Flyfishing Forecast

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fly Fishing Forecast for December 2020

You may find reds along with big trout concentrated in potholes, along the edges of bars or tailing on shallow grass flats on negative low tides this month. This is a good month for catch and release snook action around lighted docks in the ICW. Some lights will also have trout and reds making it possible to get a dock “slam”. There may also be some action in the coastal gulf with tripletail, depending on conditions.

Snook, reds and spotted seatrout remain closed to harvest on the west coast of Florida. The Florida FWC has extended a temporary modification of regulations for reds, snook and trout, 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, snook and trout are catch and release only in that zone until May 31, 2021. Full details including exact boundaries can be found at https://myfwc.com/news/all-news/extended-cnr-220/.

Catch and release snook fishing around lighted docks at night can be good in December unless it gets too cool. I won’t target snook following a strong cold front or if the water temperature dips below 60 degrees. Since they may be stressed at that time. However, it can be very good in December under normal conditions. Larger baitfish will thin out and snook will gorge themselves on glass minnows and small shrimp in the ICW at night. I like docks that have a good tidal flow and deep water under them. Fly anglers should do well with sink tip fly lines and small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow. Shrimp Gurglers on floating lines may work well when snook are chasing shrimp in the lights. Fish peak tidal flows for the fastest action.

You may find Reds in potholes or along the edges of flats and bars when the tide is low. They may also tail on shallow grass flats of lower Tampa Bay or Gasparilla Sound on negative low tides. Lightly weighted flies, like my Grassett Flats Minnow, will work well in that situation. Weed guards are also important when targeting reds on shallow grass. Spoon flies are another good choice when hunting for reds although you may need to add a small (#10) black barrel swivel ahead of your bite tippet to prevent twist in your leader depending on the style of spoon fly you use, some will wobble while others may spin if stripped fast. You may also find reds around docks this month. Use a sink tip fly line and a weighted fly to get your fly into the strike zone for reds. You may find big trout in skinny water this month in many of the same areas where you find reds. The same flies and techniques that I use for reds will also work for trout in the same areas.

You should also find trout on deep grass flats this month along with blues, Spanish mackerel, flounder or pompano. Blues and mackerel will sometimes feed on the surface in the bay, so bird activity may give their presence away. Pompano may skip when you drift or run past them and when that happens, circle back upwind and drift through the area casting ahead of your drift. Flounder prefer a mix of sand and grass, particularly in potholes or on the edges of bars. Fly anglers should score with sink tip fly lines and weighted flies, like Ultra Hair Clousers or my Grassett Deep Flats Bunny fly, which behaves like a jig with a shad tail. I tie Ultra Hair Clousers on long shank hooks, leaving a portion of the hook shank exposed, when toothy fish are around. I like the shallow flats of the south shore of Tampa Bay and Gasparilla Sound for reds and trout and deep grass flats that are close to passes, on points and along sand bars for trout, blues, flounder and pompano in December.

There should still be some action in the coastal gulf with Spanish mackerel, blues, false albacore and tripletail. Look for terns either diving or hovering low over the surface of the water to find albies, blues and mackerel feeding just below the surface. Once you’ve found them, cast glass minnow fly patterns, poppers or Crease flies to them. Fly poppers may draw fish to the surface, especially over structure. You’ll need to add wire or heavy fluorocarbon to your leader when blues and mackerel are around. Look for tripletail around crab trap floats or channel markers. Once you’ve located a fish, work back into the wind or current with an electric trolling motor to get into casting range and cast a lightly weighted fly to them. Weed guards are important to avoid hooking the crab trap lines.

There should be lots of options in December, although weather becomes more of a factor. When conditions are good, I like to fish the coastal gulf for tripletail or albies. If you’re able to choose when to fish, fish ahead of fronts or on the strongest tides for the best action. Shallow water action can be very good on low winter tides. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by agricultural, industrial and residential runoff and discharges, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!

Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFI Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB’s Saltwater Outfitters
Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
www.snookfin-addict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
(941) 923-7799 (office/land line)

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fly Fishing Forecast for November 2020

Action in the coastal gulf with false albacore, tripletail, Spanish mackerel, blues and more should explode during November! You may also find blues, Spanish mackerel and pompano mixed with trout on deep grass flats this month. You should also find larger trout in skinny water along with reds. Snook will stage around bars and on shallow flats as they make their move towards winter areas.

You’ll find snook staging around docks and bridges in the ICW, along sand bars and in potholes on shallow flats. They may be along mangrove shorelines when the tide is high. Small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, should work well around dock and bridge fender lights. Wider profile flies like Lefty’s Deceiver or my Grassett Flats Minnow fly should be good choices for snook in shallow water. Fish the strongest tides for the best action. I like the ICW between Sarasota and Venice at night for snook in November.

Reds will spread out on shallow grass flats in November. You should find them along bars, in potholes or around docks. Look for them along mangrove shorelines when the tide is high, but they are just as likely to be roaming with mullet schools in shallow water. Fly anglers may score with lightly weighted flies, such as a Clouser or my Grassett Flats Minnow fly, fished on a 12’ leader with a floating fly line. I catch a lot more reds by wading after I have located them than I do from my boat, so keep a low profile.

You may also find big trout along with reds in shallow water this month. The same flies that you use for snook and reds in shallow water will also work for trout in shallow water. You’ll also find trout on deep grass flats in water from 3’ to 7’ deep. I like to drift and cast quartering ahead of my drift with weighted flies, like Clousers or my Grassett Deep Flats Bunny, on sink tip fly lines to locate trout. In addition to making a series of drifts to find fish, look for baitfish on the surface or birds to find them.

You may also find blues, Spanish mackerel, flounder or pompano on deep grass flats this month. Ultra Hair Clouser flies are a good choice for any of these species. The techniques to find them is the same as for trout, although blues and Spanish mackerel may feed on the surface making them easier to find. Likewise with pompano, that may skip on the surface when you run or drift past them. When that happens, circle back upwind and drift back through the area, casting ahead of your drift. You’ll need to add wire or heavy fluorocarbon when toothy fish are around to keep them from biting you off. You may find flounder on a mixture of grass and sand, particularly on the edges of bars or in potholes.

There should be good action in the coastal gulf with false albacore (little tunny), Spanish and king mackerel, blues, tripletail or cobia. Look for Spanish mackerel, blues or false albacore feeding on the surface to find them. Diving terns or terns hovering just above the surface of the water and moving fast will give their presence away if they aren’t on top. Fly anglers should score with small white flies, Ultra Hair Clousers, poppers or Crease flies. Look for tripletail around crab trap floats. I’ve done well on tripletail with my Grassett Flats Minnow and shrimp fly patterns. A weed guard is important to help prevent snagging the crab trap line. Cobia may also be found around crab trap floats, swimming on the surface or over structure. They will require 9 or 10-weight fly tackle. Fly anglers should score on cobia with wide profile baitfish patterns such as Deceivers or Tarpon Bunnies.

I will be the instructor for CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing school on Sat, Nov 21. The course, designed for beginning and intermediate fly casters, will focus on basic fly casting principles, improving casting skills and correcting faults. I will also cover saltwater fly fishing techniques, leader construction and fly selection. Face masks are required to participate. Cost is $195 per person and includes the use of Orvis fly tackle, workbook and lunch. Optional instructional guided fly fishing trips are also available for an additional fee. Contact CB’s Saltwater Outfitters at (941) 349-4400 or info@cbsoutfitters.com to make reservations.

This a great month for fishing the flats or the coastal gulf. Since the action in the coastal gulf is seasonal and will slow when it gets cold, I like to fish there when conditions are good. However, if conditions aren’t good, there should be plenty of action with a variety of fish on shallow and deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by agricultural, industrial and residential runoff and discharges, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFI Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide at CB’s Saltwater Outfitters
Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
www.snookfin-addict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
(941) 923-7799 (office-land line)