ishing Captain Favorite's Fishing Forum Oct. 22, 2012

Catch of the Week
Brian Logun, from Marietta, GA, caught and released this 27-inch snook on a CAL jig with grub tail while fishing a Sarasota Bay sand bar with Capt. Rick Grassett.

BRADENTON – The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is next weekend along with the Fall Fly Fishing Challenge and the opening of Marine Quest in St. Petersburg. There are no reports of red tide off Sarasota beaches from Venice north at this time. Fishing for false albacore, Spanish mackerel, tripletail and more in the coastal gulf should continue to get better as the water cools and baitfish schools become more concentrated. Shallow water fishing for reds, trout and snook should also continue to improve as it gets cooler.

Fishing Updates

Fort Lauderdale Boat Show is Next Weekend!

• Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the "Yachting Capital of the World" will host the 53rd Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show on October 25-29, 2012.
• Show exhibits range from yacht builders and designers to exotic cars and brokerage yachts.
• A wide variety of boats and sea vessels will be on display including runabouts, sportfishers, high performance boats, center consoles, cabin cruisers, flats boats, skiffs, express cruisers, sailing yachts, motor yachts, bowriders, catamarans, ski boats, jet boats, trawlers, inflatables, canoes, and extraordinary superyachts.
• Covering six locations and over 3 million square feet of space, the show's transportation network of bus shuttles, water taxis, and riverboats ensures attendees can easily navigate the boat show and its expansive waterways system. Added attractions include The Blue Wild Dive Show, IGFA's School of Sportfishing and Hook the Future's Kids Fishing Clinics.

 Fall Fly Fishing Challenge

• The Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers and Sarasota Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association will hold their 8th annual Fall Fly Fishing Challenge Oct. 27.
• The catch, photo and release event will feature an Open Division for guides and anglers fishing with guides (all anglers are eligible to compete in the Open Division), and a Fly Angler Division (no guides).
• In the Open Division, eligible species include snook, redfish and spotted seatrout. Those in the Fly Angler Division will fish for a variety of species, including snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, bluefish, ladyfish, flounder, snapper, jack crevalle, pompano and permit based on a points-per-inch system.
• Entry fee is $50 and includes an awards barbecue at Ken Clark Auditorium, 3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.
• Tournament applications are available at area tackle shops or online at http://ccaflorida.org and http://mangrovecoastflyfishers.com.
• Competitors’ meeting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Trader Vic’s, 351 N. Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota.
• For information, call Rick Grassett at (941) 923-7799 or Steve Gibson at (941) 284-3406.

Weekly Fishing Report by Capt. Rick Grassett

Capt. Rick Grassett with a nice Spanish mackerel caught and released on a fly popper while fishing off Longboat Key.

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 snook, trout and flounder in Sarasota Bay and false albacore (little tunny) and Spanish mackerel in the coastal gulf off Longboat Key on lures and flies during the past week.

Brian Logun, from Marietta, GA, fished Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf with me on Monday and Tuesday. He caught and released a couple of snook to 27 inch, a 19 inch flounder and a few trout on CAL jigs with grub tails in shallow water in north Sarasota Bay on Monday. We also spent some time in the coastal gulf where he caught and released Spanish mackerel to 5-pounds on flies and top water plugs. His son, Sam, joined us on Tuesday and we headed straight for the fast action in the gulf. They caught and released numerous Spanish mackerel in the 4 to 5-pound class and a couple of false albacore to 10-pounds on top water plugs and CAL jigs with shad tails. Great action!

Billy Bleeker, from CO, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday. He wanted to tune up his fly casting skills, so we  worked on that while we cast to edges of bars in shallow water. He caught and released a 19“ trout on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly near Big Pass.

The action continued on Thursday when fly anglers Cam Dilley, from Tampa, FL and John Green, from Clearwater, FL, fished Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf with me. We fished shallow water in north Sarasota Bay where they each caught and released a snook on my Grassett Flats Bunny fly. We headed into the coastal gulf mid morning and found lots of Spanish mackerel and false albacore feeding on the surface. They caught and released numerous Spanish mackerel to 3-pounds and a pair of albies to 10-pounds on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly.

There are no reports of red tide off Sarasota beaches from Venice north at this time. Fishing for false albacore, Spanish mackerel, tripletail and more in the coastal gulf should continue to get better as the water cools and baitfish schools become more concentrated. Shallow water fishing for reds, trout and snook should also continue to improve as it gets cooler.

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

A large ridge of high pressure will become anchored over the mid-Atlantic states this week. An area of disturbed weather over the Caribbean Sea is expected to lift northward toward the Bahamas late in the week. The combination of these two features will promote a moderate east to northeast flow through the period.

Monday

Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots then becoming east around 15 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Monday night will bring northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.

2012/10/22Mon12:02 a.m.1.56L

2012/10/22Mon05:57 a.m.2.23H

2012/10/22Mon02:43 p.m.0.34L

2012/10/22Mon09:47 p.m.1.72H

Tuesday

East winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Tuesday night will bring northeast winds around 15 knots diminishing to 10 knots late. Bay and inland waters choppy.

2012/10/23Tue02:25 a.m.1.42L

2012/10/23Tue07:53 a.m.2.06H

2012/10/23Tue03:42 p.m.0.47L

2012/10/23Tue10:11 p.m.1.84H

Wednesday

Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Wednesday night will bring northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.

2012/10/24Wed04:01 a.m.1.15L

2012/10/24Wed09:33 a.m.1.98H

2012/10/24Wed04:30 p.m.0.61L

2012/10/24Wed10:35 p.m.1.97H

Thursday

Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Thursday night will bring northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.

2012/10/25Thu05:06 a.m.0.84L

2012/10/25Thu10:48 a.m.1.95H

2012/10/25Thu05:09 p.m.0.77L

2012/10/25Thu10:57 p.m.2.1H

Friday

Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.

2012/10/26Fri05:55 a.m.0.56L

2012/10/26Fri11:49 a.m.1.92H

2012/10/26Fri05:42 p.m.0.92L

2012/10/26Fri11:18 p.m.2.23H

Solunar Forecast