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Reds, Snook Are Good Options

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By RICK GRASSETT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 7, 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.

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action recently with trout, bluefish, jacks and small gag grouper with DOA Deadly Combos, CAL jigs and Clouser flies from Stephens Point to Bowlees Creek along the east side of Sarasota Bay.

The best action has been fishing around bait schools, particularly when predator fish "ball" baitfish up and feed in them on the surface. Look for diving terns or surface activity to indicate their presence.

Sarasota guide captain Andy Cotton reported fast action with Spanish mackerel, trout and bluefish along the west side of Sarasota Bay from the downtown area to Buttonwood Harbor on CAL jigs with shad tails. Large jacks and bluefish (4 to 5 pounds) have been mixed with schools of redfish roaming deep grass flats near Buttonwood Harbor on deep grass flats.

Because of the depth of the water, they are tough to find unless they feed in bait schools on the surface. Sometimes they will find you, if you spend time fishing the areas they frequent and be alert for fast-moving surface activity.

Reds are also schooling in lower Tampa Bay in the Terra Ceia Bay area. When reds are in shallow water they are easier to locate. Look for large wakes, sometimes as prominent as boat wakes, or patches of nervous water to indicate their presence.

Once you've located them, try to get ahead of the school with a push pole or electric trolling motor and cast around the edges of the school, rather than into the middle of the school, with plastic baits, topwater plugs or live bait. Anglers fishing deep holes in upper Charlotte Harbor recently have been experiencing good action on large tarpon with plastic baits and threadfin herring.

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

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