Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fishing Report for 12/31/2011



Action continued in the coastal gulf early last week due to the unseasonable warm weather we’ve had during December. However a front pushed through on Tuesday, dropping water temperatures by several degrees. Action slowed for a couple of days, but by Thursday the water warmed back up a couple of degrees and fish responded favorably. Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released false albacore (little tunny), Spanish mackerel, tripletail, snook, trout, pompano, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and a small shark during the past week.

Denis Clohisy, from WI, and Vic Heckler, from IL, fished the coastal gulf with me on Monday. I had to cover a lot of water to locate the false albacore, but once I found them we stayed on them for several hours. They caught and released 7 or 8 “albies” to 8-pounds and Spanish mackerel to 1 ½-pounds on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. We ran some crab trap lines on the way back, had numerous shots at a couple of tripletail and Denis caught a 5 ½-pounder on my Grassett Flats Minnow fly. A great fish!

Chris Shuff, his 14-year old son, Devin and friend, John, all from OH, stopped off in Sarasota to fish with me on Tuesday on their way to the Keys. They caught and released a few trout and ladyfish on the west side of Sarasota Bay from the Middleground flat to Whale Key on CAL jigs with shad tails. We had an approaching front, so we got off the water just ahead of it. Dave Wahl, from IL, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Wednesday. Since it was cool that morning, we started at 9 AM and fished into the middle of the afternoon. He caught and released a few trout on a Clouser fly, but the action was slow.

Sarasota winter resident, Phil Rever, and Eric Dobkin, from NY, fished the ICW near Venice with me on Thursday evening. The tide wasn’t great, but action was steady with most spots giving up several fish. They caught and released more than 15 snook and a trout on my Snook Minnow fly. The last fish of the night was a 30”, 7 ½-pound snook that Eric caught and released. It got wrapped in the trolling motor shaft twice, but due to using a heavy tippet we successfully got the fish out each time. A nice fish!

Kent Boulware and son-in-law, Eric Notestine, from IN, and son, Jon Boulware, from NC, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday afternoon. They had steady action catching and releasing trout, bluefish, Spanish mackerel, a couple of pompano and a small shark on CAL jigs with shad and grub tails at Stephens Point and near Whale Key.

Nest week’s tides will improve towards the end of the week as we approach a full moon. Look for reds and trout in potholes on negative low tides. Fish deep grass flats for trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and pompano or the ICW at night for catch and release snook. I use tackle heavy enough to land snook quickly and avoid catching them at all during cold snaps. It’s worth checking the coastal gulf for false albacore (little tunny), Spanish mackerel, tripletail and cobia when conditions are good.

Happy New Year and a special thanks to all of my customers that fished with me during the past year! After almost 22 years in business, many of you have become good friends and I’ve gotten to know your families as well. I appreciate your business and look forward to fishing with you again soon.



Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

(941) 923-7799

E-mail snookfin@aol.com

www.flyfishingflorida.net and http://www.snookfin-addict.com