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Monthly Fishing Reports from Sarasota Area
Here’s the latest report from fishing guides in the area.
Here’s the latest report from fishing guides in the area.
September Fishing Report—Capt. Rick Grassett
Rick Grassett is a Charter Captain with CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key
Snook fishing should be good during September. You should still find them in the surf in the coastal gulf and in the ICW around docks and bridges, close to passes. As days get shorter and water temperature cools, they will move towards shallow flats where they may stage along sand bars. Top water plugs and fly poppers and Gurglers should work well, especially in low light. Since heat is still an issue in September, it is a good time of year to fish dock lights before damn and then move to shallow flats. Spin fishing anglers should do well with CAL jigs and a variety of tails and DOA Shrimp. Live bait anglers should do well with live shrimp around docks or live pilchards on shallow grass flats. Fly anglers should do well with small white flies, like my Grassett Snook Minnow, which will also work in the surf.
Tarpon
Tarpon should still be an option, although adult migratory fish in the coastal gulf have thinned out in the coastal gulf. They will move to inside waters to rest and eat before migrating away from our area. You may find them around bridges or over deep grass flats. Spin fishing anglers should connect with DOA Lures (Baitbuster, Shrimp and TerrorEyz). Live bait anglers should score with live shrimp or pilchards. Fly anglers should have good action with small white flies tied on beefier hooks (1/0 or 2/0).
Reds
Reds should school up during September. You should find them on shallow flats when the tide is high or along the edges of flats and sand bars at low tide. They may push a wake in shallow water when they are spooked. Try to avoid spooking them be getting ahead of them and working around the edges of the school. Spin fishing anglers should score with live pilchards or DOA Lures, such as PT-7 (top water), Baitbusters or CAL jigs. Fly anglers should score with poppers, Gurglers and wide profile baitfish fly patterns. Be as quiet as possible; I prefer a push pole only in shallow water since an electric trolling motor may spook them. You may also find large jack crevalle and blues mixed with schools of reds.
Trout
You may also find large spotted sea trout on shallow flats this month. They may be in potholes or mixed with schools of reds. They are most active in low light, especially when it is cooler, early or late in the day. Over slot trout are usually females, which in my opinion should be released since they are breeders. You may also find trout on deep grass flats where they may be mixed with blues, Spanish mackerel or pompano. When fishing deep grass flats I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift with DOA Shrimp, Deadly Combos or live shrimp under a popping cork. Fly anglers should do well with synthetic fiber Clouser flies (due to toothy fish in the mix). Make a series of drifts to locate fish and then shorten your drift to zero in on them. Since stone crab traps aren’t in the water yet, focus on inshore crab trap floats (blue crab) to find tripletail and then use DOA Shrimp, live shrimp or lightly weighted flies with weed guards, to avoid snagging the crab trap line. Full regulations on trout and other species can be found at https://myfwc.com/ .
False Albacore and Spanish Mackerel
I like to check the coastal gulf when conditions are good. You may find false albacore (little tunny) or Spanish mackerel in the coastal gulf, although it’s a little early in the season. Look for surface activity (breaking/feeding fish). I use small white flies, DOA Shrimp, live shrimp or CAL jigs for albies and mackerel. Look for surface action that may also attract sharks and tarpon into the fray. I like to use larger diameter fluorocarbon leader vs wire when toothy fish are in the mix. Although it’s too early for stone crab traps to be in the gulf, you may find an early tripletail on abandoned crab trap floats, channel markers buoys or any floating debris. I like DOA Shrimp, live shrimp or flies with weed guards when targeting tripletail.
Seasonal Tips
There are lots of options this month, but the theme is to fish early in the day for the best action. I like to start in the dark before sunrise, targeting snook and juvenile tarpon around dock lights and then move to shallow flats at dawn to target reds and big trout. Our natural resources are under constant pressure, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
Yearly Overview
January - It can be one of the toughest months of the year to fish. When the tide is low, look for reds tailing on shallow grass or reds, trout and more in potholes or around docks. When it is high, look on shallow grass flats on sunny afternoons. Action with trout, blues, Spanish mackerel, pompano and more on deep grass flats can be good depending on conditions.
February - 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. 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.
March - There should be good action with reds, trout and snook in skinny water in March as baitfish become more plentiful. Look for Spanish and king mackerel, cobia, tripletail and false albacore (little tunny) in the coastal gulf. Night snook fishing in the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) should also be a good option this month.
April - This is a great month for snook, Reds, and trout on warm, shallow flats due to an increase in baitfish. Spanish mackerel, blues and pompano in passes or on deep grass flats. Tarpons, Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), cobia and tripletail should also make an appearance in back country areas and in the coastal gulf later in the month.
May - Tarpon, Spanish mackerel, tripletail, cobia and false albacore (little tunny) can be found along our beaches in the coastal gulf. Snook will move into passes and the surf and reds and trout should feed heavily on shallow flats as baitfish become more plentiful. Trout, blues, Spanish mackerel and more should be good options on deep grass flats
June - Tarpon should be plentiful in the coastal gulf this month as big schools of fish migrate along our beaches. Also look for cobia, tripletail and false albacore (little tunny) in the coastal gulf.
July - There are lots of options this month, late season tarpon, snook in the surf or at night or fishing skinny water for reds or big trout. Tarpon fishing is best early in the day in shallow waters.
August - Tarpon will move into estuaries this month. You may also find juvenile tarpon in creeks, canals and turning basins. Reds should be schooling on shallow flats and big trout will prowl the same waters at dawn. Also look for trout on deep grass flats mixed with blues, pompano, Spanish mackerel and more.
September - Fishing dock lights before dawn is usually dependable for snook and more and is a great way to beat the heat. Juvenile tarpon and reds may also frequent dock lights this time of year. Fishing deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay is a good choice for action with a variety of species including trout, blues, and Spanish mackerel.
October - Schools of reds will begin to break up and scatter on shallow flats. There should also be good action with snook and big trout in shallow water. Snook will gorge themselves at night around lighted docks in the ICW. There should also be good action in the coastal gulf with Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), tripletail and cobia. You might also still find tarpon anywhere from upper Charlotte Harbor and Tampa Bay to along the beaches.
November - This a great month for fishing the flats or the coastal gulf. Since the action in the coastal gulf is seasonal and will end when it gets cooler, there will also be plenty of action for a variety of fish on shallow and deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay.
December - This is a good month for catch and release snook action around lighted docks in the ICW. Also, there is good action in the coastal gulf with false albacore (little tunny), Spanish mackerel and tripletail, depending on conditions.