Capt. Terry Simmons’ Weekly Fishing Report
Wisconsinite Bob Gaglard’s first visit to Sarasota proved to be just what he expected.
This week, fishing aboard the “Gone Coastal” out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key we had Tina and Bob Gaglard’s enjoying their first visit to Sarasota. They had reserved their charter many months ago and being from Wisconsin they had a little bit of fishing experience.
Once arriving they had low expectations, for fishing because of red tide reports and the recent hurricane, Michael. I assured them the fishing had been pretty good and improving daily. We used live bait working the mangroves and docks, once finding clean water. While Bob caught several large jacks and small snook as well.
As far as the fishing went Bob’s wife Tina won the day with some great catches.
Tina won the day catching several large snook to 25 inches, and some small jacks and mangrove snapper. The Gaglard’s commented, “they had a great day of fishing.”
Book a trip with one of the many local Charter Guides out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key for a great day on the water, or come visit and talk to one of their friendly staff at their amazing stores, CB’s Saltwater Outfitters & Fin.
CB’s carries some of the best lines of fishing gear, equipment and accessories around.
Forecast:
On the incoming tide look for diving birds on baits and work mangrove points, deepwater docks and oyster bars. On the outgoing tide work outflows and deeper channels and edges.
Small tarpon, jacks, snook, redfish, ladyfish, bluefish and mangrove snapper are sometimes concentrated in small areas. For the protection of our future fishery, there’s currently a short moratorium on keeping redfish and snook.
This is a great time to go fishing for the fun of just spending time away from it all.
Terry was born and raised in Bradenton, FL and has been guiding clients since 2000, fishing on Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico with live bait, artificial lures and fly fishing aboard his 22’ Bay Ranger which accommodates up to 4 anglers.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Craig from Missouri landed this jack in the bay.
The Jack Crevalle fish does not have the appeal or interest that bonefish do. But let me tell you a three or 4 pound jack can give you quite a fight on light tackle.
If you get a 6 to 7 pound jack on your line you’ve got your hands full. They’re very aggressive and will hit almost anything and right now the bay is full of big jacks.
I took out Craig and his son-in-law Tim both for Missouri into Little Sarasota Bay and we managed to catch several nice size jacks and snook.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Kelly Kurtz’s Weekly Fishing Report
Fishing the inter-coastal with Capt. Kelly Kurtz.
I’m happy to report that the red tide seems to be subsiding at least in the backwater bays. I fished several charters out of CB’s last week and the bite was on.
Thursday we fished with a combination of live bait and caught and released a lot of snook, mangrove snapper, and black drum. On Saturday we ran a multi-boat trip and the fish were feeding heavily on live bait. We caught snook at ever spot I stopped at in the backwater as well as large jacks and snapper.
On the tail end of the tide we hooked a very large snook well over slot size, it made 3 very strong runs towards the mangroves and was about of gas. Unfortunately, it rolled over at boat side and the hook popped out.
That’s fishing but it’s great to see that the fishing is really improving since last months red tide.
Kelly is a Sarasota native and the owner and operator of Mangrove Charters. He's passionate about fishing and hunting. As a full-time fishing guide Kelly operates out of a 22 ft. Bayscout and specializes in light tackle using both artificial and live bait. Redfish are his favorite.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
What is it with boys and fishing that makes me smile.
The fishing has been fantastic the last 10 days. The trick is finding water that has no particles of red tide in it. This family from Kentucky started the day off with identical twin Tarpon both at 18 lbs.
They then proceeded to catch some big mangrove snapper, jack crevelle, and a few snook. The little man hunter never stopped smiling, which also made it a great day for an fishing old guide.
Watching a kid have that much fun is just plain good for the heart and soul.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
The fish back, and boy they sure are hungry.
Let me tell you a secret, the fish are back and they’re hungry. I decided to take a busman’s holiday afternoon of fishing with Captain Josh Harris.
We didn’t start fishing Sarasota Bay until about noon. Within three hours we had caught and released several nice Snook, Redfish, Trout, Jack Crevalle, and Bluefish. The Snook were busting our top water bait about two feet out of the water trying to get at it.
If we let it set still they would come back at it and pop it again. Very exciting! Floridians will tell you this is one of the best times of the year to get out on the water, the air is nice and the fish are feeding.
What do you say we just keep this secret to ourselves.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Kelly Stilwell’s Weekly Fishing Report
Kellie Johnston had a great morning Tuesday.
Although the recent red tide has certainly had a negative impact on many areas of the Bay there are still some nice fish to be caught out there.
Newlyweds, Evan and Kellie Johnston had a great morning Tuesday. They caught lots of trout, and jacks as well as some nice snook while casting jigs and live shrimp in Little Sarasota Bay.
We’re still in a summer time pattern and midday temps can heat up pretty quickly so try and get out there early.
