ishing Captain Favorite's Fishing Forum Aug 27, 2012

Catch of the Week
Catch and release snook around lighted docks and bridges on flies or CAL jigs with shad tails or jerk worms should be a good option now. Dan Bolin, from TX, caught and released this one on a Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett in early August.

BRADENTON – All eyes are on Isaac as the storm passes by Manatee County on Monday and travels toward the Louisiana and Mississippi coasts. Boat owners were urged to secure their vessels before the storm. Capt. Grassett expects fishing should rebound quickly after the storm. He recommends catching and releasing snook before dawn and then moving to the flats for trout and reds in Sarasota Bay. Tarpon in upper Charlotte Harbor may also be a good option, and an influx of water can often make that even better.

Fishing Updates

Boat owners urged to secure their vessels before storm hits

•  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) advises boat owners to secure their boats properly in advance of possible sustained heavy winds from Tropical Storm Isaac.
• Vessels that break free can cause problems to waterways by causing fuel and oil pollution; drifting into bridges, docks, seawalls and piers; and interfering with navigation. In addition, the boats themselves can sustain damage.
• ”Now is the time to properly secure your vessel to make sure it doesn’t break free and cause damage to property or result in people getting injured,“ said Capt. Tom Shipp with the FWC’s Boating and Waterways Section.
• If boat owners trailer their boats, the FWC recommends they secure their vessels in a safe location, let some air out of the trailer tires, block the wheels and, if possible, anchor the boat down and/or add weight to help keep the boat in place.
• Florida has laws that relate to abandoned vessels. The state is often overwhelmed with lost, abandoned and damaged vessels following significant weather events.
• Residents are encouraged to call their local law enforcement agencies or the FWC at 888-404-3922 to report vessels that have broken free.
• The FWC’s Division of Law Enforcement and other law enforcement agencies are often tasked with helping people who intentionally put themselves at risk, such as personal watercraft operators who view the high waves created by a storm as an opportunity to jump waves.
• ”Thrill-seekers are advised to avoid the waters and high winds created from the storm,“ Shipp said. ”Please keep in mind that when people choose to act irresponsibly, they jeopardize others. They cause law enforcement officers, rescue workers and other emergency personnel to risk their lives unnecessarily.“
• Tropical storms and hurricanes are unpredictable. All boaters are urged to keep up to date on the path of this storm and take the appropriate actions. To find out more about properly mooring vessels, reporting debris and for other useful information, go to MyFWC.com/Boating, click on ”Safety & Education“ and select ”Hurricane.“ Report damaged markers by calling 866-405-BUOY (866-405-2869). 

East coast blue crab trap closure ending early

• Recreational and commercial blue crab traps may be placed back in the water in certain areas of Florida’s east coast starting Sunday, Aug. 26, four days earlier than scheduled.
• The 10-day closure that affects Nassau through Volusia county waters started August 20 and was set to end August 29, but it will reopen four days early because efforts to remove lost and abandoned traps will have been completed.
• Lost and abandoned blue crab traps are a problem in the blue crab fishery because, when left in the water, they can continue to trap crabs and fish. They can also be unsightly in the marine environment, damage sensitive habitats and pose navigational hazards to boaters on the water.
• The August 20 closure that is ending August 26 includes Nassau, Duval, St. Johns, Flagler and Volusia counties.
• There are six regularly scheduled regional closures in total: three occurring in even-numbered years on the east coast and three in odd-numbered years on the west coast,

Weekly Fishing Report by Capt. Rick Grassett

After being away for a couple of weeks on a family vacation and hosting a group of clients on my annual trip to Crane Meadow Lodge in Twin Bridges, Montana, it’s good to be back home in Sarasota. As beautiful as it is in many other places, returning to the paradise we live in makes the end of a fishing trip or vacation easier to accept. Late summer is typically a slower time of the year with great fishing!

