Jack McCulloch, from Lakewood Ranch, had action catching and releasing several reds on CAL jigs.
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with snook, reds and trout in shallow water on CAL jigs with shad and grub tails recently.
Fly and spin fishing anglers caught and released trout, Spanish mackerel, blues, ladyfish and jacks on deep grass flats. Fly anglers also caught and released snook in the ICW at night and in shallow water.
Chuck Ellsworth and his friend Steve, from OK, and Bill Rohm and Tom Keir, from Cleveland, all had good action with trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and more on flies and CAL jigs fishing deep grass flats with me on a couple of different trips.
Bill Rohm with a Spanish mackerel he caught and released on a fly while fishing the deep grass flats.
Bill Morrison, from Anna Maria, and his grandson, Chris Morrison from MA, also got in on the action with flies and CAL jigs on another trip with me.
Keith McClintock, from Lake Forest, IL, and Jack McCulloch, from Lakewood Ranch, fished skinny water with me and had good action catching and releasing several reds, numerous snook and a few nice trout on CAL jigs with shad tails and grubs.
Frank Zaffino, from Rochester, NY, fly fished the ICW at night with me and had good action catching and releasing snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. Steve Shulmerich, from LBK, fished shallow water with me on another trip recently and sight-fished a nice snook on a fly
Chris Morrison with a blue caught and released on a CAL jig with a shad tail while fishing the deep grass.
Fishing shallow flats for catch and release reds on low winter tides should be a good option now. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, pompano, blues and Spanish mackerel.
Fishing dock lights in the ICW at night is also a good option for snook and more.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Rick is the owner of Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc. He's a full time fishing guide and outdoor writer based in Sarasota, FL. He’s been guiding since 1990 and is an Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing guide here at CB’s Saltwater Outfitters, the 2011 Orvis Outfitter of the Year.
