Captain Favorite's Fishing Forum: Feb. 22, 2016

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 trout in Sarasota Bay and Gasparilla Sound on CAL jigs with shad tails and flies during the past week. Most fish were caught on edges of bars in about three to four feet of water.

 

Sarasota winter resident Tom Lamb and Roy Glah, also from Sarasota, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday and had good action catching and releasing trout to 18 inches, including several slot-size fish, on CAL jigs with shad tails. Annmarie Alberino, from RI, fly fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday and caught and released a few trout on a variety of flies.

 

Keith McClintock and Hal D’Orazio, both from IL, fished Gasparilla Sound near Boca Grande with me on Thursday. We worked edges of bars and backcountry areas where they had some action with trout to 18 inches and a snook on CAL jigs with shad tails. Nick Reding, from Longboat Key, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. We waded a couple of bars and had good action catching and releasing 23-24-inch trout on my Grassett Flats Minnow and Flats Bunny flies.

 

Capt. Ed Hurst and I were instructors for a CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Saturday. The course covered fly casting, leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques. Designed for beginning and intermediate fly anglers, we focused on basics but also worked with intermediate casters on correcting faults and improving casting skills. The next class is scheduled for March 12. Contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or info@cbsoutfitters.com to make reservations.

 

Trout, bluefish and more should be a good option on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Look for reds and big trout mixed with mullet schools or cruising shallow flats and edges of bars in Sarasota Bay and backcountry areas of Charlotte Harbor and lower Tampa Bay. Catch and release snook fishing around lighted docks and bridges with flies and DOA Lures should also be a good option.