Captain's Weekly Fishing Report

November 7, 2010 Fishing Report - Capt. Bruce Burkhart

Chuck and Darryl from Sarasota fished with me for three days last week. The first day we stayed in the bay and fished both the Marina Jacks flat and Stephens Point. They were using DOA Glow Shrimp under a popping cork and Silver CAL jigs. We ended up with some nice trout to eighteen inches. We also hooked into some bluefish, mackerel and jack crevalle. The next two days we fished along the beach off Longboat Key trolling Yo-Zuri plugs. At the end of the two days we had fourteen kingfish up to thirteen pounds, eighteen mackerel and three bonita.

Look for the action to heat back up after the winds clear out from the northeast. Obviously, the high winds have made it more difficult to hook up.

November 7, 2010 Fishing Report - Capt. Rick Grassett

Anglers fishing with me on my flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released snook, reds, trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and flounder on jigs and flies during the past week. The best action was on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay with a variety of species.

Sarasota winter residents, Norm and Francie Boardman, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Monday afternoon. The action was slow but they caught a couple of blues to 4-pounds and several trout on CAL jigs with shad tails and Ultra Hair Clouser flies near Buttonwood Harbor. A high school classmate of mine from Seaford, DE, Allen Handy and his wife, Jessye, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Tuesday. They caught and released numerous trout, several blues and a Spanish mackerel on CAL jigs with shad tails and DOA Deadly Combos at Stephens Point.

Outdoor writer and guide, Capt. Dave Lear from Tallahassee, FL, fished with me on Tuesday evening and Wednesday. We were on a snook mission, so we fished the ICW near Venice on Tuesday evening and caught and released a few snook to 22” on Grassett Snook Minnow flies. We fished Sarasota Bay on Wednesday and caught and released snook and a flounder on CAL jigs with shad tails near Long Bar. Bill and Scott Moore, from IL, fished the east side of Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. They had steady action with trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and a flounder on DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs.

I fished the 6th annual MCFF/CCA “Fall Fly Fishing Challenge” on Saturday. Despite cold and windy conditions, lots of fish were caught. Roger Williams, from Bradenton, FL fished with me and we had fast action with reds in north Sarasota Bay. We waded a sand bar and caught and released 6 reds to 23-1/2". Dusty Sprague, from North Port, FL, was the winner of the Open division and Robert Fischer, from Tampa, FL was the winner of the Fly Angler division. This is a fun, low stakes fly fishing tournament designed to promote the sport and raise a little money for conservation.

If you are interested in learning to fly fish or if you already have some experience but want to improve your skills or correct problems, I will be the instructor for a CB’s Saltwater Outfitter’s Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010. The school will cover fly casting basics, line control, shooting line and the roll cast. I will also cover leader construction, fly selection and saltwater fly fishing techniques. Cost for the school, which will run from 9 AM to 4 PM, is $150 per person and includes the use of premium Orvis fly tackle, a text book and lunch. Contact me or CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or cbsoutfitters@verizon.net to make reservations.

Action should heat up in Sarasota Bay and the coastal gulf following this weekend’s front. There were still lots of Spanish mackerel and little tunny in the coastal gulf earlier in the week, so when things settle down that should be a good option.

CB's saltwater outfitters
1249 Stickney Point Road on Siesta Key
(at Stickney Point Bridge)
Sarasota, Florida 34242
941-349-4400
http://www.cbsoutfitters.com