ishing Captain Favorite's Fishing Forum: Feb. 16, 2015

CATCH OF THE WEEK

Alan Sugar, from Ann Arbor, Mich., caught and released this pompano on a Clouser fly while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.

BRADENTON – NOAA is predicting wintertime weather patterns to continue this week, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms on Wednesday. Gray triggerfish season concluded February 7. FWC commissioners are seeking input for a red snapper season change, and have also designated the Saturday after Mother's Day as lionfish removal day.

• Gray triggerfish closing to recreational harvest in Gulf state waters Saturday, Feb. 7
• The recreational harvest of gray triggerfish will close in Gulf state waters Saturday, Feb. 7. The season will remain closed through Dec. 31 and will apply in 2015 only. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) discussed gray triggerfish at its February meeting in Jacksonville and received public testimony in support of a state waters closure.
  This closure is consistent with a federal closure also starting Feb. 7 and remaining closed through Dec. 31.

• Commission directs staff to hold public workshops on Gulf red snapper season
  At its meeting Feb. 5 in Jacksonville, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) directed staff to host several workshops prior to the April Commission meeting in an effort to gather additional stakeholder input on the 2015 recreational red snapper season in Gulf state waters.
• The 2015 season preferred by the Commissioners that will be discussed at workshops would start the Saturday before Memorial Day (May 23) and run through July 12, resume for all of Labor Day weekend (Sept. 5-7) and finish with Saturdays and Sundays throughout September and October, with the season ending Nov. 1. This proposed season would be 70 days.
• The 2014 season began the Saturday before Memorial Day and remained open through July 14 (a total of 52 days).
• Once finalized, a list of workshop locations, dates and times will be publicized in a news release and online at MyFWC.com/Fishing by clicking on “Saltwater,” “Rulemaking” and “Public Workshops.”

• FWC raises awareness on lionfish issue with creation of ‘Removal’ day
  The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) adopted a resolution to help raise awareness about the invasive-lionfish issue. At its meeting Feb. 5 in Jacksonville, the FWC designated the first Saturday after Mother’s Day each year to be Lionfish Removal and Awareness Day.
• On this day, through education and outreach, the FWC will encourage extra effort from the public to remove lionfish from Florida waters.

WEEKLY FISHING REPORT BY CAPT. RICK GRASSETT

 

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, caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish and pompano on a variety of DOA lures and flies in Sarasota Bay and snook and bluefish in the ICW near Venice on flies during the past week.

Bill Moore, from Libertyville, Ill., had a good day in Sarasota Bay with me on Monday. With an approaching front we worked deep grass flats on both sides of the bay where he caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel and bluefish on CAL jigs with shad tails, DOA Deadly Combos and DOA Shrimp.

Frank Zaffino, from Rochester, NY, fished the ICW near Venice with me on Tuesday night and had great action catching and releasing snook to 26 inches on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. Martin Marlowe, from N.Y., and his guest, Tim Hearon from Sarasota, also had great action catching and releasing snook on flies on Wednesday night. An outgoing tide fueled by a strong north wind supercharged the tide and snook responded by going on a binge.

I monitor conditions closely this time of year, since snook may become stressed by cold water. However, often the warmest water of the day is on the outgoing tide in the evening after the sun heats water on shallow flats in the afternoon. I found water temperatures this week of 61 or 62 in the morning but warming to 65 degrees in the evening. We found snook feeding aggressively and swimming away strong in the warmer evening water.

Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key and I scouted Sarasota Bay in his boat on Thursday afternoon. We found a few nice trout in shallow water and got one to eat a fly. Alan Sugar, from Ann Arbor, Mich., fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday afternoon. Conditions were challenging with cold air and windy conditions following yet another front. However, he persisted until it paid off with a few hook ups and a nice pompano caught and released on a Clouser fly.

You may find trout, blues, pompano or founder in channels, troughs, basins or edges of flats, particularly when the tide is low. Look for reds and big trout mixed with mullet schools on shallow flats and edges of bars. Afternoons may fish better than mornings when water is cooler. Catch and release night snook fishing in the ICW can be good as long as it doesn't get too cold.

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

An active wintertime weather pattern will continue this week with a strong cold front passing through the waters over the next few days. An easterly wind will move through the area Monday, then increase from the south into Tuesday. The front passes Tuesday night with wind patterns changing again to northwest. Expect winds to increase to small craft advisory criteria on Wednesday followed by showers and thunderstorms.

Monday
Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots then becoming south 5 to 10 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Monday night will bring south winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.
2015/02/16 Mon 05:39 AM -0.61 L
2015/02/16 Mon 12:13 PM 1.16 H
2015/02/16 Mon 04:34 PM 0.81 L
2015/02/16 Mon 10:18 PM 2.11 H

Tuesday
South winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. A chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms.
Tuesday night will bring west winds 10 to 15 knots then becoming northwest around 20 knots after midnight. Seas 3 to 5 feet. Bay and inland waters choppy. Showers likely in the evening. A slight chance of thunderstorms. A chance of showers after midnight.
2015/02/17 Tue 06:22 AM -0.65 L
2015/02/17 Tue 12:38 PM 1.22 H
2015/02/17 Tue 05:31 PM 0.65 L
2015/02/17 Tue 11:14 PM 2.16 H

Wednesday
Northwest winds around 20 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Bay and inland waters choppy. A slight chance of showers. Wednesday night will bring northwest winds around 20 knots. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Bay and inland waters choppy.
2015/02/18 Wed 07:02 AM -0.6 L
2015/02/18 Wed 01:02 PM 1.29 H
2015/02/18 Wed 06:24 PM 0.47 L

Thursday
North winds around 20 knots diminishing to 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 feet. Bay and inland waters choppy. Thursday night will bring northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.
2015/02/19 Thu 12:07 AM 2.12 H
2015/02/19 Thu 07:38 AM -0.47 L
2015/02/19 Thu 01:26 PM 1.39 H
2015/02/19 Thu 07:16 PM 0.29 L

Friday
Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 feet. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.
2015/02/20 Fri 12:59 AM 2.01 H
2015/02/20 Fri 08:12 AM -0.27 L
2015/02/20 Fri 01:52 PM 1.51 H
2015/02/20 Fri 08:10 PM 0.13 L

Friday


North winds around 20 knots diminishing to 10 to 15 knots in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 4 feet. Bay and inland waters choppy.
2015/02/13 Fri 02:46 AM -0.16 L
2015/02/13 Fri 09:58 AM 0.9 H
2015/02/13 Fri 12:35 PM 0.85 L
2015/02/13 Fri 07:01 PM 1.84 H

Solunar Forecast