Captain Favorite's Fishing Forum July 4, 2011

Capt. John Irwin, from Charleston, S.C., caught and released this nice flounder on a DOA Terroryz.

Catch of the Week

Capt. John Irwin, from Charleston, S.C., caught and released this nice flounder on a DOA Terroryz in the St. Lucie River while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett at the annual DOA Guide/Outdoor Writer festival held out of River Palm Cottages & Fish Camp in Jensen Beach, Fla.

Fishing Updates

NOAA Seeking Public Comment on Proposed Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Generic Annual Catch Limits/Accountability Measures Amendment for the Gulf of Mexico 

•  NOAA Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on a  Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the  Generic Annual Catch Limits /Accountability Measures  Amendment for the  Gulf of Mexico  Reef Fish, Red Drum, Shrimp, and Coral and Coral Reef fishery management plans (FMPs).   A DEIS is a draft analysis of potential significant impacts that proposed management actions can have on the natural and social environment.  The analysis compares a series of alternatives for each action to evaluate the effects on the environment.  The  Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of the DEIS in the Federal Register on  July 1, 2011 (76  FR 127).  The public comment period ends on August 15, 2011

You may submit comments by any of the following methods:

• Electronic Submissions: Federal e-Rulemaking  Portal:  http://www.regulations.gov.  After selecting ”submit a comment,“ enter the following docket number into the ”Search“ box: NOAA-NMFS-2011-0143.  All comments received  are part of the public record and will generally be posted to http://www.regulations.gov without change.  All personal identifying information (for example, name, address, etc.) voluntarily submitted by the commenter may be publicly accessible.  Do not submit confidential business information or otherwise sensitive or protected information.  NOAA Fisheries Service will accept anonymous comments. 
•  Attachments to electronic comments will be accepted  in Microsoft Word, Excel, WordPerfect, or Adobe PDF file formats only. 
•  Mail:  Rich Malinowski, NOAA Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, Sustainable Fisheries Division, 263 13th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, Florida 33701-5505.

FWC announces Blue Crab Trap Area Closure

• The harvest of blue crabs from traps will not be allowed from July 10 through July 19 in the waters of Broward through Pasco counties. This closure will give authorized groups the opportunity to identify and retrieve lost and abandoned blue crab traps from the coastal and inland waters in this area. All commercial and recreational blue crab traps within three nautical miles of shore and in the inland waters of Broward County, south to and around the tip of Florida and north up the Gulf coast through Pasco County must be removed during the 10-day closed period.
• The harvest of blue crabs by other gear, such as dip nets and fold-up traps, will still be permitted during the 10-day closure. The closure also applies to recreational harvesters who use standard blue crab traps, unless the traps are attached to private property.

Weekly Fishing Report by Capt. Rick Grassett

Capt. Rick Grassett with a nice Indian River trout caught and released on a DOA holographic shrimp at the annual DOA Guide/Outdoor Writer festival held out of River Palm Cottages & Fish Camp in Jensen Beach, Fla. Rusty Chinnis photo.

Tarpon fishing remains good off Sarasota beaches, although conditions this week made it challenging. Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, jumped several tarpon on flies and landed one. I also spent a couple of days over in Stuart, Fla. at the annual DOA Guide/Outdoor Writer Festival, where we caught and released snook, trout, flounder, black drum and jacks.

The DOA event is held out of River Palm Cottages and Fish Camp, ”A Cool Place to Stay“, on the banks of the Indian River in Jensen Beach, Fla. It is the perfect spot for a weekend getaway. Not only is it right on the Indian River, it has a Florida Keys atmosphere with a nice Tiki Hut, dockage for boats and they’re pet friendly, too. Outdoor writers, sponsors and guides were matched up daily to fish the fertile waters of the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers. Tarpon to 100 pounds, snook to 30 pounds, trout to more than 10-lbs, reds and permit were caught and released on DOA baits by anglers participating in the event.        

Capt. John Irwin, from Charleston, S.C., fished the Indian and St. Lucie Rivers with me on Monday. The action wasn’t fast, but we caught a variety of species including snook, trout, flounder and black drum on DOA TerrorEyz, DOA shrimp and CAL jigs with shad tails. Capt. Dave Lear, from Tallahassee, Fla. and Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, Fla., fished with me on Tuesday. We caught and released a couple of snook on DOA shrimp in the St. Lucie Inlet and a couple of nice trout on a sandbar in the Indian River near River Palm Cottages.

Back in Sarasota conditions weren’t great for tarpon fishing, although fish were aggressive; free jumping, tail slapping and eating baits off the surface. Overcast skies, thunderstorms and rough water caused fish to be deep in the water column requiring quick presentations. Despite poor conditions, we had numerous shots at tarpon each day. The issue was seeing a fish soon enough to make a presentation and get your fly deep enough in the water column. An angler on my boat on Wednesday jumped 3 tarpon on Deceiver and Tarpon Rat flies and landed one of about 70 pounds. Two tarpon were hooked with only 20 feet of line outside the rod tip.

Tarpon action should be good next week as we head away from the new moon. The best action has been on afternoon outgoing tides. Flats action in Sarasota Bay for trout, Spanish mackerel, blues and more should also be a good option although the best action is usually in the morning before heat becomes an issue. Catch and release snook fishing around lighted docks and bridge fenders close to passes should also be a good option and is a great way to beat the heat.

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

To create a forecast specific to your zip code visit www.wunderground.com

Fishing Forecast

A return to a more typical summertime high-pressure pattern will build back into the area by Monday and bring daily sea breezes and afternoon storms.

Monday

East winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Monday night will bring southeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Tides

Tuesday

Southeast winds around 5 knots becoming southwest 10 knots in the late morning and early afternoon, then becoming north 5 knots late in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. There will be 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. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Tides

Wednesday

East winds around 5 knots becoming south 10 knots in the late morning and early afternoon, then becoming east 5 knots late in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Tides

Solunar Forecast