Kelly has lived and fished in this area for over 30 years. His specialties are artificial bait, fly fishing, tarpon, and live bait fishing in Sarasota Bay and the nearshore Gulf. He's an Orvis Endorsed Guide and currently runs a 2400 Ranger Bay boat which accommodates five.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing a couple of different areas with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing snook, trout, jacks and flounder on DOA Lures during the past week. I also scouted a couple of areas and even though fish were widely scattered and the action wasn’t fast, there was lots of life in the areas that we fished, including mullet, baitfish, birds and dolphins.
Marshall Dinerman, from Atlanta, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday and David Brody and sons Dane, Mike and Ben, from Pittsburgh, fished Gasparilla Sound with Capt. Andy Cotton and me on a 2-boat trip on Saturday. Both trips had similar action catching and releasing trout and jacks in deeper water and snook in shallow water on flies, CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms and DOA Deadly Combos. I also fished a day in the Terra Ceia area and caught and released a few snook and trout on the same lures.
The Florida FWC has enacted a temporary modification of regulations for reds and snook, in the areas affected by the recent red tide. The area extends from Pasco County, south to the south bank of Gordon Pass in Collier County. Reds and snook are catch and release only in that zone until May 10, 2019. I applaud them for taking this action to protect our fishery. Full details including exact boundaries can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Since we are still in a summer time pattern, it is a great time to beat the heat, by fishing dock lights before dawn, which is the coolest time of day. In addition to snook, you may also find juvenile tarpon, trout and reds in the lights. The first few hours of the day is also prime time to fish the flats for reds, snook, trout and more. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by 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.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
That’s one nice looking fish he’s showing off.
We were lucky enough to grab some live bait first thing in the morning and today’s fishing in Sarasota Bay was fantastic. The fishing docks that were not in the red tide areas had tons of large mangrove snappers to be had.
Large hand-picked shrimp we picked up from CB’s Outfitters bait & tackle did the trick around the docks with those mangrove snappers. Later on, with a good outgoing tide, we fished for snook and caught over twenty.
Today’s group were from Indiana and had a wonderful time. Remember, September is a great time of year to fish these waters.s.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
This young couple from PA had a great time.
Even though the red tide is along the beaches and in North Sarasota Bay the fishing in the intercoastal today was excellent. We caught two snook, two redfish, about 50 mangrove snapper, and one trout.
My charter people were from the middle of Pennsylvania, close by Penn State University, and we had a great day on the water.
Every day is different because of the red tide but today was fantastic and late September is a great time to fish the waters in and around Sarasota.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
A fly angler fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing snook around dock lights in Sarasota on a trip during the past week.
Randy Ritzenhaler had good action catching and releasing snook on flies this past week.
Randy Ritzenhaler and his daughter Elise, from TX, fished a predawn snook/flats trip with me on Wednesday. He had good action catching and releasing numerous snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly before daylight.
He also had some action after daylight catching and releasing a couple of mangrove snapper on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly. Elise caught and released a big sailcat on a DOA Deadly Combo that she cast, worked and landed on her own!
If you have any interest in learning to fly fish, I do private instruction as well as instructional fly fishing trips. We saw lots of life in the area that we fished, including mullet, batfish, birds, and dolphins. Red tide in the Sarasota area has improved due to an east wind pattern that we’ve been in for a couple of weeks.
There are some areas that are unaffected and fish may concentrate in those areas. Red tide is often patchy and can change from day to day and even tide to tide. The key to good fishing now is finding clean water that is unaffected by red tide. Red tide doesn’t do well in fresh water, so areas where salinity is diluted such as creek and river mouths may be a good option.
CB’s Saltwater Outfitters is having a huge 60% off sale this weekend, Sat and Sun, Sept 8 and 9. Don’t miss it! Also, don’t forget that snook and reds are now catch and release only from portions of Manatee County to Collier County. Full details including exact boundaries can be found at EO18-38.pdf.
This is a great time of year to beat the heat, by fishing dock lights before dawn, which is the coolest time of day. In addition to snook, you may also find juvenile tarpon, trout, and reds in the lights as we head into fall. There should also be some tarpon action in areas of upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by 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.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Hunter Naeve fishing the Boca Grande area.
My son Hunter and I went down to Charlotte Harbor to fish Boca Grande, Bull and Turtle Bays, Widens Creek and the other outlying areas. The red tide is gone, it’s been pushed offshore and the fishing has been fantastic.
During the red tide, shrimp grow a quarter inch a day and crabs can also survive in red tide. When the red tide is gone a huge buffet is waiting for all the fish to move into that area.
While we lost lots of snook and redfish that were spawning and would not leave the pass we still have plenty of small ones in the backcountry and the closed limit should ensure we have great fishing in future years.
Grab your kid and enjoy a great day on the water CBs tackle is booking trips now.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
John and his wife Holly were visiting from CA.
Like Mr. Rogers said “it’s a beautiful day on Sarasota Bay,” or something similar to that. And it was a beautiful day when John and his wife Holly, who were visiting from California, came aboard as we launched my boat in search of some hungry fish.
