Snook action has been good along the beaches. We?ve been seeing up to 400 snook per outing.
Most of the action has been via the fly rod. We use 6- to 8-weight rods, sinktip lines, 10-pound fluorocarbon leader and 20- to 25-pound shock leader.
I took Dr. John Healey of Fort Worth, Texas out recently. He caught his first snook and first spotted seatrout. We fished Manasota Key. All fish came on the D.T. Special (variation). John went three of seven on snook.
Not bad.
Before I left for Michigan to attend my father-in-law?s funeral, I fished with Ken Taylor of North Port, Fla. I caught three of the six I hooked. Biggest fish was 26 inches. I lost one that I estimated at 30 inches when the hooked simply pulled.
On two solo outings, I landed a total of 22 snook to 26 inches.
In addition to snook, other fish available in the surf include spotted seatrout, Spanish mackerel, jack crevalle and ladyfish.
Beach fishing should remain good through August.
In the bays, we?re getting spotted seatrout, bluefish, ladyfish, jack crevalle, flounder, redfish and a few snook.
When fly-fishing, Clouser Deep Minnows and Ultra-hair Clousers are producing.
Spin anglers are doing well on jigs, topwater plugs and MirrOlure MirrOminnows.
Top spots include Buttonwood Harbor, Harbourside Moorings, Whale Key, White Key, Stephen?s Point, Long Bar and the Ringling flats.
In fresh water, we?ve been getting bluegill and bass on poppers and nymphs. During my last trip, I caught and released 30 big hand-sized bluegill on poppers and nymphs.