Spotted seatrout season opens in the south region (seatrout region definitions can be found at www.myfwc.com) today after a two-month closure and all indications are that it should be hot.
With pressure off the fish for the past two months, they have been plentiful and feeding on deep grass flats. The bag limit is four trout per angler per day not less than 15 inches or more than 20 inches except one fish over 20.
Anglers fishing with me recently on the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good catch and release action with trout to 20 inches and bluefish to 3 pounds on DOA Deadly Combos, CAL jigs with shad tails and Ultra Hair Clouser flies.
The best action was at the Radio Tower and Middleground flats, Stephens Point and near Buttonwood Harbor in Sarasota Bay. In addition, we also caught pompano and a few reds in Sarasota Bay and little tunny and Spanish mackerel in the coastal gulf off Sarasota on a couple of other trips
Captain Jim Klopfer, of Adventure Charters, reported good action in Sarasota's Big Pass with bluefish to 3 pounds, pompano and large ladyfish on jigs with gold and rootbeer/gold grubs. Fishing shallow bars in the pass has been good at the bottom of the tide with fish breaking on the surface frequently.
Anglers fishing with Klopfer have been casting and retrieving jigs in shallow water and vertical jigging while drifting in deeper portions of Big Pass.
Look for reds and big trout in skinny water at the bottom of the tide and fish deep grass flats for the most variety and faster action later in the day.
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