Sarasota jig fishing, Sarasota fishing report
Clients on Sarasota fishing charters did well this week once again on the deep grass flats. Many species were landed Sarasota jig fishing and chumming with live bait fish. Snook were also caught in New Pass.
Speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish, flounder, gag grouper, mangrove snapper, jack crevelle, whiting, ladyfish, catfish, and more were landed by anglers on Sarasota fishing charters this week. The Radio Tower, Middlegrounds, and Bishop’s Pt were the top spots. Casting jigs at first light then switching to live bait mid-morning was the most productive pattern. I fished docks in New Pass one morning in search of snook. We landed one and had another hit a topwater plug. The wind and rain showed up, so we headed in early.
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Jig fishing techniques
Capt Jim has been a fishing guide in Sarasota, Florida since 1991. Anglers who are interested in purchasing the equipment that he uses and writes about in his articles can do so on the PRODUCTS page.
Family fishing is a big part of my business this time of year. My Sarasota fishing report usually includes children catching fish and having fun. As a fishing guide I need to adjust my techniques and tactics to my clients experience and skill level. Live bait is a great equalizer. Once fish are chummed up behind the boat, they are easy to catch. Anglers only need to cast fifteen or twenty feet behind the boat to catch fish.
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Jigs have been performing very well for me, especially early in the morning. While it might seem more difficult, Sarasota jig fishing is actually quite easy. I can usually work with a client for fifteen minutes, even young anglers, and get them catching fish. Gulp Shrimp are almost like using live shrimp, they are that effective. In some ways they are even better. Pinfish destroy live shrimp in short order, the Gulp Shrimp last longer.
Jigs are the most effective all-round fishing lure in Sarasota and all along the Gulf Coast. A jig is simply a hook with some lead weight at the front and a tail made of hair or plastic. It is simple but extremely effective. The jig dances seductively in the water. It is jerked up sharply then falls helplessly, triggering strikes. Weights and tails are matched to the conditions fished and targeted species. Jigs will catch virtually every species on my Sarasota fishing charters.
There is evidence pointing to the jig as the first artificial bait used by man. And after all these years, it still catches fish! Like many other lures, they come in a myriad of styles and colors, but they can really be broken down into two types; hair and plastic tailed jigs. A painted lead head jig with a plastic body is the most popular of the two here on the Gulf Coast. They are inexpensive, easy to use, versatile, and productive.
Jig heads and bodies
Jig heads come in many colors, but white and red are the two most popular. ¼ ounce is the most popular and versatile weight for jig heads. A heavier jig head is required occasionally, such as when fishing deeper water or in strong current. Jigging the passes would be an example of this. 1/8 ounce and even 1/16 ounce jig heads will be used in very shallow water.
Tails also come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Shad and curly tail baits imitate fish while paddle tail and shrimp bodies mimic crustaceans. Both catch plenty of fish. I like Bass Assassin products, but they are by no means the only choices. A basic color selection of white, gold, olive, root beer, and chartreuse in both bait and grub style will cover most situations and angler will face.
One advantage of these types of jigs is the ease with which tails can be replaced and colors changed. They are also very economical. This versatility along with the low cost certainly adds to the popularity of Sarasota jig fishing. I use shad tail jigs most of the time. The Bass Assassin 4” Sea Shad is my favorite soft plastic jig trailer. The main reason I prefer shad tail baits is that they have great built in action. Shad tails have a very realistic swimming motion. This makes it a great choice for novice anglers.
Shad tail jigs are very versatile. They produce for anglers using multiple retrieves. A steady retrieve will mimic a bait fish. The shad tail produces a lot of action. However, the most productive retrieve is the “twitch and fall” technique. The jig is cast out, allowed to sink, then retrieved back using a sharp one to two foot movement. Most strikes occur as the jig falls.
Paddle tail and shrimp tails work well, too. One benefit to these baits is that pinfish and other small fish won’t bite off the end of the tail. These baits work best when the water is cooler and there are more shrimp and less bait fish in the water. Cooler water will also result in fish being more active and aggressive. They will be more active and will readily take a jig.
