CATCH OF THE WEEK |
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Ben Ford, from Sarasota, FL, caught and released this bluefish on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett. |
The 2014 Yacht and Brokerage Show in Miami will end today only to be followed by the Blue Wild Ocean Adventure and Marine Expo, which runs from Feb. 22-23 at the Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. The recent cold snap helped FWC officials identify over 4,000 manatees during their aerial survey. Because the swordfish population has recovered so successfully since the were overfished during the 1980s, the FWC is offering fisherman an opportunity to catch and sell them in Florida. Another cold front is headed our way Friday, Weather Underground reports.
Fort Lauderdale 2014 Blue Wild Ocean Adventure and Marine Art Expo Set for February 22-23
Swordfish management pays off in expanded fishing opportunities effective Feb. 13
Cold weather aids 2014 manatee count
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Capt. Rick DePaiva, from Ft. Myers, FL, battles a tarpon jumped on a fly while fishing the coastal gulf with Capt. 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 Spanish mackerel, bluefish and trout in Sarasota Bay, tripletail in the coastal gulf and snook in the ICW near Venice at night on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails during the past week.
Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, FL, and Ben Ford, from Sarasota, FL, fished with me on Monday. With near perfect conditions, we hunted tripletail in the coastal gulf in the morning . We covered a lot of water, found several and they landed 2 out of 3 tripletail to 6-pounds on a DOA Shrimp. Just as the sea breeze came up, we headed into the bay where they caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails along the west side of the bay.
Anna Maria and Sarasota winter residents, Bill Morrison and Gary Marple, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday morning. We fished deep grass flats on both sides of the bay where they had steady action catching and releasing numerous Spanish mackerel, a few trout and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Burt Benjamin and Elyse Kuhn, both from CT, fished the ICW near Venice with me on Tuesday evening. They had good action catching and releasing more than 15 snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly.
A front pushed through on Wednesday evening with lots of wind and lightning, forcing us to cancel that night’s snook trip. The wind switched to the northwest after the front and blew more than 20 mph on Thursday, so we rescheduled that trip.
Richard Dunn and Steve Garrett, from CO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. They alternated with one fly fishing and the other spin fishing and had steady action with Spanish mackerel to 4-pounds, trout and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay for trout, Spanish mackerel, blues, pompano and more should continue to be a good option. Night snook fishing in the ICW should be good especially during peak tidal flows. Tripletail should also be a good option in the coastal gulf when conditions are good.
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis- Endorsed Outfitter Guide
CB’s Saltwater Outfitters-2011 Orvis Outfitter of the Year
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
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Fishing Forecast
High pressure hold over the waters through Thursday. A cold front will approach the waters on Friday and stall over the northern waters Friday night.
Monday
East winds around 10 knots then becoming southeast around 5 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Monday night will bring wind variable less than 5 knots then becoming southeast around 5 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth.
2014/02/17 Mon 01:24 AM 1.65 H
2014/02/17 Mon 08:21 AM -0.03 L
2014/02/17 Mon 01:57 PM 1.58 H
2014/02/17 Mon 08:36 PM 0.16 L
Tuesday
Southeast winds around 5 knots then becoming southwest around 5 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Tuesday night will bring north winds around 5 knots then becoming east after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth.
2014/02/18 Tue 02:05 AM 1.52 H
2014/02/18 Tue 08:45 AM 0.1 L
2014/02/18 Tue 02:23 PM 1.7 H
2014/02/18 Tue 09:23 PM 0.08 L
Wednesday
Southeast winds around 5 knots then becoming southwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Wednesday night will bring north winds around 5 knots then becoming east around 5 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth.
2014/02/19 Wed 02:52 AM 1.36 H
2014/02/19 Wed 09:12 AM 0.25 L
2014/02/19 Wed 02:54 PM 1.8 H
2014/02/19 Wed 10:18 PM 0.01 L
Thursday
Southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Thursday night will bring southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop.
2014/02/20 Thu 03:48 AM 1.18 H
2014/02/20 Thu 09:40 AM 0.41 L
2014/02/20 Thu 03:31 PM 1.87 H
2014/02/20 Thu 11:23 PM -0.04 L
Friday
South winds around 10 knots then becoming southwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers.
2014/02/21 Fri 05:03 AM 0.99 H
2014/02/21 Fri 10:10 AM 0.59 L
2014/02/21Fri04:15 PM1.91H
Solunar Forecast