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Trout Season Closes In S. Region

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 1, 2007

GO FISHING is a daily look at the area fishing scene through the eyes of local charter boat captains and fishing guides. Today: Rick Grassett.

Fly anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action recently on the grass flats in Sarasota Bay.

I waded near Long Bar with several other fly anglers last weekend while fishing the Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers/Coastal Conservation Association Fall Fly Fishing Challenge.

Although we didn't win an award, we caught and released eight redfish and numerous trout on Clouser and Flats Minnow flies fished on floating fly lines. Most tournament anglers were successful, catching and releasing a variety of fish including snook, reds, trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, ladyfish and jacks. Four slams (snook, trout and redfish) were recorded by fly anglers fishing north Sarasota, Palma Sola and Terra Ceia bays.

Fly anglers fishing deep grass flats on Sarasota Bay with me recently caught and released numerous trout, several nice bluefish, jacks and lots of juvenile gag grouper on Clouser flies fished on intermediate and intermediate sink tip fly lines. The fastest action was at Stephens Point.

Captains Jack Ryan and Bruce Burkhart, both also out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters, reported catching Spanish mackerel, bonito, sharks and jumping a tarpon while trolling plugs and spoons in the coastal Gulf off Siesta Key this week. The best action has been trolling or casting around numerous bait schools.
Trout season closes today in the south region (south of Fred Howard Park Causeway) and will remain closed through December. It is inevitable that you will catch and release trout during November and December while targeting other species on deep grass flats. I bend barbs down on my hooks and use a 'J' hook-release tool to avoid handling them and to release them quickly and easily.

I expect the action in the coastal Gulf to continue, and flats fishing should get better as water temperatures fall.

Call captain Rick Grassett at (941) 923-7799 or visit www.flyfishingflorida.net or www.snookfin-addict.com.

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