Fishing Reports From Capt

March 15, 2006

The wind, wind, wind, has been blowing this week across the bay, with one morning this week prior to heading out, the computer showed 28 knots out of the northeast. But along with the winds has come sunshine and daytime highs in the 80's, which has certainly helped increase the water temperature throughout the area. In fact this past week the rising temperatures’ has brought out the baitfish with more regularity and if you are willing to make the long run you can catch all you want. For others, the bait will soon be on the flats, where kayakers or wade fisherman will be able to cast net a bait bucket full. The big news is that as soon as the water temperature reaches 72 degrees, the snook will become increasingly interested in eating. There are a few places right now in the bay that the water temperatures are currently 72 or approaching the magic 72, so get out there and scout the warmer waters and moving waters and you will find the fish. This past week my clients had good action on Snook, with a keeper and some smaller 16”- 22” Redfish, with Trout still available on the grass flats throughout the bay.

Captain Jim Savaglio

www.inshoreslam.com

813-477-7657 or 941-238-7597

The past few weeks have seen a combination of winds and cold weather, in addition to some fronts and strong rains moving through the areas. While we have been catching fish, the catch has be inconsistent with good sheepshead and redfish caught one day with only snook and black drum being caught the next. While the temperatures warm in the late afternoons, the fish can certainly be found, it’s getting them to eat that has been the trick. Bait is still hiding from most of us this year while last year, most were able to catch live bait throughout the year. The end of this week we will be seeing high 70’s and likely be able to interest the big snook that I am seeing. I will hold off on talking about the Redfish catch since the tournament anglers will be here in a few weeks, but I should say that the catch should be 12 pounds or more for two fish, since they are certainly out and about.

Captain Jim Savaglio

www.inshoreslam.com

May 11, 2005 Last week before leaving for Boca Grande, the red tide had hit Perico Harbor in Bradenton and definitely shut down the bite........On Monday I fished with Texan John Scott Aldredge and had loaded up the bait well with Pilchards for a day of catch and release of Snook. The day turned out much different then planned and John Scott and I worked very hard in comparison to the weeks prior for Snook. After picking up John Scott we ran to our first area and when I opened the live well, floating pilchards was the sight. I suspected Red tide concentrations right away and the waters that had been producing some linesliders had just turn off super cold. After moving around and looking for the fish, which we found in concentrations, the bite would just not happen for us. So we headed in another direction to see if we could not find some areas were the fish would bite. After a couple of break offs, we landed the first of just 4 snook in the 20-26 inch range. The biggest 26 has a picture attached. I thank John Scott for being patient and not giving up………With about an hour spent trying to catch a few Reds we extended our day and did manage a few Sheepies…..Back at the dock, the creel clerk indicated the day was tough with guides reporting much slower catches for the day. One fellow guide reported the landing of a Tarpon in the area. For me the next few days I headed north and the fishing in St. Petersburg seemed to be unaffected. Strong catches were the mainstay for the later part of the week with anglers Jo and Bill Meckno from Virginia and Shawn, and Son Larry with bother Danny Gudauskas of New Jersey, landing many a snook…..reds, flounder and even a few trout. Big congratulations to Danny for his fine, fine day.….

On Friday, I headed to Boca Grande were the Tarpon have been slow to arrive. We managed a Tarpon on Saturday, with winds and seas on Sunday keeping us out of the pass and seeking the refuge of Bull and Turtle bay. The snook and Reds were in the charlotte harbor fashion, putting on a show for Bill and Norma Slyvan, yielding us a snook to 36 inches with many in the 24-26 inch range. The reds were a fat bunch, with some going 26 inches in length. The devastation from the Hurricanes is still apparent and a looks like it will take quite some time for the vegetation to recover. More on Boca Grande in the coming Weeks...............

December 22, 2004, and fished the morning along the shipping channel for grouper. The winds were stronger than predicted, at 15 knots out of the southeast. The bay had a pretty good chop for most of the morning hours and shortly till the tides turned around. The wind and the grouper did not cooperate, so it was off to the shallows to see if we could hook up with trout or some reds. The two of us on board had a few trout boated on the first drift but when we anchored the bite turned off just as fast as it turned on. So it was over to the potholes to work the bottom for the reds. My best luck lately has been wading the shallows’, that’s right, you heard correctly, wading the shallows. Well the water is cold but it does help when you’re wearing chest waders. So I put them on and climbed overboard. The air temperature felt great, in the low 70’s but the water temp in the upper 50’s leaves a lot to be desired. The shrimp were sluggish with all the cold but did produce some small undersize reds. At times you could not even feel there bite as the fish softly took the baits. I scaled down to 8 lb test line and 20 pound leader with a small split shot and the old faithful number 1 owner hooks. All total I managed three reds, one of which I would call a dink, but a day on the water was just what a person needs to remind oneself why Florida is such great state to live in, and its’ just three days till Christmas.