Captain Favorite

Savannah  Sutton

Catch of the Week: Savannah Sutton caught her snook on shiners near Skeet’s Key. She caught it on an outgoing tide and released it in good shape.

Have you ever wanted to show off a great catch? Each week, The Bradenton Times will be selecting what we deem as the best catch of the week. Contributors will be featured in Monday’s article, pictured with their fish and placed in the catch of the week online photo album. Anyone can participate as long as you include a picture and a short summary of what you were using for bait, where and when the fish was caught and the angler’s contact info. Please send submissions to merab.favorite@thebradentontimes.com.

Fishing Q&A: I fish mostly inshore in about 4-5' of water or less...do I really need a deflator and circle hook on board my boat?  How do the officials know when u r fishing for deep water fish or not?  What are the rules about the deflator and circle hook?

When the FWC was contacted regarding your situation, they said it all has to do with the targeted species. If you are not planning on fishing for any ”reef species“ then you don’t need a circle hook or venting tool.

State and federal regulations require all commercial fishers and recreational anglers fishing for any reef fish species in the Gulf of Mexico to use circle hooks, dehooking devices and venting tools. These rules became effective on June 1, 2008 in all waters of the Gulf of Mexico and affect all reef fish species including groupers, snappers, amberjacks, triggerfish, porgies, sea bass, hogfish, and tilefish.  

If you hook one of these species, it could cause a problem. Even when fishing in shallow water you can catch grouper near rocks and snapper on the flats and near mangroves. Since it is a possibility that you might catch these fish even in the shallows, it’s best bet is to just keep the equipment on your boat just in case – that way the FWC has absolutely no reason to give you a ticket.

Mark Moore, from Libertyville, IL, caught and released this over slot trout on a DOA Deadly combo while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Weekly Fishing Report by Capt. Rick Grassett
Anglers fishing with me on my flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with reds, blues, trout, little tunny and Spanish mackerel on DOA baits and flies last week.

Longboat Key winter resident, Nick Reding, wade fished in north Sarasota Bay with me a couple of days last week. He caught and released several reds and a sheepshead on one trip and a couple of blues and a snook on another trip on a baitfish fly pattern. Jon Yenari and Kyle Ruffing, both from Sarasota, FL, fished with me in the coastal gulf off Siesta Key on Tuesday, caught and released 6 little tunny to 12-pounds on glass minnow fly patterns. Later in the day, they caught and released a nice trout and a 4-lb bluefish on Clouser flies at Stephens Point. Bill Moore and his son, Mark, both from Libertyville, IL fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. They caught and released numerous trout to 22“, a couple of reds, several blues and a Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos along the east side of Sarasota Bay.

Action should continue to be good in both Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf. Next week’s tides will improve towards the end of the week as we head towards a full moon.

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

Fishing Forecast:

High pressure will remain over the southeast U.S. and Florida today with generally light winds and seas across the waters. The high will move into the western Atlantic Monday as a cold front approaches the area on Tuesday with southerly flow increasing ahead of this system. The cold front will move across the waters Tuesday night and Wednesday with high pressure building back over the region behind the front late in the week.

Fishing at the beginning of the week will be average but as the waxing gibbous moon fills later in the week the fishing action will gain more momentum into the weekend. The water temperature is 73.9 degrees.

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

Monday
Southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. On Monday night,
Southeast winds around 10 knots will come in. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Fishing from 7:43 a.m. - 9:43 a.m. and 8:03 p.m. - 10:03 p.m. should produce average results. There are two highs and two lows on Monday, a low at 2:41 a.m., a high at 7:56 a.m., a low at 2:28 p.m. and a high at 8:34 p.m.
Tuesday
South winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. There is a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. Tuesday Night will bring in west winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. There is a chance of showers. Fishing from 8:23 a.m. - 10:23 a.m. and 8:44 pm - 10:44 p.m. will produce average results. Tuesday there is a high at 3:39 a.m. a high at 9:19 a.m. a low at 3:07 p.m. and a high at 8:55 p.m.
Wednesday
Northwest winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. There is a 30 percent chance of showers. Wednesday Night will bring north winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Fishing from 9:04 a.m. - 11:04 a.m. and 9:26 p.m. - 11:26 p.m. should produce average results. There is a low at 4:26 a.m., a high at 10:28 a.m., a low at 3:40 p.m. and a high at 9:15 p.m.
Thursday
North winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Thursday Night will bring in north winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Fishing will get better and casting a line from 9:47 a.m. - 11:47 a.m. and 10:10 p.m. - 12:10 a.m. should produce good results. There is a low tide at 5:07 a.m., a high at 11:28 a.m., a low at 4:09 p.m. and a high at 9:37 p.m.
Friday
North winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Fishing from 10:33 a.m. - 12:33 p.m. will produce really good results. There is a low tide at 5:45 a.m., a high at 12:20 p.m., a low at 4:33 p.m., and a high at 10:01 p.m.

Tides

To create your own daily or weekly tidechart follow the link to www.noaa.gov

Solunar:

To create a solunar chart specific to your zip code visit www.solunar.com