Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Red fish are in the bay and they’re being caught at a good clip. I had some friends visiting from Illinois and we fished several days and did quite well on redfish, snook, and trout. All the fish were caught on artificial Lures.
The mornings are starting to feel like maybe fall is on the way. With those cooler temperatures I expect the fishing to just get better as time goes on and the calendar moves into October.
Sarasota Bay water is in great shape and quite clear this time of year, hope to see you out there soon!
Red fish are in the bay and they’re being caught at a good clip. I had some friends visiting from Illinois and we fished several days and did quite well on redfish, snook, and trout. All the fish were caught on artificial Lures.
The mornings are starting to feel like maybe fall is on the way. With those cooler temperatures I expect the fishing to just get better as time goes on and the calendar moves into October.
Capt. Terry Simmons’ Weekly Fishing Report
This week, fishing aboard “Coastal Fishing Adventures” with Captain Terry Simmons, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key.
Fishing in the Bay, in September, has been a little challenging especially with high humidity and water temps still in the high 80’s. On days like this we keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
On Wednesday I chartered the Koty & Raven Sparks group for an inshore charter. We started the morning working with a low tide around several of the flats on the outside drop offs.
With the abundance of whitebait in the bay I wanted to try artificial baits to see if the fish were looking for something different. Kinda like, if you’ve been eating fish all week and now you might want a steak. We threw various colored DOA shrimp under a popping cork, DOA shad tails on jig heads, spoons and mirrolure top water baits.
We caught several jack cravell, ladyfish, trout, catfish, bluefish and then we caught several very nice slot and over slot redfish from 26 to 29 inches. The redfish were hungry and wanted to play. My clients couldn’t have been happier sometimes with three on at a time and they were on their bucket list. Great memories.
When you need a good dose of Vitamin Sea… “Let’s go Fishing”
This week, fishing aboard “Coastal Fishing Adventures” with Captain Terry Simmons, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key.
Fishing in the Bay, in September, has been a little challenging especially with high humidity and water temps still in the high 80’s. On days like this we keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
On Wednesday I chartered the Koty & Raven Sparks group for an inshore charter. We started the morning working with a low tide around several of the flats on the outside drop offs.
With the abundance of whitebait in the bay I wanted to try artificial baits to see if the fish were looking for something different. Kinda like, if you’ve been eating fish all week and now you might want a steak. We threw various colored DOA shrimp under a popping cork, DOA shad tails on jig heads, spoons and mirrolure top water baits.
We caught several jack cravell, ladyfish, trout, catfish, bluefish and then we caught several very nice slot and over slot redfish from 26” to 29”. The redfish were hungry and wanted to play. My clients couldn’t have been happier sometimes with three on at a time and they were on their bucket list. Great memories.
When you need a good dose of Vitamin Sea… “Let’s go Fishing”
Capt. Kelly Kurtz’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me the last couple trips caught and released trout, a few snook, jacks, ladyfish, and mangrove snapper which were all released.
Once again our bay is now going to need time to recover, so proper release methods will help ensure the surviving fish a chance to reproduce. In 2021, most signs indicated good water quality in Sarasota Bay, despite lingering impacts from long-lasting red tides in 2017 and 2018.
Anglers fishing with me the last couple trips caught and released trout, a few snook, jacks, ladyfish, and mangrove snapper which were all released.
Once again our bay is now going to need time to recover, so proper release methods will help ensure the surviving fish a chance to reproduce. In 2021, most signs indicated good water quality in Sarasota Bay, despite lingering impacts from long-lasting red tides in 2017 and 2018.
Capt. Bruce Burkhart’s Weekly Fishing Report
The last few weeks the water around Sarasota Bay has been clean and fishing has been good. Fishing out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters aboard the Casual Lies anglers have had a variety of fish to catch. The grass flats have been holding Trout, Jacks, small Cobia and Sharks up to 25 pounds.
Down in Little Sarasota Bay I was fishing with Ray Markham and Rosemary from the Florida Outdoor Writers and we caught Small Snook, Jacks, some large Trout and few nice Redfish. I expect with the water starting to cool off a bit the fishing should stay good in our entire area.
The last few weeks the water around Sarasota Bay has been clean and fishing has been good. Fishing out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters aboard the Casual Lies anglers have had a variety of fish to catch. The grass flats have been holding Trout, Jacks, small Cobia and Sharks up to 25 pounds.
Down in Little Sarasota Bay I was fishing with Ray Markham and Rosemary from the Florida Outdoor Writers and we caught Small Snook, Jacks, some large Trout and few nice Redfish. I expect with the water starting to cool off a bit the fishing should stay good in our entire area.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Trey and Abby, fishing with me out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action in Sarasota Bay on Monday.
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. As we approach the halfway mark on the month of September both the temperatures and the humidity are both still running on the high side.
Hey this is South Florida, what did you expect. All in all the fish were running hot and these two hauled in a few beauties for themselves.
Trey and Abby, fishing with me out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action in Sarasota Bay on Monday.
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. As we approach the halfway mark on the month of September both the temperatures and the humidity are both still running on the high side.
Hey this is South Florida, what did you expect. All in all the fish were running hot and these two hauled in a few beauties for themselves.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing trout, snook and juvenile tarpon in Sarasota with DOA Lures on several trips recently.
Ross Tornabene and his daughter, Gianna, from Naperville, IL, caught and released several nice trout on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos on a trip in Sarasota Bay with me this past week.
They also jumped a couple of juvenile tarpon and caught and released a tarpon and snook on a DOA TerrorEyz.
