Fish Sarasota

Sarasota Resident Boats Skinny Water Snook

Ben Hatcher of Sarasota gets the catch of the week honors with his 29-inch snook landed in skinny water in north Sarasota Bay.

Angler: Ben Hatcher of Sarasota Fish: Snook Length: 29 inches Weight: Estimated seven pounds Where: east shore of north Sarasota Bay When: Saturday, Oct. 8 Bait: CAL jig with a plastic grub Conditions: Skinny water Quotable: Rick Grassett: "We had a terrible weather forecast for high winds and rain, but it never got that bad. We hugged the east shore of Sarasota Bay where they caught and released several trout, three reds and a nice snook on CAL jigs with plastic grubs. Ben landed the snook, a 29-inch, seven-pound-plus fish to complete his slam for the day." Guide: Capt. Rick Grassett of the Snook Fin-Addict can be reached at 941-923-7799. Submit your catch: Send your fish photos, including contact information, to nick.walter22@yahoo.com.

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Fish Sarasota

Sarasota Man Scores Stickney Point Snook

Don Weihls, a 20-year Sarasota resident, lands a 25-inch snook on a Rapala Extreme shallow diving plug this week by the Stickney Point Bridge

Angler: Don Weihls of Sarasota Fish: Snook Length: Estimated 25 inches to the fork Where: No wake zone by Stickney Point Bridge Lure: Rapala Extreme shallow plug in gold and black Conditions: Early morning, bottom part of outgoing tide. Quotable: Jim Klopfer: “Phillippi Creek was dumping in and it was a couple days after it rained – snook always like a little freshwater. It was over early. It was an early-morning bite.  We’d just lost a big one, about 15 pounds, on a CAL jerk bait. Ate right through 40 (pound leader).” Guide: Capt. Jim Klopfer of Adventure Fishing Charters can be reached at 941-371-1390. Submit your catch: Send your fish photos to nick.walter22@yahoo.com.

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Fish Sarasota

Sarasota Captain: Worst Beach Snook Action in 30 Years

Steve Gibson, a kayak fishing guide, said the slow snook fishing off the beaches this summer is slow, but not because of the 2009 winter freeze -- storms seemed to have changed the beaches' topography

A possible reason snook fishing off the beaches has been exceptionally slow this summer is not necessarily due to the freeze of 2009 that put a mallet head-sized dent in snook populations. It could be the topography of the beaches that has changed because of heavy storms. Steve Gibson, of Southern Drawl Kayak Fishing Charters, reported that although Buttonwood Harbor in Sarasota Bay has produced lot of trout, the snook fishing off the beaches this summer has not been near what it’s been in the past. Gibson said he’s been fishing off the Sarasota beaches for more than 30 years, but his typical spots where snook were biting, such as Manasota Key and Turtle Beach, have been slow. “It’s the worst summer for me since I started,” Gibson said…

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Fish Sarasota

Catch of the Week: Angler Numb as Monster Snook Peels Away

Kevin Rich boated a reported 43-inch snook this week with "The Mad Snooker" Capt. Dave Pomerleau

Angler: Kevin Rich (with son Del) Fish: Snook Length: Reported 43 inches Where: Seawall in Cape Coral Bait/tackle: Live mullet with 65-pound test line Conditions: Medium-paced incoming tide, early in the morning Quotable: Capt. Dave Pomerleau: “The big one was ripping drag off the reel so fast that Del couldn’t believe it. He yells out, ‘She’s gone. I don’t have one on here.’ I reply, ‘Yes you do. It’s just  running back so fast you can’t feel it. And it would help to put the reel in gear.’ That’s when the fun came on." Guide: “The Mad Snooker” Capt. Dave Pomerleau can be reached at 727-570-9711. Web site is www.madsnooker.com Submit your catch: Send your fish photo to nick.walter22@yahoo.com.

