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+--- Thread: Sarasota Area Backcountry Report (/showthread.php?tid=8435)
Sarasota Area Backcountry Report - FlatsAngler - 02-20-2002
Capt. Kevin Chamberlain<br><br>Well, It looks like we're back to a somewhat normal winter here. The higher-than-normal temperatures have gone and fronts have made their way down. A few cooler mornings and a few windy days have dictated where and when to fish. <br> <br>Trips in lower Tampa Bay have produced mixed results, some good, some tough. Between fronts, snook up to 27", were eating streamer flies and Bayou Chub Minnows around Terra Ceia Bay and Rattlesnake Key. Seems we spotted more snook than redfish on the flats. Trout to 2 1/2 pounds, flounder and ladyfish took Clouser Minnows, Exude's Measles Shrimp and Funky Chicken RT's and Bayou Chub Minnows all around the area. Best Minnow colors have been Goldfish, with various colored tails and Avacado, Rootbeer and Smoke, all with red sparkle. <br> <br>The fishing in Charlotte Harbor has been decent. During the warm days it was the place to be. When other areas were slow, Gasparilla Sound and Bull Bay were holding good numbers of trout, redfish and snook. One trip yielded over 50 trout on flies and Bayou Chub Minnows. Most were small, but the numbers were there. <br> <br>Sarasota's fishing has been confusing. That is, the fish have been
. With the sporadic weather, they just didn't know what pattern to hold in. There have been reds moving up on the flats, but not with any regularity, and they've been spooky. It was even tough to score while wading. There have been several reds, in the 2 pound range and jacks to 4 pounds on the west side of the bay near Bishops Point. They've been hanging in between 3 to 5 feet of water and hitting Clouser Minnows and soft plastic baits. <br> <br>Snook to 26" have hit the same near Long Bar in north Sarasota Bay. Trout to 2 pounds and ladyfish have been on the deeper grass near Bishops and the Middlegrounds. Fishing after a cold front had moved through, action in Little Sarasota Bay was on the slow side with trout to 2 pounds and ladyfish on the deeper grass, near oyster bars. <br> <br>With the drop in water temperatures, snook have moved back near their winter hangouts. Creeks and canals are good prospects. As the water temps rise in the afternoon, they should move out on the flats to warm up and hopefully feed. Redfish should do the same, but will usually turn on earlier. Look for both over dark bottom and around the edges of pot holes. Trout will usually be deep, in their normal winter spots.<br> <br>Thanks,<br>Capt. Kevin Chamberlain<br>http://www.flatsangler.com<br>(941) 366-FISH (3474)<br><br>