west in the afternoon. Seas 1 foot. Bay and inland waters smooth. Scattered thunderstorms.

2016/08/19 Fri 02:25 AM 1.79 H

2016/08/19 Fri 07:58 AM 0.95 L

2016/08/19 Fri 01:48 PM 2.63 H

2016/08/19 Fri 09:16 PM 0.3 L

Solunar Forecast