Captain Favorite's Fishing Forum Week of June 27, 2011

Captain Ryan Butler of team Tidy Coast hauled in this unforgettable 244-pound grouper that he caught on a small piece of cut bait in about 400 feet of water at the Fire Charity Fishing Tournament last weekend.

Catch of the Week

Captain Ryan Butler of team Tidy Coast hauled in this unforgettable 244-pound grouper that he caught on a small piece of cut bait in about 400 feet of water at the Fire Charity Fishing Tournament last weekend.

Fishing Updates

Reminder: South Atlantic Vermilion Snapper Commercial Fishery

Opens July 1, 2011

• The commercial sector for vermilion snapper in federal waters of the South Atlantic from Cape Hatteras Light, North Carolina (35°15.19' N. latitude), to Key West, Florida, will reopen, effective 12:01 a.m. (local time) July 1, 2011. The July-December quota is 302,523 pounds, and the January-June quota is 315,523 lbs. Starting July 15, 2011, the trip limit for vermilion snapper will be 1,500 pounds per trip.

NOAA Fisheries Service Seeks Public Comment on Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Grouper Management Measures in the Gulf of Mexico 

Comment Period Ends July 25, 2011 
 

• NOAA Fisheries Service is seeking public comment on a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Amendment 32 to the Fishery Management Plan for Reef Fish Resources in the Gulf of Mexico.  The Environmental Protection Agency announced the availability of the DEIS on June 10, 2011 (76 FR 34072).   
• A DEIS is draft analysis of potential significant impacts that proposed actions can have on the natural and social environment.  The analysis is done by comparing a series of alternatives for each action to evaluate the effects on the environment. 
• Actions contained within the DEIS include: 1) Rebuilding plans for the gag stock; 2) establishing or modifying recreational bag limits, size limits, and closed seasons for gag and red grouper; 3) applying commercial gag quota adjustments to account for dead discards; 4) adjusting multi-use individual fishing quota shares (allocation); 5) changing the commercial gag size limit; 6) establishing time and area closures; and 7) modifying current gag, red grouper, and shallow-water grouper accountability measures.   

Request for Comments

• Written comments on this DEIS must be received no later than July 25, 2011, in order to be considered by NOAA Fisheries Service. See the Addresses section for information on where and how to submit comments.  

• Electronic copies of the DEIS may be obtained from the NOAA Fisheries Service Web site http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/sf/GrouperSnapperandReefFish.htm in the items of interest section and the e-Rule Making Portal http://www.regulation.gov.

Bay scallop season to open early, close late this year 

• The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission reminds people that the recreational harvest season for bay scallops in Florida will begin June 25 and extend through Sept. 25. The FWC, in support of Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet, added three weeks to this year's season to help relieve Florida fishing communities suffering from possible economic hardships due to the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. 

Weekly Fishing Report by Captain Rick Grassett  

Lindy & Trent DeWald double teamed this 130-lb tarpon caught and released on a live crab while fishing the coastal gulf off Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.

Tarpon action has been very good in the coastal gulf off Sarasota beaches! Anglers fishing with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, had great action with tarpon during the past week. Early in the week, as we headed away from the full moon of June 15, large schools of tarpon were plentiful. Later in the week we still had lots of action, although it was with singles, doubles and smaller schools.

Fly anglers on my boat on Monday and Tuesday had numerous shots at tarpon and several bites. They jumped 2 and landed one of them, a 120-lb fish, on a Deceiver fly. Hal Lutz, from Parrish, Fla, and Trent and Lindy DeWald, from Dallas, Tex., fished with me on Thursday. They had a great day with several bites on live crabs and two tarpon to the boat, including a 130-lb fish.

Fly angler Vic Cook, from Columbus, Ohio, fished with me on Friday, June 24. It was slow to start but tarpon flowed in the afternoon near the bottom of an outgoing tide. He had numerous shots at tarpon and several follows. With tarpon fishing, a big part of the equation is having lots of shots at fish.          

Tarpon fishing should be good next week as we approach a new moon on July 1. Fish the outgoing tides in the afternoon for the best action. Deep grass flats of Sarasota Bay should have good action with trout, Spanish mackerel and more. Sight fishing for snook in the surf or around lighted docks and bridges in the ICW should also be good options.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett

Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.

FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor

(941) 923-7799

E-mail snookfin@aol.com

www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com

Fishing Forecast

To create a forecast specific to your zip code visit www.wunderground.com

Abundant moisture continues over the area as does the potential for showers and thunderstorms. A surface ridge of high pressure will build over the area the first part of the week. This will keep winds generally light over the waters and allow a seabreeze to develop each afternoon. Winds may increase over southern portions of the waters by mid-week as a tighter pressure gradient develops.

Monday

Southeast winds around 5 knots becoming west 5 knots late in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters smooth. There will be scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then numerous thunderstorms in the afternoon. Monday Night will bring northwest winds around 5 knots becoming east around 5 knots in the late evening and overnight. Bay and inland waters smooth. More scattered thunderstorms will proceed throughout the evening.

Tides:

06/27   Mon         12:27 a.m.          1.32 H

06/27    Mon        03:25 a.m.          1.23 L

06/27    Mon        09:43 a.m.          2.33 H

06/27    Mon        06:25 p.m.          0.01 L

Tuesday

East winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. Scattered thunderstorms. Tuesday Night will bring southeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Tides:

06/28    Tue          10:24 a.m.          2.44 H

06/28    Tue          07:10 p.m.          -0.13 L

Wednesday

Southeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Wednesday night will bring southeast winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Tides:

06/29    Wed       11:06 a.m.          2.55 H

06/29    Wed       07:50 p.m.          -0.23 L

Thursday

Southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Thursday night will bring southeast winds around 10 knots. Bay and inland waters a light chop. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the evening.

Tides:

06/30    Thu          11:49 a.m.          2.64 H

06/30    Thu          08:29 p.m.          -0.3 L

Friday

South winds around 5 knots. Bay and inland waters smooth. There will be isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon.

Tides:

07/01    Fri            03:27 a.m.          1.37 H

07/01    Fri            06:10 a.m.          1.28 L

07/01    Fri            12:32 p.m.          2.71 H

07/01    Fri            09:06 p.m.          -0.32 L

Soluar Forecast