Weekly Fishing Report

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota Fishing Report for 11/26/2023

Anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with a variety of species in Sarasota recently. Gene Christie and Lynn Platt, from Sarasota, fished Sarasota Bay with me and had good action catching and releasing trout, bluefish and pompano on CAL jigs with shad tails. Dave Wahl, from Parrish, also got in on the action with a fly, catching and releasing trout and bluefish on Clouser flies. Barney Naylor and Scott Carpenter, from MI, also had good fly fishing action, catching and releasing trout and blues in Sarasota Bay and tripletail in the coastal gulf.

Tripletail and false albacore may be a good option in the coastal gulf depending on conditions. Look for reds in skinny water and snook around dock lights. Deep grass flats are usually a good option for action for trout and seasonal species such as pompano, blues and Spanish mackerel. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides and other algae blooms 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!

Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
FFI Certified Fly Casting Instructor
Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Guide and Casting Instructor/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 Mars Bay Bonefish Lodge, South Andros, Bahamas Fishing Report, November 4-11, 2023

I hosted a group of friends and clients at Mars Bay Bonefish Lodge in South Andros, Bahamas on my annual trip there recently. Stewart Lavelle, from Sarasota, Kirk Grassett, from Middletown, DE, Rick Happle from St. Pete, Bill Crelin, from WI and I drove from Sarasota to Ft. Lauderdale Executive airport. We met up with other group members John from NY, Joe Nourigat, from MD and Tracy and Cullen Baker, from NC and traveled to Congotown, South Andros on Makers Air.

Conditions were good most of the time, with good sunlight and not a lot of wind. We waded vast sand flats and also fished from flats skiffs for everything from large cruising or tailing single and double bonefish to large schools of fish. We had good action most days and there were also a couple of slower days. There were numerous bonefish in the 4 to 6-pound class and several 8 to 9-pound fish caught and released. Top producing flies during the week were Peterson’s Spawning Shrimp, Fitz flies, Ververka’s Mantis Shrimp, Gotchas and Gotcha variations. This is one of the most beautiful places on the planet!

“Day 5 was one of the best weather days and one of the best fish days hands down. Great time on the water with Kirk while combining wading along with much poling. . . . Landed around 25 fish between me and Rick wherein had a few nice ones while seeing some big boys. . . A big lemon shark bull charged Rick early morning when he had the bonefish close to him trying to remove the hook. Fun fishing day and great conversations” Joe Nourigat’s commentary on a couple of fishing days.

Bill Howard, the resident owner/operator, does a great job making things run smoothly at the lodge. We dined on a variety of excellent authentic Bahamian dishes including fresh fish, lobster and conch. One of the best things about Mars Bay Lodge, the southernmost lodge on South Andros, is fishing the vast sand flats and scattered mangrove keys to the south. Being the southernmost lodge on South Andros also means about a 10-mile shorter boat run each way and more fishing! South Andros has got to be one of the most beautiful places on earth! This trip, as well as my Montana trip, are annual trips so if you have an interest in any future trips contact me or go to the Destination Trips page of my web sites.

Back home in Sarasota, deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay have been producing trout, blues and pompano on Clouser flies and CAL jigs with shad tails. Tripletail have also been a good option depending on conditions.

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 Fishing Report for 10/28/2023

Fly anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with a variety of species in Sarasota recently. Pat Beckwith, from Sarasota, fished the coastal gulf with me and caught and released her first false albacore (little tunny) on a fly! Tom and Dan Timmins, from PA, fished a couple of days with me. They caught and released several trout and snook fishing skinny water in Sarasota Bay and also got in on the action in the coastal gulf with false albacore on a fly. Sarasota winter residents, Mike Perez and Denton Kent, fished the coastal gulf with me and caught and released several tripletail on flies.

Stewart Lavelle, from Sarasota, fished the ICW at night with me and had good action catching and releasing numerous snook and a chunky bluefish on my Snook Minnow fly. A couple of other fly anglers had action catching and releasing trout and more on deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay. Conditions and fish have been challenging but anglers worked hard to make it happen!

Tripletail and false albacore should be a good option in the coastal gulf depending on conditions. Look for reds in skinny water and snook around dock lights. Deep grass flats are usually a good option for action for trout and seasonal species such as pompano, blues and Spanish mackerel. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides and other algae blooms 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. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota Fishing Report for 10/7/2023

Fly anglers fishing with me, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had good action with a variety of species in Sarasota recently. Pat Beckwith, from Sarasota, fished deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay and had good action catching and releasing numerous trout, pompano and more on Clouser flies. Rusty Chinnis, from Longboat Key, and I scouted the coastal gulf on a couple of trips and caught and released several false albacore, Spanish mackerel and a tripletail on flies. With plentiful baitfish and stone crab traps now being placed in the coastal gulf, it may be a strong fall season.

Look for reds in skinny water and snook and juvenile tarpon around dock lights. You should also find snook in the surf. Deep grass flats are usually a good option for action for trout and seasonal species. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides and other algae blooms 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. Rick Grassett’s Montana Fly Fishing Trip Report for 7/29/2023

I hosted a group of friends and clients on my annual destination fly fishing trip to southwest Montana recently. I traveled from Sarasota to Bozeman 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. I met up at the lodge with my brother, Kirk Grassett, from DE, Bill Johns, from Venice, FL, Derrick Johns, from Austin, TX and Mike Perez and Dennis Kinley, from IN, who drove and met us at the lodge.

Despite some fishing restrictions due to heat, which is typical this time of year, 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 Dave for more than 20-years, his guides do a great job and know their fishery well. We fished 4, 5 and 6-weight fly tackle and caught and released 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 dry flies. Often a hopper, sometimes with a nymph or with a smaller dry fly dropper and a few other bugs. A great trip!

Back in Sarasota 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 around dock lights. 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!