Captain Favorite's Fishing Forum July 18, 2011

Catch of the Week

Fly fishing guide, Jay Peck from Spencerport, NY, jumped this tarpon on a fly in the coastal Gulf off Sarasota while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett.

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Fishing Updates

Gulf Red Snapper Sport Season Ends July 18 

• This summer's recreational red snapper season in the Gulf of Mexico is coming to an end. The last day to recreationally harvest red snapper is July 18. This closure was established to limit the harvest of red snapper in the Gulf and help rebuild overfished stocks so that anglers can enjoy better red snapper fishing in the future.

Blue Crab Trap Area Closure Set to End 

• The harvest of blue crabs from traps in all waters of Broward through Pasco counties will reopen on July 20. The use of traps to capture blue crabs was prohibited in this area for a 10-day period so that lost and abandoned traps that remained in coastal and inland waters could be identified and removed.
• Six regional 10-day blue crab trap closures take place in Florida at different times over two-year periods, including a 10-day closure that begins on July 20 in the waters of Hernando through Wakulla counties, including all waters of the Ochlocknee River and its bay.

Jay Peck from Spencerport, N.Y., jumped this tarpon on a fly in the coastal gulf off Sarasota while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett

Weekly Fishing Report by Capt. Rick Grassett

Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf along Sarasota beaches is still good. Fly anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon during the past week. Conditions were better early in the week when we had better sunlight and sea conditions. Although tarpon have already spawned by this time of the season and large schools have made way for singles doubles and small schools, they are aggressive. We have been seeing 50 to 100 fish per day and averaging 20 or more shots per day at tarpon.

Fly anglers fishing with me 4 days last week had 9 bites and hooked or jumped 4 tarpon. Accuracy is very important when sight-fishing for tarpon. The fly must be in the right place for the right fish for it to work. Happy fish are high in the water column and meandering as they travel. Fish that are deep in the water column or moving fast are tougher, but it may work if you get the fly down to them fast enough.

Palmetto, Fla. winter resident, Jerry Poslusny, and Jay Peck, a fly fishing guide from Spencerport, N.Y., tarpon-fished with me on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. They had 8 bites and hooked or jumped 4 of them. Jon Yenari, from Sarasota, Fla., fished with me on Friday. Sea conditions were rough that day, but the fish were there. He had more than 20 shots at tarpon and had one eat. There are many variables when it comes to fly fishing for tarpon. Even when everything else is right, if the fly is in a boney part of the fish’s mouth it may jump off.  The most fun is the bite and the fight!

Tarpon action should continue through July. As the number of fish in the coastal gulf declines they will move to inside waters of Sarasota Bay, Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor where you may find them around bridges, on deep grass flats or in deep holes. Action should also be good in Sarasota Bay on shallow and deep grass flats for trout, reds, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and more. The best action on the flats will be early in the day before heat affects the action.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

(941) 923-7799

E-mail snookfin@aol.com

www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com

Fishing Forecast

Surface high pressure over the mid-Atlantic coast dominates as a weak trough across the waters late this morning drifts into South Florida tonight. This high pressure will continue through midweek as it weakens.

Monday

North winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Monday night will bring east winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms in the evening.

Tides

Tuesday

Northeast winds around 5 knots becoming northwest 10 knots in the late morning and afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Tuesday night will bring east winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Tides 

Wednesday

East winds around 5 knots becoming northwest 10 knots in the late morning and afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Wednesday night will bring northwest winds around 10 knots until early morning becoming variable less than 5 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Tides 

Thursday

West winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Isolated thunderstorms in the morning then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Tides

Solunar Forecast