Red tide has cleared in Sarasota Bay and fish are returning to normal patterns. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, jacks, blues and more. Since heat is still an issue, fishing dock lights for snook and juvenile tarpon before dawn is also a good option.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing trout, snook and juvenile tarpon in Sarasota with DOA Lures on several trips recently.
Ross Tornabene and his daughter, Gianna, from Naperville, IL, caught and released several nice trout on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos on a trip in Sarasota Bay with me this past week.
They also jumped a couple of juvenile tarpon and caught and released a tarpon and snook on a DOA TerrorEyz.
Red tide has cleared in Sarasota Bay and fish are returning to normal patterns. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, jacks, blues and more. Since heat is still an issue, fishing dock lights for snook and juvenile tarpon before dawn is also a good option.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing snook before dawn and trout, blues and a bonus shark on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on flies on several trips recently.
Red tide has cleared in Sarasota Bay and fish are returning to normal patterns. A recent scouting trip showed very clear water in some areas, plentiful baitfish and birds.
Fly anglers scored with baitfish fly patterns on sink tip lines and spin fishing anglers had action on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A shark surprised us when it ate a Clouser fly and quickly took the angler into her backing! Some of the larger trout were caught and released in shallow water on DOA PT-7 top water baits. Fly poppers and Gurglers should also be a good shallow water option for trout.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Since heat is still an issue, fishing dock lights for snook and juvenile tarpon before dawn is also a good option.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing snook before dawn and trout, blues and a bonus shark on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on flies on several trips recently.
Red tide has cleared in Sarasota Bay and fish are returning to normal patterns. A recent scouting trip showed very clear water in some areas, plentiful baitfish and birds.
Fly anglers scored with baitfish fly patterns on sink tip lines and spin fishing anglers had action on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A shark surprised us when it ate a Clouser fly and quickly took the angler into her backing! Some of the larger trout were caught and released in shallow water on DOA PT-7 top water baits. Fly poppers and Gurglers should also be a good shallow water option for trout.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Since heat is still an issue, fishing dock lights for snook and juvenile tarpon before dawn is also a good option.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Wisconsin native Brian along with his sons, Luke and Jake, together caught this beautiful trout while fishing North Sarasota Bay this past week. The fishing was pretty steady considering the red tide that had just moved out.
Meanwhile fishing the deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action this time of year with a variety of species including the above mentioned trout, pompano, blues and Spanish mackerel.
If you’re so inclined check out the coastal gulf for false albacore and tripletail.
Wisconsin native Brian along with his sons, Luke and Jake, together caught this beautiful trout while fishing North Sarasota Bay this past week. The fishing was pretty steady considering the red tide that had just moved out.
Meanwhile fishing the deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action this time of year with a variety of species including the above mentioned trout, pompano, blues and Spanish mackerel.
If you’re so inclined you can check the coastal gulf for false albacore and tripletail when conditions are good.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Montana Fly Fishing Trip Report
I hosted a group of friends and clients on my annual destination fly fishing trip to southwest Montana recently. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, and I traveled from Sarasota to Bozeman and met up with Kirk Grassett, from DE, Nick Delle Donne, from PA and Denton Kent, from VA and made the 2-1/2 hour drive to Medicine Lodge, on a 100,000 acre working ranch near the Beaverhead River, outside of Dillon, MT.
We met up there with Mike Perez and Dennis Kinley, from IN, who drove and met us at the lodge.
Despite some restrictions due to heat and low water, we caught and released some quality trout. We fished the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Madison Rivers with guide Dave King, owner of King Outfitters (406) 596-0209 in Dillon, and his talented group of guides.
I’ve fished with these guides for more than 20-years, they work hard, do a great job and know their fishery well. We had great action on 5 and 6-weight fly tackle with brown and rainbow trout to more than 20” on streamers, dry flies, dry/dropper and nymph rigs. 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. Like fishing everywhere, there were good days and slower days but overall it was great!
Back in Sarasota red tide is an issue, but there are areas of clean water that are fine. Catch and release snook fishing around dock lights and bridges should be a good option now. There should be tarpon in areas of upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Juvenile tarpon in canals and creeks may also be a good option. You might also find them in a few places mixed with snook in dock lights. Due to the nature of red tide, conditions may change from day to day so be ready to adjust if necessary.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by residential, industrial and agricultural runoff, toxic spills and intentional releases, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
I hosted a group of friends and clients on my annual destination fly fishing trip to southwest Montana recently. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, and I traveled from Sarasota to Bozeman and met up with Kirk Grassett, from DE, Nick Delle Donne, from PA and Denton Kent, from VA and made the 2-1/2 hour drive to Medicine Lodge, on a 100,000 acre working ranch near the Beaverhead River, outside of Dillon, MT.
We met up there with Mike Perez and Dennis Kinley, from IN, who drove and met us at the lodge.
Despite some restrictions due to heat and low water, we caught and released some quality trout. We fished the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Madison Rivers with guide Dave King, owner of King Outfitters (406) 596-0209 in Dillon, and his talented group of guides.
I’ve fished with these guides for more than 20-years, they work hard, do a great job and know their fishery well. We had great action on 5 and 6-weight fly tackle with brown and rainbow trout to more than 20” on streamers, dry flies, dry/dropper and nymph rigs. 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. Like fishing everywhere, there were good days and slower days but overall it was great!
