Captain Favorite's Weekend Fishing Forecast Oct. 25, 2012

 BRADENTON -- The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show is this weekend along with the Fall Fly Fishing Challenge and the opening of Marine Quest in St. Petersburg. There are no reports of red tide off Sarasota beaches from Venice north at this time. Fishing for false albacore, Spanish mackerel, tripletail and more in the coastal gulf should continue to get better as the water cools and baitfish schools become more concentrated. Shallow water fishing for reds, trout and snook should also continue to improve as it gets cooler.

Fishing Updates

 Fall Fly Fishing Challenge

• The Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers and Sarasota Chapter of the Coastal Conservation Association will hold their 8th annual Fall Fly Fishing Challenge Oct. 27.
• The catch, photo and release event will feature an Open Division for guides and anglers fishing with guides (all anglers are eligible to compete in the Open Division}, and a Fly Angler Division (no guides).
• In the Open Division, eligible species include snook, redfish and spotted seatrout. Those in the Fly Angler Division will fish for a variety of species, including snook, redfish, spotted seatrout, bluefish, ladyfish, flounder, snapper, jack crevalle, pompano and permit based on a points-per-inch system.
• Entry fee is $50 and includes an awards barbecue at Ken Clark Auditorium, 3000 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota.
• Tournament applications are available at area tackle shops or online at http://ccaflorida.org and http://mangrovecoastflyfishers.com.
• Competitors’ meeting is scheduled at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 26 at Trader Vic’s, 351 N. Cattlemen Rd., Sarasota.
• For information, call Rick Grassett at (941) 923-7799 or Steve Gibson at (941) 284-3406.

 Weekend Forecast  

Breezy east to northeast winds will persist through the next several days as the pressure gradient remains tight between high pressure to the north and Tropical Storm Sandy drifting north from the Caribbean into the Bahamas. For the waters from Tarpon Springs southward...winds will increase to Small Craft Advisory criteria starting this evening.

Thursday

Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Bay and inland waters choppy. Isolated showers. Thursday night will bring north winds 10 to 15 knots increasing to around 20 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters choppy.

2012/10/25Thu05:06 a.m.0.84L

2012/10/25Thu10:48 a.m.1.95H

2012/10/25Thu05:09 p.m.0.77L

2012/10/25Thu10:57 p.m.2.1        H

Friday

North winds around 20 knots. Bay and inland waters choppy. Friday night will bring northwest winds around 20 knots with gusts to around 35 knots. Bay and inland waters choppy.

2012/10/26Fri05:55 a.m.0.56L

2012/10/26Fri11:49 a.m.1.92H

2012/10/26Fri05:42 p.m.0.92L

2012/10/26Fri11:18 p.m.2.23H

Saturday

Northwest winds 20 to 25 knots. Bay and inland waters rough. Saturday night will bring north winds around 20 knots diminishing to 10 to 15 knots after midnight. Bay and inland waters choppy.

2012/10/27Sat06:37 a.m.0.33L

2012/10/27Sat12:41 p.m.1.88H

2012/10/27Sat06:09 p.m.1.06L

2012/10/27Sat11:38 p.m.2.33H

Sunday

Northwest winds 5 to 10 knots increasing to around 15 knots in the afternoon. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop. Sunday night will bring north winds around 15 knots. Bay and inland waters a moderate chop.

2012/10/28Sun07:14 a.m.0.16L

2012/10/28Sun01:27 p.m.1.82H

2012/10/28Sun06:33 p.m.1.17L

2012/10/28Sun11:57 p.m.2.41H

Solunar Forecast