Anglers on the Snook Fin-Addict had good action with tarpon in the coastal gulf waters off Sarasota and Venice during the past week. Although they didn't bite everyday, we had a couple of good days. Fly anglers did best, jumping a couple and fighting a couple to the boat. We also got bit a couple of times when we didn't hook up. The best colors were black or black and purple.
       A couple of fish were also jumped on the DOA Swimming Mullet on Monday. This lure can be cast a long distance and gets down in front of fish fast. They usually eat it as it drops in front of them. An angler on the Snook Fin-Addict on Tuesday had several bites on live crabs, but failed to hook up. An 80-pound tarpon was landed on a black and purple bunny fly on Thursday and another one ate a chartreuse fly but spit it out before he could be hooked. Tarpon got lockjaw on Friday, right on the full moon. Although there were plenty of fish and some beautiful schools, they wouldn't eat a variety of live baits and lures.
One of the best trips of the week was on Wednesday with fly angler Rick Happle, from Tampa, FL. Rick's goal was to catch a tarpon, his first ever, with a fly. He jumped an 80-pounder, a perfect size for a first tarpon, on a black and purple bunny fly and fought the fish all the way to the boat in about 20 minutes. Unfortunately, the 12-weight fly rod broke, causing the leader to part before we could put our hands on him. The most spectacular fish was a single, estimated at 120-pounds, that ate his fly 30-feet behind the boat and proceeded to put on an aerial show. The hot fish jumped a couple of times as it streaked away from us, burning Rick's line hand in the process. It turned and charged the boat just as fast and splashed us as it jumped off right next to the boat!
As we head away from the full moon next week, tarpon schools should be happier. We are heading into the prime of our season, so if the weather will cooperate, tarpon fishing should turn on!

Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.snookfin-addict.com  or www.flyfishingflorida.net

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