Back in Sarasota red tide is an issue, but there are areas of clean water that are fine. Catch and release snook fishing around dock lights and bridges should be a good option now. There should be tarpon in areas of upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Juvenile tarpon in canals and creeks may also be a good option. You might also find them in a few places mixed with snook in dock lights. Due to the nature of red tide, conditions may change from day to day so be ready to adjust if necessary.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by residential, industrial and agricultural runoff, toxic spills and intentional releases, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Eight year old Parker said it was the best day of his life. He and his dad Eric were staying on Siesta Key enjoying the last few days of his Summer vacation before school finally started up again when they decided to take in some fishing.
The father and son pair managed to catch and release several fish. Beside the red fish pictured they also caught snook, trout, bluefish, Jacks and snapper.
Young Parker loves to fish and I’m sure this will be a day he remembers for a long time to come.
Eight year old Parker said it was the best day of his life. He and his dad Eric were staying on Siesta Key enjoying the last few days of his Summer vacation.
The father and son pair managed to catch and release several fish. Beside the red fish pictured they also caught snook, trout, bluefish, Jacks and snapper.
Young Parker loves to fish and I’m sure this will be a day he remembers for a long time to come.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Honeymoon couple gets lucky! Cole and his new bride Shelby Are from Missouri and are enjoying their honeymoon on Siesta Key. Using shrimp under a popping cork Shelby hooked a couple of snook before Cole landed this beautiful red fish using a jig and Gulp jerk bait.
We fished little Sarasota Bay And saw no Signs of red tide. The bay water was clean and we saw plenty of signs of life including jumping mullet, bait and manatees. It may not be the best time of year for fishing, however with patience and persistence your trip can still be successful.
Honeymoon couple gets lucky! Cole and his new bride Shelby Are from Missouri and are enjoying their honeymoon on Siesta Key.
Using shrimp under a popping cork Shelby hooked a couple of snook before Cole landed this beautiful red fish using a jig and Gulp jerk bait.
We fished little Sarasota Bay And saw no Signs of red tide. The bay water was clean and we saw plenty of signs of life including jumping mullet, bait and manatees. It may not be the best time of year for fishing, however with patience and persistence your trip can still be successful.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Drew Navero from Houston Texas caught this beautiful juvenile Tarpon while fishing with me on an inshore trip out of CBs Outfitter’s this past week.
Locally we’re still knee deep in Tarpon around these parts as we just finished up the 90th Annual Sarasota Tarpon Tournament.
Just an FYI the Sarasota Tarpon Tournament is the oldest continuous Tarpon Tournament in the entire country and all proceeds raised are contributed directly to local children’s charities and local fishing conservation.
Drew Navero from Houston Texas caught this beautiful juvenile Tarpon while fishing with me on an inshore trip out of CBs Outfitter’s this past week.
Locally we’re still knee deep in Tarpon around these parts as we just finished up the 90th Annual Sarasota Tarpon Tournament.
Just an FYI the Sarasota Tarpon Tournament is the oldest continuous Tarpon Tournament in the entire country and all proceeds raised are contributed directly to local children’s charities and local fishing conservation.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Just before a storm, with the barometric pressure dropping rapidly, the bite can get pretty amazing. Shown here is just one of the many fish caught by these two young men visiting from Chicago and enjoying just one of the amazing adventures the area has to offer.
Although we’ve been seeing more rain than is usual this time of year we were still able to take advantage of some nice weather in between the howers, and catch some spectacular skies too as you can see, as we soaked up the late June living on the southern gulf coast. Life’s too short, make time to fish!
Just before a storm, with the barometric pressure dropping rapidly, the bite can get pretty amazing. Shown here is just one of the many fish caught by these two young boys who were visiting from Chicago and enjoying one of the amazing adventures the area has to offer.
Although we’ve been seeing more rain than is usual this time of year we were able to take advantage of some nice weather in between the rain showers, and catch some spectacular skies too, as we soaked up the late June living on the southern gulf coast.
Life’s too short, make some time to go fishing!
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon in the coastal gulf on several trips recently. Conditions were good and fish were plentiful as we approached a full moon last week.
Longtime friends and clients, Cliff Ondercin from Sarasota, and Dennis Ondercin, from Middleburg, Hts, OH, tarpon fished in the coastal gulf several days with me, jumping numerous tarpon and catching and releasing one. They fished hard to finish strong on the last day!
Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should continue to be a good option depending on conditions. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon in the coastal gulf on several trips recently. Conditions were good and fish were plentiful as we approached a full moon last week.
Longtime friends and clients, Cliff Ondercin from Sarasota, and Dennis Ondercin, from Middleburg, Hts, OH, tarpon fished in the coastal gulf several days with me, jumping numerous tarpon and catching and releasing one. They fished hard to finish strong on the last day!
Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should continue to be a good option depending on conditions. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Chuck Cress’ Weekly Fishing Report
Rachel, who just started fishing this year and has never caught a redfish did a wonderful job catching several large redfish using various types of baits. Rachel and her friend Kevin came over from the East Coast and set up a trip with me to specifically catch redfish.
I was a little concerned with the weather and the wind but we got lucky and were able to get the trip in. Kevin also caught several large redfish using top water baits and we managed to get a few snook as well.
Sarasota Bay water is in great shape and quite clear for this time of year as we have not had a lot of rain as of yet. Hope to see you on the water!
Rachel, who just started fishing this year and has never caught a redfish did a wonderful job catching several large redfish using various types of baits.
Rachel and her friend Kevin came over from the East Coast and set up a trip with me to specifically catch redfish.
