Monthly Fishing Reports from Sarasota Area

October 1, 2026

Here’s the latest report from fishing guides in the area.

October Fishing Report—Capt. Rick Grassett

Rick Grassett is a Charter Captain with CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key

Snook

This should be a good month for snook. They should be on the move this month as they move away from passes and along the beach to inside waters towards their wintertime areas.They should be staging around docks and bridges in the ICW and on shakkow flats. Live bait anglers should score with live shrimp around docks and bridges or pilchards in shallow water. I like smaller lures and flies around docks and bridges, like DOA Shrimp or my Grassett SnookMinnow fly and larger profile lures and flies on shallow flats, like DOA Baitbusters or my Grassett Flats Minnow fly.

Reds

Reds will be plentiful on shallow flats during October. The large schools that roam the flats during August and September will break up into snaller schools. You may find the in potholes or along sand bars when the tide is low or along mangrove shorelines or around submerged oyster bars when the tide is high. You may also find large trout in many of the same area as reds this month.Tou may be able to sight fish on shallow flats or if you can’t see them, focus on mullet or bait schools to find fish. The same lures and flies used for snook in shallow water will also work for reds and trout in those areas. In my opinion it’s important to protect larger trout, which are usually female breeders.

Trout

You should also find trout on deep grass flats in Sarasota Bay where blues, Spanish mackerel or pompano may be mixed with them. I like to drift and cast ahead of my drift on deep grass flats. Spin fishing anglers should do well with a live shrimp under a popping cork, DOA Deadly Combos or CAL jigs with a variety of tails.You should find the most variety and action on deep grass flats.

Tarpon

Tarpon will still be an option this month although by the end of the month they have often moved to other areas. I find juvenile tarpon in creeks, canals and in the ICW early in October. Spin fishing anglers should connect with DOA Shrimp or TerrorEyz and fly anglers should score with small baitfish fly patterns.
Full regulations on all species species can be viewed at https://myfwc.com/ .

Tripletail, Cobia, Spanish Mackerel

You may find tripletail or cobia around buoys, crab trap floats or channel markers in inside waters or the coastal gulf. A DOA Shrimp or CAL jig with a shad tail will work well for tripletail. Fly anglers should score with lightly weighted flies with a weed guard. A DOA Baitbuster or 4” CAL shad on 20 to 30-pound class spinning tackle or a wide profile tarpon fly on a minimum of 9-weight fly tackle will get the job done with cobia.

Look for Spanish mackerel or false albacore in the coastal gulf. I look for diving terns or “breaking” fish to find them. Once you’ve located feeding fish, a CAL jig with a shad tail or jerk worm or a size specific top water plug will work well for spin anglers. Fly anglers should score with small olive, chartreuse or white flies, poppers and Crease flies. You’ll need wire or heavy fluorocarbon when mackerel are in the mix. You may also find a few king mackerel around the edges of feeding frenzies. You can also look for tripletail or cobia around crab trap floats, buoys or channel markers while searching for mackerel or albies in the coastal gulf.

Seasonal Tips

October is one of my favorite months. It’s nice to do something different, so I like to fish the coastal gulf for mackerel, false albacore, tripletail and cobia when conditions are good. There should also be good action on shallow flats with reds, trout and snook or tarpon of all sizes in upper Charlotte Harbor. Night snook fishing in the ICW heats up as the water cools down. Our natural resources are under constant pressure, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!

October 1, 2026

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.