snookfinaddict

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fly Fishing Forecast for February 2025

Trout and redfish should be good shallow water options this month. You may also find trout along with blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and flounder on deep grass flats. Look for sheepshead, flounder, reds and more around docks. Catch and release night snook fishing around lighted docks in the ICW may be a good option if it’s not too cold.

Since snook are temperature sensitive, I won’t target them following strong fronts when water temperatures dip below 60 degrees. However, I have had some great night trips catching and releasing snook on flies in the ICW at night this time of year. Since larger baitfish aren’t that plentiful this time of year, snook will gorge themselves on glass minnows and shrimp. Small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, Gurglers or shrimp patterns will all work well.

You may also find snook in rivers, creeks or canals this month. Fishing may be good in these areas on a blustery day when it isn’t fit to fish anywhere else. I like wider profile flies in these areas due to the baitfish that may be found there. Fly anglers should score with baitfish patterns, such as Lefty’s Deceiver, EP flies or my Grassett Deep Flats Bunny, fished on a sink tip fly line. Fish the deep spots, usually in bends in the river, for the best action.

You might find reds in potholes or along the edges of bars and shallow flats when the tide is low. As the tide rises, they will feed higher on shallow flats, particularly on sunny afternoons. Fly anglers should score with lightly weighted flies on floating lines with 10’-12’ leaders. My Grassett Flats Minnow fly is my “go to” fly for fishing skinny water. You may also find big trout in skinny water in the same places you find reds. The same flies and techniques that you use to target reds will work for big trout in those areas. I release all over slot trout since they are usually females and I feel that they are important to the health of our trout fishery. Big fish, spawn big fish!

You’ll also find trout on deep grass flats. I like flats that have a good mix of grass and sand and good tidal flow. Flats that are close to passes are often good choices unless the water is dirty. Following fronts, silted up water will cover deep grass flats close to passes, often affecting fishing in those areas. I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift with weighted flies, like my Grassett Deep Flats Bunny or Ultra Hair Clouser flies, on sink tip fly lines to locate trout. Once you’ve located them you can shorten your drift or anchor on them. Current trout regulations allow a bag limit of 3 fish per person and a 6 fish boat limit with a slot from 15”-19”. One trout above 19” is allowed, however in my opinion it is important to protect these larger fish. Full regulations and details for all species can be viewed at https://myfwc.com/ .

In addition to trout, you may also find blues, Spanish mackerel, flounder or pompano, depending on water temperature and conditions, on deep grass flats. The technique to find them is the same as for trout, although there may be other clues. Pompano may “skip” on the surface when you drift or run past them giving their presence away. When that happens, set up a drift upwind of where you saw a pompano and cast ahead of your drift. Blues and Spanish mackerel may force bait out of the water or feed on the surface. You may need to add heavy fluorocarbon or wire when blues and mackerel are mixed with trout on deep grass flats. I like to use Ultra Hair Clouser flies, tied on long shank hooks leaving a portion of the hook shank exposed as a bite guard, when toothy fish are around.

Fishing docks is another good option this time of year, especially when the tide is low. You might find reds, snook, sheepshead or flounder under docks. I like docks that are deep (3’ or more) and have a good tidal flow. Fish the end of long piers to find the deepest water. Also, look for big boats moored on docks or on boat lifts, which is also an indication of deeper water. Older docks with lots of barnacle and oyster growth usually hold more baitfish and predators. I like weighted flies, like Clousers, fished on sink tip fly lines when fishing docks. Be sure to let your fly get down close to the bottom and strip with a distinct pause to keep it low in the water column.

There may be some action in the coastal gulf by the end of the month with Spanish mackerel and cobia depending on conditions. When the water warms to the high 60’s to low 70’s, these fish will move into our area from the south as they migrate north. Look for Spanish mackerel on the surface or in passes. Cobia may be swimming on the surface, around buoys, channel markers and crab trap floats or over structure. Tripletail may also be an option during warm ups in the coastal gulf.

