Sarasota & Venice

August 13th, 2008

Tarpon on a Fly in Sarasota Bay

Anglers fishing with me on the Snook fin-Addict, out of CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with tarpon, trout, bluefish and Spanish mackerel the past couple of weeks.

Tarpon action slowed along the beaches due to fewer tarpon and poor sight fishing conditions (rough water and lack of sunlight); however they moved inside around bridges and on the flats.

The best action has been on deep grass flats along the west side of Sarasota Bay. Fly angler Hugh Scott, from Atlanta, GA, fished a couple of days with me during the week of July 28th. We fished around bridges before dawn and found tarpon feeding on shadow lines. Hugh had several bites, hooked 3 fish and landed one about 15-pounds on a chartreuse Toad fly. We were actually able to sight fish to tarpon, ranging in size from 10 to 75-pounds, as they cruised and fed along shadow lines.

He also had action with trout and bluefish on Ultra Hair Clouser flies and Enrico Puglisi flies near Buttonwood Harbor. Fly angler Rick Happle, from Tampa, FL, fished the same areas with me on Thursday of that week. The tide was poor before dawn and tarpon didn't feed very well. However, after daylight the tide began to move and we found tarpon crushing glass minnows that they had in a tight ball under a bridge. It was tough to "match the hatch" but after changing flies about 5 or 6 times, I finally tied on my Snook Minnow night snook fly (a.k.a. Grassett's Grass Minnow). I warned Rick that the #4 Mustad 34007 hook probably wouldn't hold a big tarpon. Despite long odds, Rick hooked and fought a tarpon of about 60-pounds through numerous jumps while running a gauntlet of crab trap gloats and bridge pilings. After about 30-minutes, we had her alongside the boat. Great job! Rick also caught and released several trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies near Buttonwood Harbor.

Fly anglers Carl Bettinger, from Albuquerque, NM, and Dave Mayers, from MO, fished with me on two different trips during the week of Aug. 4th. They had action with trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, jacks and ladyfish on Ultra hair Clouser flies from the Middleground flat to Buttonwood Harbor. We found tarpon busting ladyfish as they fed on the surface one morning but they were up and down too quickly to get on them. Bill Colton, from Longboat Key, FL, his son, Bill, and son-in-law, Paul, had similar action using spinning tackle with CAL jigs and DOA Deadly Combos. Later in the week Allen, Angie & Tori Anaya, from Albuquerque, NM, fished Sarasota Bay with me. They had steady action with trout, bluefish, ladyfish and jacks on DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs near Buttonwood Harbor.

Fly angler Braton Machleit, from TN, fished for the 1st time in saltwater with me on Friday. He started the day off with a 10-pound or more juvenile tarpon caught from under a dock on a Grassett's Snook Minnow fly. The fish banged its head under a boat lift when it jumped, but Braton successfully maneuvered the fish out from under the dock. We fished deep grass flats later in the morning near Buttonwood Harbor where he caught and released ladyfish and trout on Ultra Hair Clouser flies. Saturday's trip was plagued with thunderstorms and wind. We had a few shots at feeding tarpon before dawn and spent the rest of the trip running away from rain and lightning before cutting the trip short just before a big downpour.

Next week's tides are favorable for tarpon and snook before dawn and fishing deep grass flats for trout, bluefish and more. Fishing action usually slows by late morning unless it is overcast, so start and finish early for the best action.

Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett

FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
www.flyfishingflorida.net