Catch and release snook around lighted docks and bridges, trout and reds on the flats, false albacore (little tunny) in the coastal gulf and late season tarpon are some of the options available now. This time of year I often fish for snook or tarpon around lighted docks and bridges before dawn and then move to shallow flats for reds and trout in the ”witching hour“, the first hour of daylight. When heat starts to affect fishing, usually before noon, it’s time to head for home. False albacore will usually start to become plentiful along beaches or in the Tampa Bay ship channel as bait becomes thick. There may be a few tarpon left in the coastal gulf, although you’ll find more in upper Charlotte Harbor right now. Large fish may be feeding in baitfish or ladyfish schools in open water and you might find juvenile tarpon to about 40-pounds in creeks and canals. It’s not the clear water, sight fishing that we enjoy along our beaches, but they show up there to eat!

I scouted Sarasota Bay early on Friday and found good conditions. Except for some floating grass, the water was clear and not too warm (85 degrees) for that time of day. I also found good conditions in the coastal gulf and saw lots of bait schools in a tide line close to passes.

I caught and released a few trout on CAL jigs with jerk worms and located some reds along the west side of the bay. The key to finding reds is often finding mullet schools. Reds like to embed themselves in large schools of mullet to feed on baitfish and crustaceans being spooked by the mullet, although it may still require a lot of blind casting to catch them.

Tropical storm/Hurricane Isaac will more than likely affect our weather early next week. However, conditions should improve by the middle of the week and depending on how much rain we get, fishing should rebound quickly. Catch and release snook before dawn and then moving to the flats for trout and reds in Sarasota Bay should be a good option. Tarpon in upper Charlotte Harbor may also be a good option and often an influx of water can make that even better.

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

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

Fishing Forecast 

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

The forecast waters will remain between a ridge of high pressure to our north and Tropical Storm Isaac passing to our south this evening and then into the southeast Gulf of Mexico by Monday morning. The gradient between these two systems will continue to tighten through tonight with Isaac forecast to strengthen to a hurricane over the eastern Gulf of Mexico Monday evening. For additional information on Tropical Storm Isaac see the latest advisories being issued by the National Hurricane Center.

Monday

Tropical storm conditions expected. Southeast winds 30 to 35 knots with gusts to around 45 knots possible in the morning...then decreasing to 20 to 30 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters extremely rough. Showers and isolated thunderstorms. Monday night Tropical storm conditions possible. Southeast winds 20 to 25 knots with gusts to around 35 knots possible. Bay and inland waters rough. A chance of thunderstorms.

2012/08/27Mon12:19 a.m.1.59H

2012/08/27Mon02:49 a.m.1.52L

2012/08/27Mon09:22 a.m.2.57H

2012/08/27Mon05:54 p.m.0.17L

Tuesday

South winds around 20 knots. Bay and inland waters choppy. A chance of thunderstorms. Tuesday night will bring south winds 15 to 20 knots. Bay and inland waters choppy. Scattered thunderstorms.

2012/08/28Tue12:37 a.m.1.64H

2012/08/28Tue04:27 a.m.1.42L

2012/08/28Tue10:36 a.m. 2.61H

2012/08/28Tue06:40 p.m.       0.19L

Wednesday

South winds 15 to 20 knots. Bay and inland waters choppy. Scattered thunderstorms. Wednesday night will bring south winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Scattered thunderstorms.

2012/08/29Wed12:56 a.m.1.7H

2012/08/29Wed05:37 a.m.1.26L

2012/08/29Wed11:37 a.m.2.61H

2012/08/29Wed07:17 p.m.0.28L

Thursday

South winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Thursday night will bring south winds around 15 knots then becoming southeast 5 to 10 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Isolated thunderstorms.

2012/08/30Thu01:14 a.m.1.78H

2012/08/30Thu06:32 a.m.1.07L

2012/08/30Thu12:28 p.m.       2.56H

2012/08/30Thu07:48 p.m.0.42L

Friday

East winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms.

2012/08/31Fri01:29 a.m.1.88H

2012/08/31Fri07:20 a.m.0.9L

2012/08/31Fri01:13 p.m.       2.47H

2012/08/31Fri08:14 p.m.0.57L

Solunar Forecast