03-08-2019, 05:07 PM
In Sarasota I have been out the pass to reef fish more times this season probably than I have in the last two. The red tide is gone, and the waters are gin clear. Unfortunately, we are still dealing with the residuals in our bay waters. I don’t want to get into the politics or science behind it and there is plenty of information to be found online. When the red tide first cleared up in early December the bay fishing was red hot catching big redfish, black drum, and snook in and around docks and up the creeks and canals. The red tide killed a lot of sea grass along with the bait that lives within it and with nothing to eat most of these fish have moved on in search of a food source. The good news is the nearshore reefs have been fishing excellent. Clients have been enjoying red hot action catching close to 100 fish on some days including huge sheepshead, mangrove snapper, key west grunts, black drum, Spanish mackerel, small grouper, a few redfish and even a few early season snook on the reef. We even caught my boats largest flounder at 24 inches, it was a door mat. I also ran a night snook trip in infamous snook alley, which lived up to its name. close to 20 snook on silver minnow flies and MR17 Mirror lures up to 24 inches. The snook caught at night are generally juveniles but the action and their willingness to devour flies and other artificial lures more than makes up for it. All fishing including the bay is only going to get better from here, Spring is in the air with water temps close to 75 degrees and SW winds blowing the bait schools inshore, we will soon be pulling on numerous gamefishes. A few Cobia are already on the reefs, the kingfish should be right behind the mackerel. With schools of bait moving into the bay the snook, redfish, pompano, bluefish, and more will be right behind them.
Marc Laurin
Fish on Fire Fishing Charters
https://www.fishsarasotaflorida.com
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Marc Laurin
Fish on Fire Fishing Charters
https://www.fishsarasotaflorida.com
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