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Catch of the Week |
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| Paul Cuthbertson, from Aberdeen, Scotland, caught and released this nice snook on a Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing a Sarasota Bay lighted dock at night with Capt. Rick Grassett. |
Due to an increased number of tubing incidents, the FWC is reminding people about tubing safety. Our contributing captain Rick Grassett says anglers can beat the heat by catch and release snook fishing before daylight and then look for reds, trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, tripletail and more in Sarasota Bay. Reds are schooling in Sarasota Bay. Look for nervous patches of water or large wakes to find them.
FWC wants boaters to stay safe while tubing
Inner tubes. Towables. Inflatable tubes. All are commonly used names for a popular boating item, and they come in many different shapes and sizes.
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Unfortunately, there have been several recent accidents around the state in which passengers on a towable device struck an object, such as a dock, channel marker, piling or other boat. Last year, five people were injured and two were killed during these types of accidents.
The FWC says these and other accidents can be prevented through a few key precautions, including one particularly that the helmsman should keep the tube rider away from fixed objects or other boats in the water or near the water's edge to avoid collision.
Although there is no required specific distance to keep away from fixed objects or other boats, operators should not pull the tuber close enough to anything where there is risk of collision.
“A good rule of thumb is this: Twice the line should be fine,” Moore said. “If you consider the length of your towline and are diligent in keeping your boat at least two lengths of your towline away from all boats and other objects, you are much more likely to provide your riders with an enjoyable, safe time on the water.”
The FWC says that these additional safety tips are very important as well:
▪ Any riders being towed behind a vessel are required to wear a life jacket; however, it cannot be the inflatable style.
▪ The boat operator must have another person onboard who can observe the rider(s) being towed and alert the operator of any issues. In place of the observer, the operator may use appropriate wide-angle rear-view mirrors. However, the safest bet is to use a “spotter” or observer. That way, the operator can concentrate on driving the boat and pay attention to what is in front of and around him or her. The spotter has a much better ability to watch the person being towed.
▪ Boaters may pull riders on towable water sport items only during the day – from a half-hour before sunrise until a half-hour past sunset.
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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, had good action catching and releasing snook, trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, mangrove snapper and jacks on flies, DOA Deadly Combos, CAL jigs with shad tails and top water plugs in Sarasota Bay during the past week. The best action was with snook and a variety of species on deep grass flats.
James Stewart, from Inverness, Scotland and his friend Paul Cuthbertson, from Aberdeen, Scotland, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday morning. We started before dawn to snook fish around lighted docks. They had fast action, catching and releasing about 15 snook to 25” on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. We fished deep grass flats on both sides of Sarasota Bay after daylight where they caught and released trout to 23” on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Their first snook and largest trout on fly!
Capt. Bill Miller, from Tampa, FL, fished with me on Wednesday morning to film an episode of his new TV show “Fishing with Bill Miller”. We had the same plan as the day before and the action was good. We caught and released more than a dozen snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly before daylight. Snook and jacks busted baitfish along a seawall at dawn, so we cast top water plugs and caught and released jacks, snook, Spanish mackerel and even mangrove snapper. We also had steady action with trout on DOA Deadly Combos near Bishop Point.
Tom Dunn and sons, Ryan and Brad, from St. Louis, MO, fished deep grass flats along the west side of Sarasota Bay with me on Thursday morning. They had steady action catching and releasing blues, Spanish mackerel, trout, jacks and sailcats on DOA Deadly Combos.
I took my wife, Karen, fishing on Saturday morning. We had great action catching and releasing blues and jacks to 4-pounds and trout to 18” fishing deep grass flats on the west side of the bay on DOA Deadly Combos, top water plugs and a fly popper/dropper combo. We have a lot of success with trout in Montana with a hopper/dropper rig that consists of a foam hopper with a small nymph about 24”-30” behind it. Lefty Kreh has also described this technique as being one of the best for catching spotted sea trout. I used a foam popper with either a small Clouser or my Grassett Snook Minnow fly behind it and had some great surface explosions. The small fly behind the popper was equally as effective and I had several doubles with fish on both flies!
Beat the heat by catch and release snook fishing before daylight and then look for reds, trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, tripletail and more in Sarasota Bay. Reds are schooling in Sarasota Bay. Look for nervous patches of water or large wakes to find them.
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
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Fishing Forecast
A frontal system will gradually stall across the waters this evening and remain across the area through mid-week. Winds and waves will be elevated with numerous showers and thunderstorms. Mariners should stay abreast of the latest weather forecast and conditions.
Monday
A frontal system will gradually stall across the waters this evening and remain across the area through mid-week. Winds and waves will be elevated with numerous showers and thunderstorms. Mariners should stay abreast of the latest weather forecast and conditions.
2013/09/23Mon02:35 a.m.2.52H
2013/09/23Mon10:28 a.m.0.36L
2013/09/23Mon04:38 p.m.1.79H
2013/09/23Mon09:35 p.m.1.33L
Tuesday
South winds around 10 knots then becoming southwest in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms. Tuesday night will bring southwest winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.
2013/09/24Tue03:08 a.m.2.5H
2013/09/24Tue11:20 a.m.0.42L
2013/09/24Tue05:42 p.m.1.68H
2013/09/24Tue10:04 p.m.1.42L
Wednesday
Southwest winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms. Wednesday night will bring west winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms.
2013/09/25Wed03:48 a.m.2.43H
2013/09/25Wed12:20 p.m.0.49L
2013/09/25Wed07:11 p.m.1.62H
2013/09/25Wed10:42 p.m.1.5L
Thursday
North winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. Thursday night will bring northeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms in the evening.
2013/09/26Thu04:37 a.m.2.33H
2013/09/26Thu01:31 p.m.0.55L
2013/09/26Thu09:00 p.m.1.64H
2013/09/26Thu11:50 p.m.1.57L
Friday
Northeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Isolated thunderstorms.
2013/09/27Fri05:45 a.m.2.22H
2013/09/27Fri02:45 p.m.0.58L
2013/09/27Fri10:06 p.m.1.71H
Solunar Forecast
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