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

CATCH OF THE WEEK

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.

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