I was a little concerned with the weather and the wind but we got lucky and were able to get the trip in. Kevin also caught several large redfish using top water baits and we managed to get a few snook as well.
Sarasota Bay water is in great shape and quite clear for this time of year as we have not had a lot of rain as of yet.
Hope to see you on the water!
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing trout and blues on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on several trips with me recently. With a persistent west wind, clouds and rough water in the coastal gulf we opted to fish the bay rather than tarpon fish which was a better option.
Spin fishing anglers scored with CAL jigs and a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos while fly anglers fished baitfish fly patterns on sink tip lines. Steve and Connor Pullum, from Hayesville, NC, fished with me recently and caught and released trout, including several over 20” and blues on CAL jigs with a variety of tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A couple of other trips had similar action with DOA Lures and flies.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should be a good option depending on conditions. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing trout and blues on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on several trips with me recently. With a persistent west wind, clouds and rough water in the coastal gulf we opted to fish the bay rather than tarpon fish which was a better option.
Spin fishing anglers scored with CAL jigs and a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos while fly anglers fished baitfish fly patterns on sink tip lines. Steve and Connor Pullum, from Hayesville, NC, fished with me recently and caught and released trout, including several over 20” and blues on CAL jigs with a variety of tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A couple of other trips had similar action with DOA Lures and flies.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should be a good option depending on conditions. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Chuck Cress’ Weekly Fishing Report
High tides on my recent trips have been producing large redfish, snook and trout. With the higher tides I’ve been able to get into some places where you usually cannot float a boat.
On my latest trip out of CB’s Outfitters on Siesta Key I had two buddies from Kentucky who wanted to catch fish using top water baits only. Catching big fish on topwater baits can be one of the most exciting ways to fish.
Slipping into our first spot we started to get blowups and follow ups almost immediately. The fish don’t always get hooked on a blowup but still a lot of fun to see. Spending the entire half day trip in one small area produced numerous catches of redfish and snook that were carefully released back into the water.
Hope to see you on the water soon, Captain Chuck.
High tides on my recent trips have been producing large redfish, snook and trout. With the higher tides I’ve been able to get into some places where you usually cannot float a boat.
On my latest trip out of CB’s Outfitters on Siesta Key I had two buddies from Kentucky who wanted to catch fish using top water baits only. Catching big fish on topwater baits can be one of the most exciting ways to fish.
Slipping into our first spot we started to get blowups and follow ups almost immediately. The fish don’t always get hooked on a blowup but still a lot of fun to see. Spending the entire half day trip in one small area produced numerous catches of redfish and snook that were carefully released back into the water.
Hope to see you on the water soon, Captain Chuck.
Capt. Kelly Kurtz’s Weekly Fishing Report
Last week on the new moon week the fishing was very productive. We fished the passes with live bait which produced a lot of excitement.
I’d like to think we were a little bit more than lucky.We caught and released a lot of Snook up to 31 inches, as well as Pompano, Permit, Sharks, Mangrove Snapper, Flounder and even a few Bonefish which have started to move into our area.
We’re definitely catching fish that I haven’t seen before in these waters which is a good sign no matter how you look at it.
Last week on the new moon week the fishing was very productive. We fished the passes with live bait which produced a lot of excitement.
I’d like to think we were a little bit more than lucky.We caught and released a lot of Snook up to 31 inches, as well as Pompano, Permit, Sharks, Mangrove Snapper, Flounder and even a few Bonefish which have started to move into our area.
We’re definitely catching fish that I haven’t seen before in these waters which is a good sign no matter how you look at it.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
A rare double was achieved in Boca Grande with these two boys just out of college that I took out this past week for some quality fishing. The beautiful Permit and the always feisty Cobia completed this double they managed to pull off. Meanwhile Sasha, from Orlando (shown smiling below), caught her first fish on an artificial with her Grandad cheering her on.
A rare double was achieved in Boca Grande with these two boys just out of college. The beautiful Permit and the always feisty Cobia completed this double.
Meanwhile Sasha, from Orlando, caught her first fish on artificial with her Grandad cheering her on.
Capt. Bruce Burkhart’s Weekly Fishing Report
The Casual Lies out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters has had a good few weeks. Fishing the flats in about 6 to 8 feet of water over the turtle grass has produced some nice catches, including some Trout, Mangrove Snapper, Small Grouper, Mackerel and a few Pompan.
Fishing the docks in the north bay we’ve been catching Snook to about 24 inches, lots of Mangrove Snapper up to 15 inches, and even caught a nice big Pompano. The Redfish have been cooperating pretty well on live Shrimp.
The catch of the week goes to Jonah who is ten years old and has never fished before. The photo is Jonah with his 23 inch Redfish that he had to muscle out of the dock.
The Casual Lies out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters has had a good few weeks. Fishing the flats in about 6 to 8 feet of water over the turtle grass has produced some nice catches.
Trout, Mangrove Snapper, Small Grouper, Mackerel and a few Pompano were among the fish we were able to get a hook into.
Fishing the docks in the north bay we’ve been catching Snook to about 24 inches, lots of Mangrove Snapper up to 15 inches, and even caught a nice big Pompano. The Redfish have been cooperating pretty well on live Shrimp.
The catch of the week goes to Jonah who is ten years old and has never fished before. The photo is Jonah with his 23 inch Redfish that he had to muscle out of the dock.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Red fish are in the bay and they’re being caught at a good clip. I had some friends visiting from Illinois and we fished several days and did quite well on redfish, snook, and trout. All the fish were caught on artificial Lures.
