Captain Favorite's Fishing Forum: Feb. 24, 2014

Posted Thursday, June 18, 2015 12:00 am

Merab-Michal Favorite

CATCH OF THE WEEK

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Nick Reding, from Longboat Key, FL, caught and released this Sarasota Bay pompano on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Because the swordfish population has recovered so successfully since they were overfished during the 1980s, the FWC is offering fishermen an opportunity to catch and sell them in Florida. Another cold front is headed our way Friday, Weather Underground reports. Sea fog will continue to impact the waters south of Tampa Bay through mid morning and may continue or re-form later in the day or tonight. A weak trough of low pressure drifts across the East Gulf then Florida during the next couple of days. Then a cold front traverses the Gulf mid-week ... followed by high pressure building in for the end of the week.

Fishing Update

FWC, Zoo Miami to host Exotic Pet Amnesty Day

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Zoo Miami are working together to host Exotic Pet Amnesty Day. The event will be at Zoo Miami on Saturday, March 1, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The event offers an opportunity for people to surrender their nonnative pets free of charge with no penalties.
This is one of several Exotic Pet Amnesty events held throughout the year. The goal is to reduce the number of nonnative species being released into the wild by pet owners who can’t take care of their animals or no longer wish to keep them.
“To date, we have helped find homes for more than 1,700 exotic animals throughout the state,” said Liz Barraco, coordinator for the FWC’s Exotic Pet Amnesty Program. “Every animal we place through our program is one less that could have ended up in one of Florida’s natural areas.”
At each Amnesty Day, every attempt is made to place all healthy animals with qualified adopters. Pet adopters must be pre-qualified to receive surrendered animals. Anyone interested in adopting exotic pets can download the application forms at MyFWC.com/Nonnatives. Adoption applications must be received by Thursday, February 27, to be processed in time for this event.

For-hire captain, crew can soon retain recreational bag limits for certain species in Atlantic

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved changes at the February Commission meeting that will allow for-hire captain and crew to retain recreational bag limits of vermilion snapper, groupers and golden tilefish in state waters of the Atlantic (including all of Monroe County for grouper species and golden tilefish).
This change will make state regulations consistent with Atlantic federal regulations and will go into effect as soon as possible.

Similar changes to federal rules became effective Jan. 27. The federal rule was modified because it was not effectively limiting harvest of vermilion snapper and gag grouper as originally intended and it was causing confusion because captain and crew of for-hire vessels could keep recreational bag limits of some snapper and grouper species, but not others. Additional harvest of these species by captain and crew is expected to be negligible and not negatively impact fish stocks.

To learn more about this change, visit MyFWC.com/Commission and click on “Commission Meetings.” To learn more about snapper and grouper recreational regulations, visit MyFWC.com/Fishing and click on “Saltwater Fishing,” “Recreational Regulations” and “Overview” under the “Reef Fish” header.

Swordfish management pays off in expanded fishing opportunities effective Feb. 13

Swordfish management is a success story. Overfished in the 1980s and ’90s, the swordfish stock has since been fully rebuilt, thanks to domestic and international conservation measures.
Recently, NOAA Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Division created a new open-access commercial swordfish fishery in federal waters to provide additional commercial swordfish harvest opportunities using gears that minimize bycatch.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) approved several changes to state rules recently, many of which will allow fishermen who participate in this new commercial fishery to land and sell their catch in Florida. Recently adopted changes will go into effect Feb. 13.
Several changes to state rules are also consistent with existing federal rules, including a change to the cleithrum-to-keel (see image below) minimum size limit for recreational and commercial swordfish harvest.
For more information visit the website at http://myfwc.com/news/news-releases/2014/february/06/swordfish.

Cold weather aids 2014 manatee count

Biologists with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reported a preliminary count of 4,831 manatees in Florida during this year’s statewide aerial survey, conducted in late January.
Over two days (Jan. 24 and 27), a team of 20 observers from nine organizations counted 2,317 manatees on Florida’s east coast and 2,514 on the west coast of the state. The final numbers will be available following verification of survey data.