It all started with John hooking an aggressive Jack Crevalle on topwater bait, then Holly caught a snook under a D.O.A. shrimp and popping cork.
All in all, we hooked several snook, a nice size trout, mangrove snapper, jack crevalle, and a catfish. John was really excited to get out and catch some fish in Florida as he is an experienced angler from the West Coast. All of the fish caught were safely released.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Brandon Naeve Weekly Fishing Report
The Chicago boys were on the water in Little Sarasota Bay with Capt. Naeve.
The fishing today was great as the red tide finally moved out of Little Sarasota Bay. I was out with the boys from Chicago who managed to catch yellowtail, jacks up to 5 pounds, along with some trout and a few bluefish.
There were lots of good ladyfish as well. John, Jim, and JT also caught a glimpse of a few manatees with their babies in tow. All in all, it was a pretty nice day to be out on the water.
September is a great month to fish the waters in and around Sarasota so get out there if you can.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
As most of you already know, we are having a severe and extensive red tide, although it is showing signs of improvement in some areas. Fortunately, the Florida FWC has enacted a temporary modification of regulations for reds and snook, in the areas affected by the recent red tide. The area extends from a line in Manatee County from Emerson Pt west to Bean Pt and continuing west to the Hillsborough County line, south to the south bank of Gordon Pass in Collier County. Reds and snook will be catch and release only until at least Oct 12, 2018, to allow a stock assessment to be completed before determining if the action will be rescinded or extended.
Full details, including exact boundaries, can be found here Order No. EO 18-38. Personally, I wish spotted sea trout would have also been included, especially breeders over 20”, but I applaud them for taking this action to protect our fishery.
Jon Johnston, from PA, had good action catching and releasing snook on flies while fishing dock lights recently with Capt. Rick Grassett.
That being said, September is usually one of my favorite months, although this is not a normal September. Reds should be schooling on shallow grass flats and you also might find big trout there at first light. Baitfish along beaches will attract Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), sharks, tarpon and more. You should find snook around docks and bridges in the ICW. There should also be tarpon around bridges at night and in areas of Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.
Juvenile tarpon from 10 to 30-pounds should be a good option in creeks and canals. All of this depends on how quickly the red tide clears up. The key to good fishing this September will be finding clean water that is unaffected by red tide. There are some areas that are unaffected and fish will concentrate in those areas. Red tide normally doesn’t blanket an entire area, it is patchy and changes from day to day and eventide to tide. It doesn’t do well in fresh water, so areas, where fresh water is flowing out of creeks and rivers, should be a good option.
I did some scouting this week in advance of an upcoming trip and had decent action catching and releasing 7 or 8 snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly, fishing dock lights in the ICW. Jon Johnston, from PA, fished the same area with me on Saturday morning. He had great action catching and releasing numerous snook to 24” also on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. After a tide change snook started feeding on shrimp, so we switched to a Shrimp Gurgler fly and caught a few on top. Great to see snook plentiful and actively feeding!
Catch and release snook fishing around dock lights and bridges and trout, blues and more on deep grass flats should be good options if the water is clean in those areas. There should be some tarpon in upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Juvenile tarpon in canals and creeks may also be a good option if you can find them. You might also find them in a few places mixed with snook in dock lights. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by 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.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Make no mistake, the red tide in our area took a hit on our marine life. However, there is still plenty of places to catch fish. Areas not affected by red tide or areas that red tide has left are holding fish as this short video will attest.
While exploring the bay I found plenty of life and managed to catch several Snook and saw redfish. It might be a little more challenging but if you are here in our area and are up for the challenge “let’s get em”.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Brandon Naeve Weekly Fishing Report
Shelby and his better half enjoying a day out on the water fishing the Charlotte Harbor area.
Red tide is in Sarasota and has made it difficult to fish, however, Shelby from Texas and his wife recently went to Charlotte Harbor and had a fantastic day.
They hooked one Tarpon, fifteen Snook, a ton of Ladyfish, Yellowtail Jacks and Trout. If you’re wanting to fish it’s only 55 minutes from Siesta Key and the fishing is fantastic.
Charlotte Harbor trips are slightly more expensive but you can book them through CB’s Saltwater Outfitters.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Kelly Stilwell’s Weekly Fishing Report
In spite of the recent red tide bloom aboard the Tide Tuit, we were able to enjoy some impressive catches. Lenny Lambert and Mitch Bell had a great day Saturday. With both catching lots of small red grouper, scamp, yellowtail snapper, lane snapper, triggerfish, and a few Key West grunts.
Mitch also caught a good sized nurse shark so all in all, it was a pretty good day.
Kelly has lived and fished in this area for over 30 years. His specialties are artificial bait, fly fishing, tarpon, and live bait fishing in Sarasota Bay and the nearshore Gulf. He's an Orvis Endorsed Guide and currently runs a 2400 Ranger Bay boat which accommodates five.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
We landed several redfish in small sand pockets.
I fished over the weekend with good results. Fishing some of my favorite spots I found plenty of jumping mullet and bait, a good sign game fish were close by. Throwing top water Spook in a bone color I had several nice size snook bust it out of the water… very exciting.
Most of the fish missed it but I did catch several 4-5 pounders. I saw several redfish in little small sand pockets and also caught a couple of nice upper slot fish. One of my other fishing partners caught several trout over 20 inches.
If you want to get out there the fish are waiting. What are you waiting for?
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Montana Fly Fishing Trip
I hosted a group of friends and clients on a fly fishing trip in southwest Montana last week, so I don’t have a Sarasota report. This is an annual trip for me and was my 17th year fishing in Montana. We fished the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Madison Rivers, a couple of lakes and a spring creek. We caught and released numerous brown and rainbow trout, brookies and a few cutthroat trout during the week. We used streamers, dry flies and nymph rigs on 3 through 6-weight fly tackle. The dry fly action was with a variety of grasshopper patterns, sometimes with a nymph dropper, or with a smaller dry fly and a few other bugs.
Lynn Skipper, from Apollo Beach, FL and I traveled to Bozeman on Sunday, 7/29 and made the 2-1/2 hour drive to the lodge. Marshall Dinerman, from Atlanta, Denton Kent, from VA and Steve Coburn, from WI, met up with us at the airport. Mike Perez and Stewart Lavelle met up with us at the lodge after fishing a few days on the Missouri before the rest of the group arrived. We stayed at the Medicine Lodge, a 90,000-acre working ranch near the Beaverhead River outside of Dillon, a short way from Clark Canyon Reservoir. Equipped with an industrial-size kitchen and a large dining room with ranch style seating and bar counters along the kitchen for extra room, it was a great place for our group. The chef, Annie, spoiled us with hearty Montana meals and desserts!
Guide Dave King with a nice Montana rainbow caught and released by Mike Perez from Sarasota, on a dry fly. Click on this photo to check out some other great shots from our Montana Fly Fishing Trip.
We fished with guide Dave King, owner of King Outfitters (406) 596-0209 in Dillon, and his excellent group of guides; Dan, Mark, Eli, Tyler, and Tommy. I’ve fished with these guides for many years since I started fishing Montana. They work hard, do a great job and know their fishery well. We floated the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Madison rivers and had good action with browns and rainbows to more than 20” on streamers, dry/dropper and nymph rigs.
We also did some still water fishing on a couple of lakes and had great action walking a spring creek, catching and releasing brookies, browns, and rainbows on dry flies with 3 and 4-weight fly tackle.
One of the best things about fly fishing in southwest Montana is the variety. The fishing there is by either floating or wading. The weather and scenery were outstanding with temperatures ranging from a very comfortable high 40’s in the morning to the mid 80’s in the afternoon with low humidity, a welcome relief from southwest Florida’s heat and humidity in August! In addition to beautiful valleys surrounded by rugged mountains, the wildlife is amazing! We saw whitetail deer, moose, pronghorn antelope, coyotes, hawks, eagles, ducks, geese and sandhill cranes.
Back in Sarasota red tide has become more of an issue, affecting the coastal gulf up to Anna Maria Island and getting into Sarasota Bay close to passes. Red tide is patchy and changes from day to day and even tide to tide, so there are areas that are unaffected and fish can still usually be caught in those areas. Catch and release snook fishing around dock lights and bridges and trout, blues and more on deep grass flats should be good options if the water is clean in those areas. There should be some tarpon in upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Juvenile tarpon in canals and creeks may also be a good option if you can find them. You might also find them in a few places mixed with snook in dock lights.
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.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Jenny (far left), son Dalton (center) and his fiancé Alexa visiting from Indiana.
There is some spotty red tide in our area due to the South West wind we had last week. This week calls for an Easterly breeze which will keep the tide at bay.
Over the weekend I traveled about 15 minutes North of the boat ramp and found crystal clear water and some great fishing action.
Saturday I fished a tournament and my partner and I caught several redfish, snook, tarpon, and trout. On Sunday Jenny her son Dalton and fiance’ Alexa were staying on Siesta Key visiting from IN.
They knew of the red tide but wanted to still get out on the water. I assured them that the red tide is only spotty and we could find clean water. The ladies out fished Dalton by catching several keeper trout and mangrove snapper.
Dalton almost brought to the boat a trophy sized snook before the giant fish snapped the line. Dalton admitted it was the largest fish he has had on the end of a pole. We had a great day on the water and everybody was happy.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Terry Simmons’ Weekly Fishing Report
Wisconsinite Bob Gaglard’s first visit to Sarasota proved to be just what he expected.
This week, fishing aboard the “Gone Coastal” out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key we had Tina and Bob Gaglard’s enjoying their first visit to Sarasota. They had reserved their charter many months ago and being from Wisconsin they had a little bit of fishing experience.
Once arriving they had low expectations, for fishing because of red tide reports and the recent hurricane, Michael. I assured them the fishing had been pretty good and improving daily. We used live bait working the mangroves and docks, once finding clean water. While Bob caught several large jacks and small snook as well.
As far as the fishing went Bob’s wife Tina won the day with some great catches.
Tina won the day catching several large snook to 25 inches, and some small jacks and mangrove snapper. The Gaglard’s commented, “they had a great day of fishing.”
Book a trip with one of the many local Charter Guides out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key for a great day on the water, or come visit and talk to one of their friendly staff at their amazing stores, CB’s Saltwater Outfitters & Fin.
CB’s carries some of the best lines of fishing gear, equipment and accessories around.
Forecast:
On the incoming tide look for diving birds on baits and work mangrove points, deepwater docks and oyster bars. On the outgoing tide work outflows and deeper channels and edges.
Small tarpon, jacks, snook, redfish, ladyfish, bluefish and mangrove snapper are sometimes concentrated in small areas. For the protection of our future fishery, there’s currently a short moratorium on keeping redfish and snook.
This is a great time to go fishing for the fun of just spending time away from it all.
Terry was born and raised in Bradenton, FL and has been guiding clients since 2000, fishing on Sarasota Bay and the Gulf of Mexico with live bait, artificial lures and fly fishing aboard his 22’ Bay Ranger which accommodates up to 4 anglers.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Craig from Missouri landed this jack in the bay.
The Jack Crevalle fish does not have the appeal or interest that bonefish do. But let me tell you a three or 4 pound jack can give you quite a fight on light tackle.
If you get a 6 to 7 pound jack on your line you’ve got your hands full. They’re very aggressive and will hit almost anything and right now the bay is full of big jacks.
I took out Craig and his son-in-law Tim both for Missouri into Little Sarasota Bay and we managed to catch several nice size jacks and snook.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Kelly Kurtz’s Weekly Fishing Report
Fishing the inter-coastal with Capt. Kelly Kurtz.
I’m happy to report that the red tide seems to be subsiding at least in the backwater bays. I fished several charters out of CB’s last week and the bite was on.
Thursday we fished with a combination of live bait and caught and released a lot of snook, mangrove snapper, and black drum. On Saturday we ran a multi-boat trip and the fish were feeding heavily on live bait. We caught snook at ever spot I stopped at in the backwater as well as large jacks and snapper.
On the tail end of the tide we hooked a very large snook well over slot size, it made 3 very strong runs towards the mangroves and was about of gas. Unfortunately, it rolled over at boat side and the hook popped out.
That’s fishing but it’s great to see that the fishing is really improving since last months red tide.
Kelly is a Sarasota native and the owner and operator of Mangrove Charters. He's passionate about fishing and hunting. As a full-time fishing guide Kelly operates out of a 22 ft. Bayscout and specializes in light tackle using both artificial and live bait. Redfish are his favorite.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
What is it with boys and fishing that makes me smile.
The fishing has been fantastic the last 10 days. The trick is finding water that has no particles of red tide in it. This family from Kentucky started the day off with identical twin Tarpon both at 18 lbs.
They then proceeded to catch some big mangrove snapper, jack crevelle, and a few snook. The little man hunter never stopped smiling, which also made it a great day for an fishing old guide.
Watching a kid have that much fun is just plain good for the heart and soul.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
The fish back, and boy they sure are hungry.
Let me tell you a secret, the fish are back and they’re hungry. I decided to take a busman’s holiday afternoon of fishing with Captain Josh Harris.
We didn’t start fishing Sarasota Bay until about noon. Within three hours we had caught and released several nice Snook, Redfish, Trout, Jack Crevalle, and Bluefish. The Snook were busting our top water bait about two feet out of the water trying to get at it.
If we let it set still they would come back at it and pop it again. Very exciting! Floridians will tell you this is one of the best times of the year to get out on the water, the air is nice and the fish are feeding.
What do you say we just keep this secret to ourselves.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Kelly Stilwell’s Weekly Fishing Report
Kellie Johnston had a great morning Tuesday.
Although the recent red tide has certainly had a negative impact on many areas of the Bay there are still some nice fish to be caught out there.
Newlyweds, Evan and Kellie Johnston had a great morning Tuesday. They caught lots of trout, and jacks as well as some nice snook while casting jigs and live shrimp in Little Sarasota Bay.
We’re still in a summer time pattern and midday temps can heat up pretty quickly so try and get out there early.
Kelly has lived and fished in this area for over 30 years. His specialties are artificial bait, fly fishing, tarpon, and live bait fishing in Sarasota Bay and the nearshore Gulf. He's an Orvis Endorsed Guide and currently runs a 2400 Ranger Bay boat which accommodates five.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing a couple of different areas with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing snook, trout, jacks and flounder on DOA Lures during the past week. I also scouted a couple of areas and even though fish were widely scattered and the action wasn’t fast, there was lots of life in the areas that we fished, including mullet, baitfish, birds and dolphins.
Marshall Dinerman, from Atlanta, fished Little Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday and David Brody and sons Dane, Mike and Ben, from Pittsburgh, fished Gasparilla Sound with Capt. Andy Cotton and me on a 2-boat trip on Saturday. Both trips had similar action catching and releasing trout and jacks in deeper water and snook in shallow water on flies, CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms and DOA Deadly Combos. I also fished a day in the Terra Ceia area and caught and released a few snook and trout on the same lures.
The Florida FWC has enacted a temporary modification of regulations for reds and snook, in the areas affected by the recent red tide. The area extends from Pasco County, south to the south bank of Gordon Pass in Collier County. Reds and snook are catch and release only in that zone until May 10, 2019. I applaud them for taking this action to protect our fishery. Full details including exact boundaries can be found by CLICKING HERE.
Since we are still in a summer time pattern, it is a great time to beat the heat, by fishing dock lights before dawn, which is the coolest time of day. In addition to snook, you may also find juvenile tarpon, trout and reds in the lights. The first few hours of the day is also prime time to fish the flats for reds, snook, trout and more. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by 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.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
That’s one nice looking fish he’s showing off.
We were lucky enough to grab some live bait first thing in the morning and today’s fishing in Sarasota Bay was fantastic. The fishing docks that were not in the red tide areas had tons of large mangrove snappers to be had.
Large hand-picked shrimp we picked up from CB’s Outfitters bait & tackle did the trick around the docks with those mangrove snappers. Later on, with a good outgoing tide, we fished for snook and caught over twenty.
Today’s group were from Indiana and had a wonderful time. Remember, September is a great time of year to fish these waters.s.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
This young couple from PA had a great time.
Even though the red tide is along the beaches and in North Sarasota Bay the fishing in the intercoastal today was excellent. We caught two snook, two redfish, about 50 mangrove snapper, and one trout.
My charter people were from the middle of Pennsylvania, close by Penn State University, and we had a great day on the water.
Every day is different because of the red tide but today was fantastic and late September is a great time to fish the waters in and around Sarasota.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
A fly angler fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing snook around dock lights in Sarasota on a trip during the past week.
Randy Ritzenhaler had good action catching and releasing snook on flies this past week.
Randy Ritzenhaler and his daughter Elise, from TX, fished a predawn snook/flats trip with me on Wednesday. He had good action catching and releasing numerous snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly before daylight.
He also had some action after daylight catching and releasing a couple of mangrove snapper on an Ultra Hair Clouser fly. Elise caught and released a big sailcat on a DOA Deadly Combo that she cast, worked and landed on her own!
If you have any interest in learning to fly fish, I do private instruction as well as instructional fly fishing trips. We saw lots of life in the area that we fished, including mullet, batfish, birds, and dolphins. Red tide in the Sarasota area has improved due to an east wind pattern that we’ve been in for a couple of weeks.
There are some areas that are unaffected and fish may concentrate in those areas. Red tide is often patchy and can change from day to day and even tide to tide. The key to good fishing now is finding clean water that is unaffected by red tide. Red tide doesn’t do well in fresh water, so areas where salinity is diluted such as creek and river mouths may be a good option.
CB’s Saltwater Outfitters is having a huge 60% off sale this weekend, Sat and Sun, Sept 8 and 9. Don’t miss it! Also, don’t forget that snook and reds are now catch and release only from portions of Manatee County to Collier County. Full details including exact boundaries can be found at EO18-38.pdf.
This is a great time of year to beat the heat, by fishing dock lights before dawn, which is the coolest time of day. In addition to snook, you may also find juvenile tarpon, trout, and reds in the lights as we head into fall. There should also be some tarpon action in areas of upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by 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.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Hunter Naeve fishing the Boca Grande area.
My son Hunter and I went down to Charlotte Harbor to fish Boca Grande, Bull and Turtle Bays, Widens Creek and the other outlying areas. The red tide is gone, it’s been pushed offshore and the fishing has been fantastic.
During the red tide, shrimp grow a quarter inch a day and crabs can also survive in red tide. When the red tide is gone a huge buffet is waiting for all the fish to move into that area.
While we lost lots of snook and redfish that were spawning and would not leave the pass we still have plenty of small ones in the backcountry and the closed limit should ensure we have great fishing in future years.
Grab your kid and enjoy a great day on the water CBs tackle is booking trips now.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
John and his wife Holly were visiting from CA.
Like Mr. Rogers said “it’s a beautiful day on Sarasota Bay,” or something similar to that. And it was a beautiful day when John and his wife Holly, who were visiting from California, came aboard as we launched my boat in search of some hungry fish.
It all started with John hooking an aggressive Jack Crevalle on topwater bait, then Holly caught a snook under a D.O.A. shrimp and popping cork.
All in all, we hooked several snook, a nice size trout, mangrove snapper, jack crevalle, and a catfish. John was really excited to get out and catch some fish in Florida as he is an experienced angler from the West Coast. All of the fish caught were safely released.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Brandon Naeve Weekly Fishing Report
The Chicago boys were on the water in Little Sarasota Bay with Capt. Naeve.
The fishing today was great as the red tide finally moved out of Little Sarasota Bay. I was out with the boys from Chicago who managed to catch yellowtail, jacks up to 5 pounds, along with some trout and a few bluefish.
There were lots of good ladyfish as well. John, Jim, and JT also caught a glimpse of a few manatees with their babies in tow. All in all, it was a pretty nice day to be out on the water.
September is a great month to fish the waters in and around Sarasota so get out there if you can.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
As most of you already know, we are having a severe and extensive red tide, although it is showing signs of improvement in some areas. Fortunately, the Florida FWC has enacted a temporary modification of regulations for reds and snook, in the areas affected by the recent red tide. The area extends from a line in Manatee County from Emerson Pt west to Bean Pt and continuing west to the Hillsborough County line, south to the south bank of Gordon Pass in Collier County. Reds and snook will be catch and release only until at least Oct 12, 2018, to allow a stock assessment to be completed before determining if the action will be rescinded or extended.
Full details, including exact boundaries, can be found here Order No. EO 18-38. Personally, I wish spotted sea trout would have also been included, especially breeders over 20”, but I applaud them for taking this action to protect our fishery.
Jon Johnston, from PA, had good action catching and releasing snook on flies while fishing dock lights recently with Capt. Rick Grassett.
That being said, September is usually one of my favorite months, although this is not a normal September. Reds should be schooling on shallow grass flats and you also might find big trout there at first light. Baitfish along beaches will attract Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), sharks, tarpon and more. You should find snook around docks and bridges in the ICW. There should also be tarpon around bridges at night and in areas of Tampa Bay and Charlotte Harbor.
Juvenile tarpon from 10 to 30-pounds should be a good option in creeks and canals. All of this depends on how quickly the red tide clears up. The key to good fishing this September will be finding clean water that is unaffected by red tide. There are some areas that are unaffected and fish will concentrate in those areas. Red tide normally doesn’t blanket an entire area, it is patchy and changes from day to day and eventide to tide. It doesn’t do well in fresh water, so areas, where fresh water is flowing out of creeks and rivers, should be a good option.
I did some scouting this week in advance of an upcoming trip and had decent action catching and releasing 7 or 8 snook on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly, fishing dock lights in the ICW. Jon Johnston, from PA, fished the same area with me on Saturday morning. He had great action catching and releasing numerous snook to 24” also on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. After a tide change snook started feeding on shrimp, so we switched to a Shrimp Gurgler fly and caught a few on top. Great to see snook plentiful and actively feeding!
Catch and release snook fishing around dock lights and bridges and trout, blues and more on deep grass flats should be good options if the water is clean in those areas. There should be some tarpon in upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Juvenile tarpon in canals and creeks may also be a good option if you can find them. You might also find them in a few places mixed with snook in dock lights. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by 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.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Make no mistake, the red tide in our area took a hit on our marine life. However, there is still plenty of places to catch fish. Areas not affected by red tide or areas that red tide has left are holding fish as this short video will attest.
While exploring the bay I found plenty of life and managed to catch several Snook and saw redfish. It might be a little more challenging but if you are here in our area and are up for the challenge “let’s get em”.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Brandon Naeve Weekly Fishing Report
Shelby and his better half enjoying a day out on the water fishing the Charlotte Harbor area.
Red tide is in Sarasota and has made it difficult to fish, however, Shelby from Texas and his wife recently went to Charlotte Harbor and had a fantastic day.
They hooked one Tarpon, fifteen Snook, a ton of Ladyfish, Yellowtail Jacks and Trout. If you’re wanting to fish it’s only 55 minutes from Siesta Key and the fishing is fantastic.
Charlotte Harbor trips are slightly more expensive but you can book them through CB’s Saltwater Outfitters.
I've been a fishing guide the Sarasota , Boca Grande area for over 25 years. My Sarasota trips are mostly family oriented 1/2 day fishing trips involving kids who love to catch all the family fun fish. My Boca Grande trips are for the more experienced spin or fly fishing angler.
Capt. Kelly Stilwell’s Weekly Fishing Report
In spite of the recent red tide bloom aboard the Tide Tuit, we were able to enjoy some impressive catches. Lenny Lambert and Mitch Bell had a great day Saturday. With both catching lots of small red grouper, scamp, yellowtail snapper, lane snapper, triggerfish, and a few Key West grunts.
Mitch also caught a good sized nurse shark so all in all, it was a pretty good day.
