TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Snook Season Reopens Today

ADVERTISEMENT

By RICK GRASSETT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 1, 2008

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.

Snook season reopens today after being closed since April 30. With pressure off of them for the last four months, they should be ready to eat. Anglers should find snook still in or close to passes, around docks and bridges, and in the surf.

When fishing passes or bridges, drifting or free-lining live baits and bouncing jigs or plastic baits along the bottom should be effective techniques. Casting jigs or flies around docks at night or during the day also should work well.

Fishing the surf is best when conditions are calm, which allows for sight-fishing. If it is rough along the beaches, fish areas with structure or around bait schools. Anglers should be aware that the bag limit is one fish per person per day with a slot from 28 to 33 inches on Florida's west coast.

Fly anglers fishing with me recently on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released several snook to 28 inches while fishing lighted docks before dawn near Sarasota's Big Pass. Anglers fishing deep flats of Sarasota Bay with me recently also had good action with trout to 20 inches, bluefish to 3 pounds, jacks and gag grouper.

Drifting the flats and casting jigs and plastic shrimp under clacker floats or Clouser flies fished on intermediate or intermediate sink-tip fly lines around bait schools has been very productive. The west side of Sarasota Bay from Country Club Shores to Buttonwood Harbor has been the most productive area.

We also have encountered schools of reds with large jacks and blues mixed with them in the same area.

Captain Jim Klopfer, of Adventure Charters, reported good action with trout on live and artificial shrimp fished under popping corks from Blackburn Point to Stickney Point in Little Sarasota Bay. The best action was around sand bars where the water dropped off sharply to deep grass.

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

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT