CATCH OF THE WEEK |
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Bill Moore, from Libertyvile, Ill., caught and released this permit on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing a deep grass flat on the west side of Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett. ![]() |
BRADENTON – Gulf recreational red snapper season closes July 15 in state waters. Weather Underground is predicting gusty winds Monday-Thursday. Captain Rick Grassett says tarpon fishing will remain strong next week as we head away from a full moon. Tarpon schools will break up after spawning then will return to the beach as singles, doubles and smaller schools that are ready to eat!
FISHING UPDATES
Gulf recreational red snapper season closes July 15 in state waters
FWC moves to simplify saltwater rules in 3 counties
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. |
Fly anglers fishing the coastal gulf in Sarasota with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, continued to have action with tarpon, getting numerous shots, jumping 5 and catching and releasing 1 during the past week.
Early in the week we saw fewer tarpon than anticipated, which were mostly singles, doubles and small schools of only a few fish. Even though they may be fewer, they are usually curious and aggressive. As we reached the full moon on Saturday large schools of tarpon became more plentiful in the mix.
Jerry Poslusny and Jay Peck, from Rochester, NY, fly fished for tarpon several days with me last week. Visibility was poor due to lots of cloud cover as numerous thunderstorms percolated up each day and we took cover from storms a couple of times. Despite tough conditions, they had shots at tarpon each day and jumped a couple, including a large female that somersaulted 10-12’ in the air as we watched in awe (with no camera in hand)!
Visibility was better on Friday, but we saw only a few tarpon early in the day. However, as the full moon, outgoing tide in the afternoon got stronger, tarpon began to flow. We had numerous shots, jumped 3 and caught and released 1, an estimated 100-pound fish. When conditions are right, tarpon can be very aggressive this time of year!
Tarpon fishing should remain strong next week as we head away from a full moon. Tarpon schools will break up after spawning and these fish should return to the beach as singles, doubles and smaller schools that are ready to eat! Inshore you should find trout, blues and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Look for reds and big trout on shallow flats or edges of bars early in the day. Catch and release snook fishing should also be good in passes and around docks and bridges close to passes.
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
Fishing Forecast
High pressure in the western Atlantic is ridging southwest over Florida producing a light south southeast wind flow and light seas over the coastal waters through the evening hours. For Monday through Wednesday...the winds will become southwest to west as the high pressure ridge axis drifts southward toward the Florida Keys. The only expected hazards will be gusty winds and higher seas in the vicinity of thunderstorms.
Monday
South winds around 5 knots then becoming southwest around 10 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Monday night will bring southwest winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.
2014/07/14Mon03:46 AM1.52H
2014/07/14Mon08:23 AM1.06L
2014/07/14Mon02:19 PM2.67H
2014/07/14Mon10:17 PM-0.1L
Tuesday
Southwest winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Tuesday night will bring southwest winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.
2014/07/15Tue04:17 AM1.61H
2014/07/15Tue09:27 AM0.98L
2014/07/15Tue03:14 PM2.45H
2014/07/15Tue10:56 PM0.11L
Wednesday
Southwest winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Wednesday night will bring southwest winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms.
2014/07/16Wed04:51 AM1.73H
2014/07/16Wed10:37 AM0.9L
2014/07/16Wed04:14 PM2.17H
2014/07/16Wed11:34 PM0.36L
Thursday
Southwest winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Thursday night will bring southwest winds around 5 knots then becoming south around 5 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms.
2014/07/17Thu05:28 AM1.87H
2014/07/17Thu11:54 AM0.82L
2014/07/17Thu05:22 PM1.86H
Friday
South winds around 5 knots then becoming northwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. Scattered thunderstorms.
2014/07/18Fri12:12 AM0.6L
2014/07/18Fri06:09 AM2.01H
2014/07/18Fri01:19 PM0.71L
2014/07/18Fri06:47 PM1.58H
Solunar Forecast