Captain Favorite

Erica Nowotny caught this grouper in the Key West.

Catch of the Week

Erica Nowotny caught this grouper in the Key West.

Fishing Updates

Gulf of Mexico Red Snapper Quota Increases and Recreational Red Snapper Season
NOAA Fisheries Service has published a final rule implementing increases in the commercial and recreational red snapper quotas in the Gulf of Mexico from 3.542 and 3.403 million pounds (MP) to 3.66 and 3.525 MP in 2011, respectively. A recent red snapper assessment update projected overfishing (rate of removal is too high) ended in 2009, and therefore, the total allowable catch can be increased from the existing 6.945 MP to 7.185 MP.  This action was evaluated in a regulatory amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for the Reef Fish Resources of the Gulf of Mexico. The final rule published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2011

Establishment of a June and July Closed Season for the Recreational Harvest of Greater Amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico
NOAA Fisheries Service has published a final rule to establish a June 1 through July 31 seasonal closure for recreational harvest of greater amberjack in or from the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf) federal waters. The intended effect of the rule is to maintain the rebuilding plan targets for the overfished greater amberjack resource, reduce the likelihood of exceeding the recreational quota for greater amberjack, minimize the length of in-season quota closures for greater amberjack during peak recreational fishing months, and increase social and economic benefits for Gulf recreational fishers by maximizing the number of fishing days available to the recreational sector.

NOAA Fisheries Service Requests Public Comments on South Atlantic Snapper-Grouper Trip Limits and Bag Limits, Comment Period April 29, 2011-May 16, 2011
NOAA Fisheries Service is seeking public comments on a proposed rule that would prevent the progressive shortening of fishing seasons for black sea bass, gag, and vermilion snapper, and would increase the trip limit for greater amberjack.

Adjustments to 2011 Recreational and Commercial Quotas for Greater Amberjack in the Gulf of Mexico and Announcement of a Commercial Closure Date
NOAA Fisheries Service has published a rule adjusting the recreational and commercial quotas for greater amberjack, based on final 2010 landings data. Both sectors exceeded their quotas for 2010.  In addition, NOAA Fisheries Service projects that the remaining commercial quota for 2011 will be met by June 17, 2011; therefore, the commercial sector will be closed at 12:01 a.m. local time, June 18, 2011.

NOAA Fisheries Service Publishes a Final Rule to Establish Compatible Closures for Queen Conch in the U.S. Caribbean
NOAA Fisheries Service has published a final rule to the Regulatory Amendment to the Fishery Management Plan for Queen Conch Resources of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands (U.S.V.I.) Establishing Compatible Closures. The Caribbean Fishery Management Council (Council) submitted the regulatory amendment and associated finding of no significant impacts for review, approval, and implementation by NOAA Fisheries Service. The final rule was published in the Federal Register on April 29, 2011 (76 FR 23907) and the provisions will be effective May 31, 2011

Wes Demmon, from Chicago, Ill., caught and released this 3.5-pound trout on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Weekly Fishing Report by Captain Rick Grassett

Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released snook, tarpon, trout, Spanish mackerel and reds on jigs and flies during the past week. The best action continues to be catch and release night snook fishing and tarpon are becoming plentiful in the coastal gulf.
           
Kurt Tenenbaum and his father-in-law, Don McGovern, both from N.Y., fished Sarasota Bay with me last Saturday. We fished deep grass flats at Stephens Point and on the west side of the bay where they caught and released trout on Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails. Bill Morrison, from Anna Maria Island, and Gary Marple from Sarasota, snook fished with me on Monday evening in the ICW near Venice. They caught and released more than a dozen snook to 22 inches on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly.
          
 I scouted the coastal gulf for tarpon on Tuesday and was pleasantly surprised. We saw numerous tarpon, mostly singles, doubles and small schools, moving both north and south. Anglers on my boat had eight or 10 shots at fish and landed an 80-pounder on a black Deceiver fly. It was the first fish of the season!
           
Ed and Louise Martin, from Ontario, fished Charlotte Harbor with me on Wednesday. With a south wind gusting to 20 miles per hour, the water in Gasparilla Sound and most of the backcountry was very dirty. It was tough to find a place to fish, but Ed caught and released a couple of trout and jacks on a Clouser fly
           
Keith Mcclintock, from Lake Forest, Ill. and a guest fished Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday morning. It continued to be very windy, but they caught several trout to 18 inches, a Spanish mackerel and a red on CAL jigs with shad tails on the west side of the bay. Seth Koch, from Md., and Bill Miller, from Miss., snook fished with me in the ICW near Venice that evening. The wind dropped a little and with the approaching front, snook fed aggressively. They caught and released more than 20 snook to 23 inches on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. We were met by rain and wind at the boat ramp the next morning, so after waiting it out for about an hour we cancelled the trip.
          
 Tides will be good early next week, particularly the outgoing tide in the evening, as we approach a new moon on May 3. Night snook fishing, tarpon in the coastal gulf and trout and Spanish mackerel on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay should all be good options.
 
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com

To create a forecast specific to your zip code visit www.wunderground.com

Fishing Forecast

High pressure will continue to slide off the mid Atlantic coast tonight and Monday. A continued easterly flow is expected for the next few days with local sea breezes developing during the afternoon hours. A cold front will approach the area on Tuesday and move across the waters on Wednesday.

Fish should be eating aggressively during the beginning of the week with the new moon, and then slow down to average by the end of the week.

Monday
East winds 10 to 15 knots decreasing to around 10 knots and becoming north during the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop decreasing to a light chop. Monday night will bring east winds 10 to 15 knots, except briefly 15 to 20 knots during the evening. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.
Tides: High at 1:51 a.m. (1.46), low at 6:34 a.m. (1.0), high at 12:07 p.m. (2.29), low at 8:12 p.m. (-0.18)

Tuesday
Southeast winds around 10 knots becoming west late in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Tuesday night will bring northwest winds around 10 knots becoming northeast overnight. Bay and inland waters a light chop.
Tides: High at 2:31 a.m. (1.41), low at 6:52 a.m. (1.06), high at 12:31 p.m. (2.4), low at 8:46 p.m. (-0.25)

Wednesday
North winds 10 to 15 knots becoming northwest around 15 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Wednesday night will bring north winds around 15 knots becoming northeast overnight. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.
Tides: High at 3:11 a.m. (1.35), low at 7:09 a.m. (1.1), high at 1:00 p.m. (2.49), low at 9:24 p.m. (-0.29) 

Thursday
Northeast winds around 10 knots becoming north in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Thursday night will bring north winds around 10 knots becoming east overnight. Bay and inland waters a light chop.
Tides: High at 3:54 a.m. (1.29), low at 7:30 a.m.  (1.12), high at 1:34 p.m. (2.54), low at 10:06 p.m. (-0.3)

Friday
East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming west 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop becoming a moderate chop in the afternoon.
Tides: High at 4:44 a.m. (1.25), low at 7:54 a.m. (1.14), high at 2:13 p.m. (2.55), low at 10:53 p.m. (-0.28)

Soluar Forecast