The mornings are starting to feel like maybe fall is on the way. With those cooler temperatures I expect the fishing to just get better as time goes on and the calendar moves into October.
Sarasota Bay water is in great shape and quite clear this time of year, hope to see you out there soon!
Red fish are in the bay and they’re being caught at a good clip. I had some friends visiting from Illinois and we fished several days and did quite well on redfish, snook, and trout. All the fish were caught on artificial Lures.
The mornings are starting to feel like maybe fall is on the way. With those cooler temperatures I expect the fishing to just get better as time goes on and the calendar moves into October.
Capt. Terry Simmons’ Weekly Fishing Report
This week, fishing aboard “Coastal Fishing Adventures” with Captain Terry Simmons, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key.
Fishing in the Bay, in September, has been a little challenging especially with high humidity and water temps still in the high 80’s. On days like this we keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
On Wednesday I chartered the Koty & Raven Sparks group for an inshore charter. We started the morning working with a low tide around several of the flats on the outside drop offs.
With the abundance of whitebait in the bay I wanted to try artificial baits to see if the fish were looking for something different. Kinda like, if you’ve been eating fish all week and now you might want a steak. We threw various colored DOA shrimp under a popping cork, DOA shad tails on jig heads, spoons and mirrolure top water baits.
We caught several jack cravell, ladyfish, trout, catfish, bluefish and then we caught several very nice slot and over slot redfish from 26 to 29 inches. The redfish were hungry and wanted to play. My clients couldn’t have been happier sometimes with three on at a time and they were on their bucket list. Great memories.
When you need a good dose of Vitamin Sea… “Let’s go Fishing”
This week, fishing aboard “Coastal Fishing Adventures” with Captain Terry Simmons, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key.
Fishing in the Bay, in September, has been a little challenging especially with high humidity and water temps still in the high 80’s. On days like this we keep hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
On Wednesday I chartered the Koty & Raven Sparks group for an inshore charter. We started the morning working with a low tide around several of the flats on the outside drop offs.
With the abundance of whitebait in the bay I wanted to try artificial baits to see if the fish were looking for something different. Kinda like, if you’ve been eating fish all week and now you might want a steak. We threw various colored DOA shrimp under a popping cork, DOA shad tails on jig heads, spoons and mirrolure top water baits.
We caught several jack cravell, ladyfish, trout, catfish, bluefish and then we caught several very nice slot and over slot redfish from 26” to 29”. The redfish were hungry and wanted to play. My clients couldn’t have been happier sometimes with three on at a time and they were on their bucket list. Great memories.
When you need a good dose of Vitamin Sea… “Let’s go Fishing”
Capt. Kelly Kurtz’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me the last couple trips caught and released trout, a few snook, jacks, ladyfish, and mangrove snapper which were all released.
Once again our bay is now going to need time to recover, so proper release methods will help ensure the surviving fish a chance to reproduce. In 2021, most signs indicated good water quality in Sarasota Bay, despite lingering impacts from long-lasting red tides in 2017 and 2018.
Anglers fishing with me the last couple trips caught and released trout, a few snook, jacks, ladyfish, and mangrove snapper which were all released.
Once again our bay is now going to need time to recover, so proper release methods will help ensure the surviving fish a chance to reproduce. In 2021, most signs indicated good water quality in Sarasota Bay, despite lingering impacts from long-lasting red tides in 2017 and 2018.
Capt. Bruce Burkhart’s Weekly Fishing Report
The last few weeks the water around Sarasota Bay has been clean and fishing has been good. Fishing out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters aboard the Casual Lies anglers have had a variety of fish to catch. The grass flats have been holding Trout, Jacks, small Cobia and Sharks up to 25 pounds.
Down in Little Sarasota Bay I was fishing with Ray Markham and Rosemary from the Florida Outdoor Writers and we caught Small Snook, Jacks, some large Trout and few nice Redfish. I expect with the water starting to cool off a bit the fishing should stay good in our entire area.
The last few weeks the water around Sarasota Bay has been clean and fishing has been good. Fishing out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters aboard the Casual Lies anglers have had a variety of fish to catch. The grass flats have been holding Trout, Jacks, small Cobia and Sharks up to 25 pounds.
Down in Little Sarasota Bay I was fishing with Ray Markham and Rosemary from the Florida Outdoor Writers and we caught Small Snook, Jacks, some large Trout and few nice Redfish. I expect with the water starting to cool off a bit the fishing should stay good in our entire area.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Trey and Abby, fishing with me out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action in Sarasota Bay on Monday.
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. As we approach the halfway mark on the month of September both the temperatures and the humidity are both still running on the high side.
Hey this is South Florida, what did you expect. All in all the fish were running hot and these two hauled in a few beauties for themselves.
Trey and Abby, fishing with me out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action in Sarasota Bay on Monday.
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. As we approach the halfway mark on the month of September both the temperatures and the humidity are both still running on the high side.
Hey this is South Florida, what did you expect. All in all the fish were running hot and these two hauled in a few beauties for themselves.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing trout, snook and juvenile tarpon in Sarasota with DOA Lures on several trips recently.
Ross Tornabene and his daughter, Gianna, from Naperville, IL, caught and released several nice trout on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos on a trip in Sarasota Bay with me this past week.
They also jumped a couple of juvenile tarpon and caught and released a tarpon and snook on a DOA TerrorEyz.
Red tide has cleared in Sarasota Bay and fish are returning to normal patterns. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, jacks, blues and more. Since heat is still an issue, fishing dock lights for snook and juvenile tarpon before dawn is also a good option.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing trout, snook and juvenile tarpon in Sarasota with DOA Lures on several trips recently.