Kelly has lived and fished in this area for over 30 years. His specialties are artificial bait, fly fishing, tarpon, and live bait fishing in Sarasota Bay and the nearshore Gulf. He's an Orvis Endorsed Guide and currently runs a 2400 Ranger Bay boat which accommodates five.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
We landed several redfish in small sand pockets.
I fished over the weekend with good results. Fishing some of my favorite spots I found plenty of jumping mullet and bait, a good sign game fish were close by. Throwing top water Spook in a bone color I had several nice size snook bust it out of the water… very exciting.
Most of the fish missed it but I did catch several 4-5 pounders. I saw several redfish in little small sand pockets and also caught a couple of nice upper slot fish. One of my other fishing partners caught several trout over 20 inches.
If you want to get out there the fish are waiting. What are you waiting for?
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Montana Fly Fishing Trip
I hosted a group of friends and clients on a fly fishing trip in southwest Montana last week, so I don’t have a Sarasota report. This is an annual trip for me and was my 17th year fishing in Montana. We fished the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Madison Rivers, a couple of lakes and a spring creek. We caught and released numerous brown and rainbow trout, brookies and a few cutthroat trout during the week. We used streamers, dry flies and nymph rigs on 3 through 6-weight fly tackle. The dry fly action was with a variety of grasshopper patterns, sometimes with a nymph dropper, or with a smaller dry fly and a few other bugs.
Lynn Skipper, from Apollo Beach, FL and I traveled to Bozeman on Sunday, 7/29 and made the 2-1/2 hour drive to the lodge. Marshall Dinerman, from Atlanta, Denton Kent, from VA and Steve Coburn, from WI, met up with us at the airport. Mike Perez and Stewart Lavelle met up with us at the lodge after fishing a few days on the Missouri before the rest of the group arrived. We stayed at the Medicine Lodge, a 90,000-acre working ranch near the Beaverhead River outside of Dillon, a short way from Clark Canyon Reservoir. Equipped with an industrial-size kitchen and a large dining room with ranch style seating and bar counters along the kitchen for extra room, it was a great place for our group. The chef, Annie, spoiled us with hearty Montana meals and desserts!
Guide Dave King with a nice Montana rainbow caught and released by Mike Perez from Sarasota, on a dry fly. Click on this photo to check out some other great shots from our Montana Fly Fishing Trip.
We fished with guide Dave King, owner of King Outfitters (406) 596-0209 in Dillon, and his excellent group of guides; Dan, Mark, Eli, Tyler, and Tommy. I’ve fished with these guides for many years since I started fishing Montana. They work hard, do a great job and know their fishery well. We floated the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Madison rivers and had good action with browns and rainbows to more than 20” on streamers, dry/dropper and nymph rigs.
We also did some still water fishing on a couple of lakes and had great action walking a spring creek, catching and releasing brookies, browns, and rainbows on dry flies with 3 and 4-weight fly tackle.
One of the best things about fly fishing in southwest Montana is the variety. The fishing there is by either floating or wading. The weather and scenery were outstanding with temperatures ranging from a very comfortable high 40’s in the morning to the mid 80’s in the afternoon with low humidity, a welcome relief from southwest Florida’s heat and humidity in August! In addition to beautiful valleys surrounded by rugged mountains, the wildlife is amazing! We saw whitetail deer, moose, pronghorn antelope, coyotes, hawks, eagles, ducks, geese and sandhill cranes.
Back in Sarasota red tide has become more of an issue, affecting the coastal gulf up to Anna Maria Island and getting into Sarasota Bay close to passes. Red tide is patchy and changes from day to day and even tide to tide, so there are areas that are unaffected and fish can still usually be caught in those areas. Catch and release snook fishing around dock lights and bridges and trout, blues and more on deep grass flats should be good options if the water is clean in those areas. There should be some tarpon in upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Juvenile tarpon in canals and creeks may also be a good option if you can find them. You might also find them in a few places mixed with snook in dock lights.
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.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Jenny (far left), son Dalton (center) and his fiancé Alexa visiting from Indiana.
There is some spotty red tide in our area due to the South West wind we had last week. This week calls for an Easterly breeze which will keep the tide at bay.
Over the weekend I traveled about 15 minutes North of the boat ramp and found crystal clear water and some great fishing action.
Saturday I fished a tournament and my partner and I caught several redfish, snook, tarpon, and trout. On Sunday Jenny her son Dalton and fiance’ Alexa were staying on Siesta Key visiting from IN.
They knew of the red tide but wanted to still get out on the water. I assured them that the red tide is only spotty and we could find clean water. The ladies out fished Dalton by catching several keeper trout and mangrove snapper.
Dalton almost brought to the boat a trophy sized snook before the giant fish snapped the line. Dalton admitted it was the largest fish he has had on the end of a pole. We had a great day on the water and everybody was happy.
Fishing has been a lifetime passion for me. Depending on the skill level of my clients what I like to do is put them on big fish using artificial lures. I like to educating and passing on my knowledge of local history and the many sights the area has to offer while we are on the water.