We?ve had some excellent action despite hot weather. Easterly breezes and some overcast have made outings quite bearable.
The biggest news is that we found a mother lode of baby tarpon. Ken Taylor of North Port fished with me earlier in the week when we launched at Pineland and fished Pine Island Sound. We found the diminutive tarpon late in the day and cast at them for a couple of hours.
Ken put a 15-pounder in the air on a Sebile plug. In all, we cast at an estimate 75 little tarpon.
I?m convinced the fly rod is the way to go on these. Presentations are quite and you can imitate small baitfish with a variety of flies. I would recommend 6- to 8-weight rods, floating or sinktip lines, 9-foot fluorocarbon leaders with 25-pound fluoro shock tippets.
The tarpon show up on the incoming tide and can be found all along the mangroves.
Sarasota Bay is yielding a variety of fish for those casting at Stephen?s Point. Look for spotted seatrout, bluefish, ladyfish, Spanish mackerel and jack crevalle. Pompano are a possibility.
Beach snook season still is in high gear, and the action picked up considerably over the last two days. Anglers have been getting shots at several hundred fish per outing.
For sight-fishing the beach, we recommend 6-weight rods, sinktip or floating lines, 10-pound leaders with 20-pound fluoro shock tippets.
Fly choices include the D.T. Special (variation), Puglisi Minnows, Clouser Deep Minnows and Wide-Eye Snook Fly.
I fished Lake Manatee on Sunday morning at did well. I launched before daylight and quickly landed four bass to 4 pounds on a black popper.
When that bite ended at daylight, I switch to my 3-weight rod and Myakka Minnow. I caught 40 bluegill and most were hand-sized.
I fished several new areas of Lake Manatee on the west side of the bridge.
Baby tarpon, beach snook, bass and bluegill should cooperate for the next week or so.