Ross Tornabene and his daughter, Gianna, from Naperville, IL, caught and released several nice trout on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos on a trip in Sarasota Bay with me this past week.
They also jumped a couple of juvenile tarpon and caught and released a tarpon and snook on a DOA TerrorEyz.
Red tide has cleared in Sarasota Bay and fish are returning to normal patterns. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, jacks, blues and more. Since heat is still an issue, fishing dock lights for snook and juvenile tarpon before dawn is also a good option.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing snook before dawn and trout, blues and a bonus shark on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on flies on several trips recently.
Red tide has cleared in Sarasota Bay and fish are returning to normal patterns. A recent scouting trip showed very clear water in some areas, plentiful baitfish and birds.
Fly anglers scored with baitfish fly patterns on sink tip lines and spin fishing anglers had action on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A shark surprised us when it ate a Clouser fly and quickly took the angler into her backing! Some of the larger trout were caught and released in shallow water on DOA PT-7 top water baits. Fly poppers and Gurglers should also be a good shallow water option for trout.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Since heat is still an issue, fishing dock lights for snook and juvenile tarpon before dawn is also a good option.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had some action catching and releasing snook before dawn and trout, blues and a bonus shark on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on flies on several trips recently.
Red tide has cleared in Sarasota Bay and fish are returning to normal patterns. A recent scouting trip showed very clear water in some areas, plentiful baitfish and birds.
Fly anglers scored with baitfish fly patterns on sink tip lines and spin fishing anglers had action on CAL jigs with a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A shark surprised us when it ate a Clouser fly and quickly took the angler into her backing! Some of the larger trout were caught and released in shallow water on DOA PT-7 top water baits. Fly poppers and Gurglers should also be a good shallow water option for trout.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Since heat is still an issue, fishing dock lights for snook and juvenile tarpon before dawn is also a good option.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Wisconsin native Brian along with his sons, Luke and Jake, together caught this beautiful trout while fishing North Sarasota Bay this past week. The fishing was pretty steady considering the red tide that had just moved out.
Meanwhile fishing the deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action this time of year with a variety of species including the above mentioned trout, pompano, blues and Spanish mackerel.
If you’re so inclined check out the coastal gulf for false albacore and tripletail.
Wisconsin native Brian along with his sons, Luke and Jake, together caught this beautiful trout while fishing North Sarasota Bay this past week. The fishing was pretty steady considering the red tide that had just moved out.
Meanwhile fishing the deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action this time of year with a variety of species including the above mentioned trout, pompano, blues and Spanish mackerel.
If you’re so inclined you can check the coastal gulf for false albacore and tripletail when conditions are good.
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Montana Fly Fishing Trip Report
I hosted a group of friends and clients on my annual destination fly fishing trip to southwest Montana recently. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, and I traveled from Sarasota to Bozeman and met up with Kirk Grassett, from DE, Nick Delle Donne, from PA and Denton Kent, from VA and made the 2-1/2 hour drive to Medicine Lodge, on a 100,000 acre working ranch near the Beaverhead River, outside of Dillon, MT.
We met up there with Mike Perez and Dennis Kinley, from IN, who drove and met us at the lodge.
Despite some restrictions due to heat and low water, we caught and released some quality trout. We fished the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Madison Rivers with guide Dave King, owner of King Outfitters (406) 596-0209 in Dillon, and his talented group of guides.
I’ve fished with these guides for more than 20-years, they work hard, do a great job and know their fishery well. We had great action on 5 and 6-weight fly tackle with brown and rainbow trout to more than 20” on streamers, dry flies, dry/dropper and nymph rigs. 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. Like fishing everywhere, there were good days and slower days but overall it was great!
Back in Sarasota red tide is an issue, but there are areas of clean water that are fine. Catch and release snook fishing around dock lights and bridges should be a good option now. There should be tarpon in areas of upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Juvenile tarpon in canals and creeks may also be a good option. You might also find them in a few places mixed with snook in dock lights. Due to the nature of red tide, conditions may change from day to day so be ready to adjust if necessary.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by residential, industrial and agricultural runoff, toxic spills and intentional releases, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
I hosted a group of friends and clients on my annual destination fly fishing trip to southwest Montana recently. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, and I traveled from Sarasota to Bozeman and met up with Kirk Grassett, from DE, Nick Delle Donne, from PA and Denton Kent, from VA and made the 2-1/2 hour drive to Medicine Lodge, on a 100,000 acre working ranch near the Beaverhead River, outside of Dillon, MT.
We met up there with Mike Perez and Dennis Kinley, from IN, who drove and met us at the lodge.
Despite some restrictions due to heat and low water, we caught and released some quality trout. We fished the Beaverhead, Big Hole and Madison Rivers with guide Dave King, owner of King Outfitters (406) 596-0209 in Dillon, and his talented group of guides.
I’ve fished with these guides for more than 20-years, they work hard, do a great job and know their fishery well. We had great action on 5 and 6-weight fly tackle with brown and rainbow trout to more than 20” on streamers, dry flies, dry/dropper and nymph rigs. 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. Like fishing everywhere, there were good days and slower days but overall it was great!
