April did prove productive to a few fly fishermen.  Greg Peterson, fishing in the Anna Maria area, witnessed many snook busting bait.  He got out his fly rod and caught 8 snook, all over 24 inches.  He was hooking fish for 3 hours.  Greg reports he had never seen so many snook in his life.  He returned the following weekend and caught 12 more snook and a sheepshead.

Fly anglers fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett during the weeks of 3/16 through 3/26 caught and released snook, bluefish, pompano and Spanish mackerel.  Trout were also caught and released. 

Capt Pat Damico reported that Tom Scipien from North Carolina completed a dock light slam the first part of April.  He and Matt Kelly caught numerous fish in synthetic patterns similar to the fly of the month Pat tied at the April meeting.

Jeff Abeles and Leonard Marks report that the Soque River in North Georgia produced several 20” to 25” rainbows and nice size browns also.  They noticed that fish this year were taking dry flies, whereas in the past wooly buggers and nymphs dredged from the bottom were the bait that caught fish.

Member Rich Fender and friends fishing South of Everglades City in the 10,000 Islands did catch 25 or so snook with one 30” and one 31”.  They were not using flies, but artificial lures with conventional rod and reels.  One of his friends got a slam including a 25” red fish.  Next time, guys, try the fly rods; it might be fun.

The month of May is when you should look for Tarpon on the beaches.  Snook will be doing the same in the passes and the surf.  Reds will feed along the mangrove shorelines.  Deep grass flats should produce trout, bluefish pompano and other species.  These are suggestions from Capt. Rick Grassett, so get out there and tight lines to all.

 Robert

Rjgaulin@yahoo.com