FWC, partners release dozens of sea turtles rescued from cold in NW Fla. waters

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and several partners returned approximately 50 sea turtles to the wild today in the Gulf of Mexico off Cape San Blas after the animals were rescued from last week’s cold water temperatures.
“It is very satisfying to be able to release these turtles following the exhaustive effort put in by rescuers last week,” said Dr. Allen Foley, FWC sea turtle biologist. “Our staff, partners and volunteers spent many hours braving cold conditions to search for and rescue these cold-stunned turtles.”
The sea turtles were rescued between Jan. 7 and Jan. 9, when water temperatures dipped below 50 degrees, causing cold-stunning. Cold-stunned turtles may float listlessly in the water or wash ashore, largely unable to move. In this state, they are susceptible to further effects from the weather, and to attacks by gulls that often involve eye injuries. Many of these turtles would die without human intervention.

Weekly Fishing Report by Capt. Rick Grassett

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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, pompano and trout in Sarasota Bay on flies and CAL jigs with shad tails during the past week. The best action of the week was with Spanish mackerel on deep grass flats.

Anna Maria and Sarasota winter residents, Bill Morrison and Gary Marple, fished with me on Monday morning. We fished deep grass flats at Stephens and near Bishop Point where they had steady action catching and releasing numerous Spanish mackerel, a few trout and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies.

Beale Ong, from St. Michaels, MD and Wright Elliott, from NY, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday morning. They had good action with Spanish mackerel to 4-lbs, pompano and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails on deep grass flats near Bishop Point. Tom Lamb, from Geneva, Switzerland and Roy Glah and Diane Muhlfeld, from Sarasota, FL, fished the same area with me that afternoon. The action heated up as they had fast action catching and releasing numerous Spanish mackerel to 4-pounds, bluefish and a couple of pompano on CAL jigs with shad tails.

Nick Reding, from Longboat Key, FL and Tony Merlis, from NH, fished with me on Wednesday. We fished deep grass flats and drop offs on the west side of the bay where they had good action catching and releasing numerous Spanish mackerel to 4-pounds and pompano on Ultra Hair Clouser flies.

Frank Zaffino, from Rochester, NY and his sons, Frank and John, fished with me on Thursday. We fished deep grass flats at Stephens and near Bishop Point where they had steady action catching and releasing Spanish mackerel and trout 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

To create a forecast specific to

your zip code visit

www.wunderground.com

Fishing Forecast

Sea fog will continue to impact the waters south of Tampa Bay through mid morning Monday ... and may continue or re-form later in the day or tonight. A weak trough of low pressure drifts across the East Gulf then Florida during the next couple of days. Then a cold front traverses the Gulf mid-week ... followed by high pressure building in for the end of the week.

Monday

Southwest winds around 5 knots then becoming west around 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Patchy fog in the morning. A chance of showers in the morning ... then a slight chance of showers in the afternoon. Monday night brings north winds around 5 knots then becoming east after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth.

2014/02/24Mon03:24 AM-0.35L

2014/02/24Mon07:42 PM1.98H

Tuesday

East winds around 5 knots then becoming west around 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers in the morning. Tuesday night will bring northwest winds around 5 knots then becoming southwest after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth.

2014/02/25Tue04:28 AM-0.48L

2014/02/25Tue11:28 AM1.13H

2014/02/25Tue03:07 PM0.95L

2014/02/25Tue09:01 PM2.04H

Wednesday

West winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A chance of showers in the morning ... then showers likely and a slight chance of thunderstorms. Thunderstorms may increase winds and seas in the afternoon. Wednesday night will bring north winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A chance of showers.

2014/02/26Wed05:20 AM-0.54L

2014/02/26Wed11:53 AM1.21H

2014/02/26Wed04:23 PM0.81L

2014/02/26Wed10:09 PM2.09H

Thursday

North winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers. Thursday night will bring northeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. A slight chance of showers.

2014/02/27Thu06:04 AM-0.52L

2014/02/27Thu12:16 PM1.29H

2014/02/27Thu05:24 PM0.61L

2014/02/27Thu11:08 PM2.09H

Friday

Northeast winds around 5 knots in the morning then becoming variable less than 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth.

2014/02/28Fri06:42 AM-0.42L

2014/02/28Fri12:37 PM1.39H

2014/02/28Fri06:18 PM0.4L

Solunar Forecast