Sarasota fishing "heating" up on the flats

Fishing on the deep grass flats in north Sarasota Bay improved as the water temperature rose to the mid 60's. Large expanses of submerged grass at Bishop' Pt. and Buttonwood Harbor held a lot of speckled trout with some Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and ladyfish mixed in. Most of the trout were small, but a few to 18" were caught as well. New Penny Gulp! Shrimp on a jig head were very productive, as was free lined live shrimp. It is nice to see the mackerel show up, a sure sign that spring is right around the corner. This bite will only improve for clients on Siesta Key fishing charters as the water warm up and remains clear. River fishing for snook and jacks is still productive for snook and jacks using soft plastics and plugs. {%image_id=57807%}