Back in Sarasota red tide is an issue, but there are areas of clean water that are fine. Catch and release snook fishing around dock lights and bridges should be a good option now. There should be tarpon in areas of upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay. Juvenile tarpon in canals and creeks may also be a good option. You might also find them in a few places mixed with snook in dock lights. Due to the nature of red tide, conditions may change from day to day so be ready to adjust if necessary.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by residential, industrial and agricultural runoff, toxic spills and intentional releases, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Eight year old Parker said it was the best day of his life. He and his dad Eric were staying on Siesta Key enjoying the last few days of his Summer vacation before school finally started up again when they decided to take in some fishing.
The father and son pair managed to catch and release several fish. Beside the red fish pictured they also caught snook, trout, bluefish, Jacks and snapper.
Young Parker loves to fish and I’m sure this will be a day he remembers for a long time to come.
Eight year old Parker said it was the best day of his life. He and his dad Eric were staying on Siesta Key enjoying the last few days of his Summer vacation.
The father and son pair managed to catch and release several fish. Beside the red fish pictured they also caught snook, trout, bluefish, Jacks and snapper.
Young Parker loves to fish and I’m sure this will be a day he remembers for a long time to come.
Capt. Chuck Cress’s Weekly Fishing Report
Honeymoon couple gets lucky! Cole and his new bride Shelby Are from Missouri and are enjoying their honeymoon on Siesta Key. Using shrimp under a popping cork Shelby hooked a couple of snook before Cole landed this beautiful red fish using a jig and Gulp jerk bait.
We fished little Sarasota Bay And saw no Signs of red tide. The bay water was clean and we saw plenty of signs of life including jumping mullet, bait and manatees. It may not be the best time of year for fishing, however with patience and persistence your trip can still be successful.
Honeymoon couple gets lucky! Cole and his new bride Shelby Are from Missouri and are enjoying their honeymoon on Siesta Key.
Using shrimp under a popping cork Shelby hooked a couple of snook before Cole landed this beautiful red fish using a jig and Gulp jerk bait.
We fished little Sarasota Bay And saw no Signs of red tide. The bay water was clean and we saw plenty of signs of life including jumping mullet, bait and manatees. It may not be the best time of year for fishing, however with patience and persistence your trip can still be successful.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Drew Navero from Houston Texas caught this beautiful juvenile Tarpon while fishing with me on an inshore trip out of CBs Outfitter’s this past week.
Locally we’re still knee deep in Tarpon around these parts as we just finished up the 90th Annual Sarasota Tarpon Tournament.
Just an FYI the Sarasota Tarpon Tournament is the oldest continuous Tarpon Tournament in the entire country and all proceeds raised are contributed directly to local children’s charities and local fishing conservation.
Drew Navero from Houston Texas caught this beautiful juvenile Tarpon while fishing with me on an inshore trip out of CBs Outfitter’s this past week.
Locally we’re still knee deep in Tarpon around these parts as we just finished up the 90th Annual Sarasota Tarpon Tournament.
Just an FYI the Sarasota Tarpon Tournament is the oldest continuous Tarpon Tournament in the entire country and all proceeds raised are contributed directly to local children’s charities and local fishing conservation.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
Just before a storm, with the barometric pressure dropping rapidly, the bite can get pretty amazing. Shown here is just one of the many fish caught by these two young men visiting from Chicago and enjoying just one of the amazing adventures the area has to offer.
Although we’ve been seeing more rain than is usual this time of year we were still able to take advantage of some nice weather in between the howers, and catch some spectacular skies too as you can see, as we soaked up the late June living on the southern gulf coast. Life’s too short, make time to fish!
Just before a storm, with the barometric pressure dropping rapidly, the bite can get pretty amazing. Shown here is just one of the many fish caught by these two young boys who were visiting from Chicago and enjoying one of the amazing adventures the area has to offer.
Although we’ve been seeing more rain than is usual this time of year we were able to take advantage of some nice weather in between the rain showers, and catch some spectacular skies too, as we soaked up the late June living on the southern gulf coast.
Life’s too short, make some time to go fishing!
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon in the coastal gulf on several trips recently. Conditions were good and fish were plentiful as we approached a full moon last week.
Longtime friends and clients, Cliff Ondercin from Sarasota, and Dennis Ondercin, from Middleburg, Hts, OH, tarpon fished in the coastal gulf several days with me, jumping numerous tarpon and catching and releasing one. They fished hard to finish strong on the last day!
Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should continue to be a good option depending on conditions. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon in the coastal gulf on several trips recently. Conditions were good and fish were plentiful as we approached a full moon last week.
Longtime friends and clients, Cliff Ondercin from Sarasota, and Dennis Ondercin, from Middleburg, Hts, OH, tarpon fished in the coastal gulf several days with me, jumping numerous tarpon and catching and releasing one. They fished hard to finish strong on the last day!
Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should continue to be a good option depending on conditions. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more.
Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Chuck Cress’ Weekly Fishing Report
Rachel, who just started fishing this year and has never caught a redfish did a wonderful job catching several large redfish using various types of baits. Rachel and her friend Kevin came over from the East Coast and set up a trip with me to specifically catch redfish.
I was a little concerned with the weather and the wind but we got lucky and were able to get the trip in. Kevin also caught several large redfish using top water baits and we managed to get a few snook as well.
Sarasota Bay water is in great shape and quite clear for this time of year as we have not had a lot of rain as of yet. Hope to see you on the water!
Rachel, who just started fishing this year and has never caught a redfish did a wonderful job catching several large redfish using various types of baits.
Rachel and her friend Kevin came over from the East Coast and set up a trip with me to specifically catch redfish.
I was a little concerned with the weather and the wind but we got lucky and were able to get the trip in. Kevin also caught several large redfish using top water baits and we managed to get a few snook as well.