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Fish Sarasota

Snook Bite Picks Up For Frankford in Sarasota Bay

Capt. Terry Frankford gives a report from a trip this week in which anglers caught 13 snook on live shrimp and 10-pound test line in Sarasota Bay

Capt. Terry Frankford reported anglers on the the Reelin & Chillin have caught snook, redfish, triple tail, seatrout, Spanish mackerel and small sharks, which has made for fantastic light -ackle action. He said anglers have enjoyed mostly seatrout and a few triple tail for dinner. "Oversized redfish to 33 inches and some drag-drawing snook have tightened lines for great catch and release action," he said. Frankford said Robert and Terry Jack brought son Harry on a morning four-hour trip. "Harry just graduated from high school and is heading soon to Marine Boot Camp," Frankford said. "Harry, an experienced angler, had snook on his mind for some catch and release action. The first location was disappointing with not a hit; however, the …

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40-inch Snook Boated in Old Midnight Pass

Capt. Andy Cappar of Reel Native Fishing Charters guided Don Stewart, from Ken., to a whopping 40-inch snook last Monday night in Little Sarasota Bay's Old Midnight Pass

Name: Don Stewart from Ken. Fish: Snook Length: 40 ¼ inches Where: Old Midnight Pass in Little Sarasota Bay When: Monday night, June 13 Conditions: Toward the end of incoming tide -- just enough current to be moving bait through as the snook was busting mullet; two nights before full moon Tackle/bait: 15-pound braided line, 40-pound fluorocarbon with a live mullet Quotable: Capt. Andy Cappar: “It was a matter of him cranking it away from some structure – we got her along a mangrove edge near a lighted dock. He's been fishing with me six years and had been going after snook for three or four. This was his first really big fish. You know how snook-fishing is. And he finally got it right. Between me maneuvering the boat and him leaning into (…

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Fish Sarasota

Catch of the week: 34-inch Sarasota Bay Snook

Capt. Jonnie Walker of Bay Walker Charters guided a Sarasota man on April 20 to a whopping 34-inch linesider.

Angler: Rob Buskirk of Sarasota Fish: Snook Length: 34 inches Where: Sarasota Bay flats When: Wednesday, April 20 Bait/tackle: White bait on a circle hook with 10-pound test line, 25-pound fluorocarbon leader and medium tackle Conditions: Fast, outgoing tide, blue-bird skies Quotable: Capt. Jonnie Walker: "Although the king mackerel and Spanish mackerel action offshore is not as it should be at this time of year, the bay action has really heated up. There are lots of trout, bluefish, and mackerel being caught in the bay as the white bait is plentiful. After taking pictures of the snook, it was released as snook are out of season now." Guide: Capt. Jonnie Walker of Bay Walker Charters can be reached at 941-232-4970 or email baywalkertoo@…

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Fish Sarasota

Catch of the week: 31-inch Snook Released in Roberts Bay

Capt. Terry Frankford of Sarasota guides a Texas resident to a catch-and-release snook last week.

Angler: Ray Ribaric of Hixson, Texas Fish: Snook Length: 31 inches Bait: Live, hand-picked shrimp Where: Roberts Bay (south of Sarasota Bay) Conditions: A half-hour before the peak of a high tide around 1:30 or 2 p.m., during a major feeding period Guide: Capt. Terry Frankford of Reelin & Chillin Charters out of Hart's Landing can be reached at 941-228-7802 or e-mail terry.frankford@verizon.net.  If you want your catch featured on Sarasota Patch's Catch of the Week, send your photo and catch information to outdoors columnist Nick Walter at nick.walter22@yahoo.com. Please include your name and phone number.

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Fish Sarasota

Anglers Targeting Bridges for Sheepshead

Report from CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key reveals some top sheepshead spots.

Randy Crawford from CB's Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key said some anglers are still managing to get out and fish despite blustery weather. The best species to target remains sheepshead, and anglers can find them on the pilings of the Phillippi Creek Bridge, Stickney Point Bridge or the Blackburn Point Bridge. Crawford recommends fishing when the sun it at its highest point, between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Although trout season does not open until Jan. 1, anglers can find trout on the Bird Key flats, the Middlegrounds and the "landings" flat, in front of The Landings neighborhood in Roberts Bay. Also, Crawford reported there were some small redfish running on the east side of Long Bar. On Dec. 14, Crawford said, "We had one boat out today, …

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