If nice weather continues, we look for great fishing throughout the area. We?re experiencing excellent weather, with daily highs in the 80s.

Best action has been taking place in Sarasota Bay. Greg Sanchez of Massachusetts joined my on a recent outing can caught a load of spotted seatrout and Spanish mackerel.

Capt. Rick Grassett of the Snook Fin-Addict advised me the day prior that there had been redfish and snook on the edge of the sand bar from Whitfield Avenue south at low tide. Since we were supposed to have a negative low tide, I picked that area.

Someone forget to tell the reds and snook. I talked with Rick a day later and he told me that he didn?t get any fish along that edge. Neither did the other skippers to whom he talked.

So, Greg and I paddled south toward Stephens Point. We caught and released spotted seatrout to 19 inches over deep grass just north of the Ringling Mansion. When that action slowed, we head for the deep grass off Stephens Point. We were the only boats there.


I would guest that we caught and released 30 seatrout and a couple of mackerel. We had a number of the speedy mackerel on, but lost them to cut leaders or hooks pulling. All fish were taken on olive-and-white Clouser Deep Minnows and chartreuse-and-white Clousers. We were using 6- and 7-weight fly rods with sinktip lines.

There also were some feisty bluefish over the deep grass. We hooked a few, but didn?t land any.

Tom Watson of Louisiana joined me for his inaugural saltwater fishing trip in the area. We chose to fish Little Sarasota Bay. That?s where you can usually count on spotted seatrout and ladyfish this time of year. We weren?t disappointed. Tom caught and released a number of fish on jigs and shad tails.

Little Sarasota Bay often produces a few pompano this time of year. I?m sure they are there, but we didn?t catch or see any.

Little Sarasota Bay is a great place for less-experienced anglers, first-time fly fishers or beginning saltwater enthusiasts.

We can usually guarantee bent rods throughout the day. This time last year, I had John Sommers of Wisconsin out. The 71-year-old caught and released 35 spotted seatrout and large ladyfish on fly rod. It was his first saltwater fly fishing trip.

We will once against start returning to The Everglades to fish for largemouth bass, bluegill and the exotic oscars and Mayan cichlids. I have introduced a number of saltwater fly anglers to the delights of this sport and most have become hooked.

Oscars are extremely strong, and we sometimes encounter some of world-record proportions. Mayans cichlids are strong and fast. Key to success is casting as close to the cover as you can. When you get a hit, you need to get the fish away from the structure or you?ll lose your fly.

We use 2-, 3-, and 4-weight rods on our Everglades excursions. We catch our fish on No. 10 poppers and No. 10 and 12 Myakka Minnows, which are rapidly becoming a freshwater favorite. I created the fly a couple of years ago to imitate small minnows that I often would see bass, bluegill and other panfish busting.

I?ve found that they work best when retrieved slowly and erratically. And it?s often wise to add a strip indicator about 4 or 5 feet up the leader.

When the topwater bite ends, it?s not time to go home ? if you have a couple of Myakka Minnows in your fly box.

In addition to bass, bluegill, speckled perch, tilapia, oscars and Mayan cichlids, I?ve take a variety of other species on the Myakka Minnow. I?ve also taken snook, Spanish mackerel, little tunny, barramundi and spotted seatrout. They can be tied on any size hook.