Sarasota Bay water is in great shape and quite clear for this time of year as we have not had a lot of rain as of yet.
Hope to see you on the water!
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Weekly Fishing Report
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing trout and blues on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on several trips with me recently. With a persistent west wind, clouds and rough water in the coastal gulf we opted to fish the bay rather than tarpon fish which was a better option.
Spin fishing anglers scored with CAL jigs and a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos while fly anglers fished baitfish fly patterns on sink tip lines. Steve and Connor Pullum, from Hayesville, NC, fished with me recently and caught and released trout, including several over 20” and blues on CAL jigs with a variety of tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A couple of other trips had similar action with DOA Lures and flies.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should be a good option depending on conditions. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action catching and releasing trout and blues on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay on several trips with me recently. With a persistent west wind, clouds and rough water in the coastal gulf we opted to fish the bay rather than tarpon fish which was a better option.
Spin fishing anglers scored with CAL jigs and a variety of plastic tails and DOA Deadly Combos while fly anglers fished baitfish fly patterns on sink tip lines. Steve and Connor Pullum, from Hayesville, NC, fished with me recently and caught and released trout, including several over 20” and blues on CAL jigs with a variety of tails and DOA Deadly Combos. A couple of other trips had similar action with DOA Lures and flies.
Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues and more. Tarpon fishing in the coastal gulf should be a good option depending on conditions. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Capt. Chuck Cress’ Weekly Fishing Report
High tides on my recent trips have been producing large redfish, snook and trout. With the higher tides I’ve been able to get into some places where you usually cannot float a boat.
On my latest trip out of CB’s Outfitters on Siesta Key I had two buddies from Kentucky who wanted to catch fish using top water baits only. Catching big fish on topwater baits can be one of the most exciting ways to fish.
Slipping into our first spot we started to get blowups and follow ups almost immediately. The fish don’t always get hooked on a blowup but still a lot of fun to see. Spending the entire half day trip in one small area produced numerous catches of redfish and snook that were carefully released back into the water.
Hope to see you on the water soon, Captain Chuck.
High tides on my recent trips have been producing large redfish, snook and trout. With the higher tides I’ve been able to get into some places where you usually cannot float a boat.
On my latest trip out of CB’s Outfitters on Siesta Key I had two buddies from Kentucky who wanted to catch fish using top water baits only. Catching big fish on topwater baits can be one of the most exciting ways to fish.
Slipping into our first spot we started to get blowups and follow ups almost immediately. The fish don’t always get hooked on a blowup but still a lot of fun to see. Spending the entire half day trip in one small area produced numerous catches of redfish and snook that were carefully released back into the water.
Hope to see you on the water soon, Captain Chuck.
Capt. Kelly Kurtz’s Weekly Fishing Report
Last week on the new moon week the fishing was very productive. We fished the passes with live bait which produced a lot of excitement.
I’d like to think we were a little bit more than lucky.We caught and released a lot of Snook up to 31 inches, as well as Pompano, Permit, Sharks, Mangrove Snapper, Flounder and even a few Bonefish which have started to move into our area.
We’re definitely catching fish that I haven’t seen before in these waters which is a good sign no matter how you look at it.
Last week on the new moon week the fishing was very productive. We fished the passes with live bait which produced a lot of excitement.
I’d like to think we were a little bit more than lucky.We caught and released a lot of Snook up to 31 inches, as well as Pompano, Permit, Sharks, Mangrove Snapper, Flounder and even a few Bonefish which have started to move into our area.
We’re definitely catching fish that I haven’t seen before in these waters which is a good sign no matter how you look at it.
Capt. Brandon Naeve’s Weekly Fishing Report
A rare double was achieved in Boca Grande with these two boys just out of college that I took out this past week for some quality fishing. The beautiful Permit and the always feisty Cobia completed this double they managed to pull off. Meanwhile Sasha, from Orlando (shown smiling below), caught her first fish on an artificial with her Grandad cheering her on.
A rare double was achieved in Boca Grande with these two boys just out of college. The beautiful Permit and the always feisty Cobia completed this double.
Meanwhile Sasha, from Orlando, caught her first fish on artificial with her Grandad cheering her on.
Capt. Bruce Burkhart’s Weekly Fishing Report
The Casual Lies out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters has had a good few weeks. Fishing the flats in about 6 to 8 feet of water over the turtle grass has produced some nice catches, including some Trout, Mangrove Snapper, Small Grouper, Mackerel and a few Pompan.
Fishing the docks in the north bay we’ve been catching Snook to about 24 inches, lots of Mangrove Snapper up to 15 inches, and even caught a nice big Pompano. The Redfish have been cooperating pretty well on live Shrimp.
The catch of the week goes to Jonah who is ten years old and has never fished before. The photo is Jonah with his 23 inch Redfish that he had to muscle out of the dock.
The Casual Lies out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters has had a good few weeks. Fishing the flats in about 6 to 8 feet of water over the turtle grass has produced some nice catches.
Trout, Mangrove Snapper, Small Grouper, Mackerel and a few Pompano were among the fish we were able to get a hook into.
Fishing the docks in the north bay we’ve been catching Snook to about 24 inches, lots of Mangrove Snapper up to 15 inches, and even caught a nice big Pompano. The Redfish have been cooperating pretty well on live Shrimp.
The catch of the week goes to Jonah who is ten years old and has never fished before. The photo is Jonah with his 23 inch Redfish that he had to muscle out of the dock.