February can be a tough month to fish. With frequent fronts and cool water, fish aren’t always in an eating mood. If you’re able to pick good tides combined with favorable weather conditions, you should be successful. If you don’t have that luxury, you might do better by sleeping in and fishing later in the day when it’s warmer. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills 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
Fly Fishing International (FFI) Certified Fly Casting Instructor (CI)
Private Fly Casting Instruction
Instructor for CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Schools
Hosted Destination Fly Fishing Trips
www.flyfishingflorida.us and www.snookfin-addict.com
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
(941) 923-7799 (Land Line/no text)

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fly Fishing Forecast for January 2025

You may find reds and big trout concentrated in potholes on low tides in January. Action with trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more on deep grass flats can be good depending on conditions. There should also be good catch and release snook action in rivers, creeks and canals this month, although fishing docks for snook and other species is also a good option. It may be worth checking the coastal gulf for tripletail, false albacore (little tunny) and more if it’s warm.

Snook season is closed during January, although catch and release fishing is allowed. Use tackle heavy enough to catch and release snook quickly with as little handling as possible. Since snook are temperature sensitive, I won’t target them if the water temperature dips below 60 degrees. However, fishing lighted docks in the ICW at night with flies can be very good in January. I often also find big bluefish mixed with snook, particularly around bridges in January. Small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, Gurglers and shrimp fly patterns fished on intermediate sink tip fly lines should work well. Fish peak tidal flows for the best action. Full regulations and details for all species can be viewed at https://myfwc.com/ .

You should also find snook in rivers, creeks and canals this month. Fish deeper water in outside bends to locate snook where you may catch them with wide profile flies fished on sink tip fly lines. You may also find reds, tarpon and even largemouth bass in the same areas depending on salinity.

Reds should be a good option this month. You’ll find them concentrated in potholes when the tide is low. Fly anglers should score with lightly weighted flies, like my Grassett Flats Minnow, fished on a 10’-12’ leader with a floating fly line. Reds feed on crustaceans this time of the year, so crab and shrimp fly patterns should also work well. They may tail on shallow grass flats of Gasparilla Sound, and lower Tampa Bay when the tide is low. You’ll need flies with weed guards when targeting tailing reds since they are usually in thick turtle grass.

You may also find reds around docks, along with snook, sheepshead, flounder and more. Little Sarasota Bay has numerous oyster bars and docks that often hold reds, snook and sheepshead in January. Use floating fly lines and lightly weighted flies to fish around oyster bars and sink tip fly lines to fish docks. You’re likely to find big trout in many of the same areas that you find reds. In my opinion it’s important to protect larger trout, which are usually female breeders. The same flies and techniques that are used for reds will also work for big trout.

You may also find trout on deep grass flats in January along with blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano, flounder and more depending on conditions. I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift with Ultra Hair Clouser or my Grassett Deep Flats Bunny flies fished on an intermediate sink tip fly line. Since trout can sometimes hold very tight to a particular spot or area, try to cover as much water as possible to find them. Once you’ve located fish you can shorten your drift or anchor on them. My favorite deep grass flats all have a good mix of grass and sand with a strong tidal flow.

Even though there may not be much happening in the coastal gulf this month in the way of sight fishing it may be worth a look when it is warm. Migratory species such as king and Spanish mackerel, cobia and tripletail probably have moved further south, however they could reappear during warm ups. Also look for false albacore (little tunny) when it’s warm since they may move from offshore to inshore depending on where baitfish are located.

January can be one of the toughest months of the year to fish. However if you are able to choose when to fish based on tides and weather, it can be good. Action is usually good as weather fronts approach. Following fronts, fishing may be tough for a couple of days so afternoons may fish better then. I’ll let the stage of the tide determine where to look for fish. When the tide is low, look for reds tailing on shallow grass or reds, trout and more in potholes or around docks. Look for reds or big trout cruising on shallow grass flats on sunny afternoons when the tide is high. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by agricultural, industrial and residential runoff, toxic spills 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
Fly Casting Instruction
FFI Certified Fly Casting Instructor (CI)
Instructor for CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Schools
Orvis Outfitter of the Year -2011
Hosted Destination Fly Fishing Trips
snookfin@aol.com
(941) 923-7799 (Land Line/no text)

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fly Fishing Forecast for December 2024

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.

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. I feel that it’s important to release larger over-slot trout, which are usually female breeders. The same flies and techniques that I use for reds will also work for trout in the same areas. I feel that it’s important to protect large trout, which are usually female breeders. Full regulations and details can be viewed at https://myfwc.com/ .
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, toxic spills 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
Fly Casting Instructor at CB’s Saltwater Outfitters,
Orvis Outfitter of the Year-2011
Hosted Destination Fly Fishing Trips
www.snookfin-addict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
(941) 923-7799 (Land line/no text)