Sarasota Bay

[SPORTSFAN]

Hi, just a note to say my son and I fished Sarasota Bay on Sunday. We put in at the ramp by Mote Aquarium and headed out across the channel north. This was my time fishing down there. We caught a lady fish and a permit and that was about it. The water was clear and warm but we couldn't seem to find any schools of fish. Still to early ? We waved at a few other fellow kayakers that were fishing. If you saw us we were in the Jackson Tuna with the trolling motor on it. I am thinking next time out of heading towards the small bridge that goes over to St Armands and maybe just a little south of that. Any spots or areas you guys are willing to share ?

[CoonHound53]

I would check out Buttonwood its toward the northwest side of the bay. On a good day you will get into some Trout and Snook. There are a lot of ladies, jack, and bluefish there as well. Good luck

[SPORTSFAN]

Thank you, I have seen Buttonwood mentioned before but wasn't sure where it was.

[Manning]

Buttonwood like all places has it's good and bad days. I fish there quite often. This morning I just could not find the fish. Only managed one jack and a trout.

[Ump608]

SPORTSFAN,

I fish the Middlegrounds (where you were) quite a bit and it is generally productive, but it has been rough in the bay as of late. I usually do well on big trout in that area this time of year. Across from Mote Marine and South of Ski A Rees as well.

Buttonwood was great on Sunday Morning at daybreak, will post pics soon.

[SPORTSFAN]

Thanks again, that is an area I'm going to check out. Tomorrow ( Thurs ) I'm heading to Palma Sola. Perhaps the moon and the stars and the tides and fish gods will smile on me with a nice Redfish or Snook.

[krash]

I'm going to Sarasota this Saturday, will be having lunch at the Salty Dog, then maybe visit Mote. Have to drive the wife up to a wedding shower for my Son & Fiancee at the future in-laws house which backs up to the bay.

[SPORTSFAN]

Palma Sola : The fish are back. I went out at approx 12.00 to fish the outgoing tide. Threw a shrimp into an area of activity and Bam one nice sized Redfish. Threw a few more in the same area and nothing so I moved on. Around the oyster bars the water fairly clear and the fish were everywhere. They didn't want my shrimp. I fished in front of moving fish and sometimes dropped the shrimp right on top of them. I used another rod and threw the infamous MR-17 and a gold spoon, still nothing. I switched to different paddle tails and again zero. As the afternoon moved on the wind was crazy. I think it was maybe 15 mph or so. I was able to sit over this one spot and did see a few huge sized Snook. They seemed to be sitting in the sandy areas. I was almost on top of them and dropped a live shrimp to them hoping for a hook up. They would swim up to it but no bites. So I just sat there and watched what they were doing while untangling my line for the 5th time. I hate braid on a windy day. The wind finally got the better of me and headed in around 4.00.
Saturday Plan : I plan to be on the water when the sun comes up and this time with a cast net. Add a sabiki with cut shrimp and my thought is pin fish, thread fin, mullet or whatever goes on a circle hook and it's game on. I do have a variety of hard and soft plastics which I will use as needed.

[SPORTSFAN]

The Best Laid Plans.
Launched just a tick before 8.00 am Sat to calm waters and no fish. I didn't really expect to see any as it was almost low tide. Drifted with the outgoing tide as did a few other kayakers until we found schools of mullet. I threw live shrimp all around them, then went to both soft and hard plastics. I was thinking perhaps some Redfish or Snook would somewhere around. I watched the others and we all did a lot of fishing but no catching. I continued with the tide all the way to the bay just south of the bridge to Anna Maria. I saw boats lined up facing the entrance to Palma Sola fishing the incoming tide. I watched and lined myself along with them. I didn't see anybody catch anything. Gradually I drifted back into the Bay with the incoming tide and back to the oyster bars from the other day. Again I saw a few Redfish and a couple schools of nice sized Snook. I was behind them and floated a free lined shrimp right between them and they ignored it. I cast a paddle tail way in front and swam it past them. They scattered. I paddled around and found them again over another sandy spot this time using a Z-Man noisy bait. It too scared them. I found em a third time and I'm still behind them, so I cut up a few shrimp and tossed them in watching I think one fish eat a small piece of shrimp. I threw more as I had nothing else except Ritz crackers but nothing. Getting late in the day I was frustrated and decided enough. I would have used Pinfish or Threadfin but there was none to be found. So before anyone suggests some cheese with that wine, Hey I was on the water all day for a total cost of 3.76 That is something I will raise my glass to.
Cheers

[krash]

As planned I dropped off the better half at the future in-laws house and went on a drive, while she was at the engagement/bridal shower party, headed to the Old Salty Dog got a table on the water and watched the water flow.. looks like heavy incoming under the bridge, lots of boats of all sorts.. had a very nice blackend Grouper sammich and a cold beverage.. then headed across the street to see Mote which was kind of a let down after all I've heard about "Mote".. then back to pick up the better half.

The future in-laws live off El Concistador, I gues it actually Bradenton, in a beautiful community right on the Bay in a beautiful house. They have an outdoor patio tha overlooks the bay, you can see Sarasota and Longoat Key.. many many boats in the bay. Then I look down and they have 2 kayaks on their dock... crap had I known that I would have just brought a rod and fished while waiting. Looking out looks like a very shallow flay with an nice edge, that 3 boats were drifting and casting.. looked like it could be Red, Snook, Trout heaven there.