Scented baits
Scented soft plastic baits such as Gulp are a bit more expensive, but on slow days they can make a big difference. I have had many charters where the Gulp and jig combo out-fished live bait. Color seldom matters, it is all about the scent. The 3” Gulp Shrimp is a perfect size for Sarasota Bay species.
Jigs can also be purchased that are manufactured with nylon or natural fibers. Bucktail jigs have been around a long time. White is the best color. Spro jigs are a quality bucktail jig that is an excellent lure. Pompano jigs are usually made with artificial fibers. Typically, they have a heavy head and a short tail. While very productive, hair jigs are not as durable or cost effective as the jig and grub combo is and therefore not as popular. They are a great choice for pompano and speckled trout, but not for bluefish and mackerel.
Both Big Sarasota Pass and New Pass can be great spots to do some jig fishing, as long as the water is clean. Both passes have shallow bars and deep channels and fish can be in either of those spots. In the deeper water, vertically jigging while drifting with the tide is a time-proven technique for pompano and other species. Anglers simply drop a jig to the bottom and drift along while sharply raising the rod tip every couple of seconds, then allow the bait to flutter back to the bottom. Heavier pompano style jigs work very well in this application. Each time the bait hits the bottom it will kick up a puff of sand, imitating a crab or other crustacean. A small piece of fresh or frozen shrimp can be added. This is called “tipping the jig”.
On the shallow bars, casting jigs out and retrieving them back to the boat is the preferred method. Each time the jig hits the bottom, it kicks up a bit of sand. This looks exactly like a crab or shrimp trying to hide. Both pompano jigs and the jig and grub can be used effectively in this application when Sarasota jig fishing.
Jigs on the Sarasota deep grass flats
Jigs are very productive on the deep grass flats. Speckled trout in particular are suckers for a jig and grub combo, but bluefish, Spanish mackerel, pompano, cobia, flounder, sea bass, grouper, jacks, and ladyfish will all readily take a jig. The lure is cast out and retrieved back using a sharp “twitch”, generally from the 10:00 to 12:00 position. Most bites occur as the jig is falling, seemingly helpless.
Anglers who keep the line tight as the jig falls will detect more strikes. A good rule of thumb regarding color is to use light colors in clear water and dark colors in darker water. Glow, white, gold, and silver are good colors when the water is clear. Olive, rootbeer, copper, and other dark colors work great in darker water.
Another popular technique is to fish a jig two feet under a noisy cork. The rig is cast out, allowed to settle, then the rod tip is sharply twitched. This causes the cork to make a loud noise, attracting fish. It also causes the jig to jerk up and then slowly settle back down. The cork not only keeps the lure from hanging in the grass, strikes are easily seen as it disappears. A Gulp Shrimp works great with this technique.
There are times when fish will respond to a steady retrieve while jig fishing. A slow, steady retrieve will produce when the water temperature is down a bit. When Spanish mackerel, bluefish, and ladyfish are actively feeding on the surface, a very fast retrieve will fool them. Anglers literally can not reel fast enough to get a bait away from a hungry mackerel.
Jigs produce in cooler weather
As the weather cools, the water temperature drops, and the hordes of bait fish that inhabited the bay in the summer migrate to warmer waters, artificial lures become more productive. While lures certainly catch fish all year long, they are even more effective this time of year. And no bait is as versatile or effective on a variety of species as is the lead head jig.
Scented soft plastic baits on a 1/8 ounce jig head are deadly on redfish and snook when fished in shallow water around oyster bars and in pot holes. Root beer is a great color in darker water. The area from Stickney Pt. south to Blackburn Point is a great area to fish in cooler weather There are many oyster bars here and it is more protected on windy days. High tides in the afternoon are the best times to fish.
Potholes in north Sarasota Bay near Long Bar and Whale Key will hold snook and reds when the water is clear. Shallow grass flats on both sides of Sarasota Bay exist from New Pass north. A shallow draft is required for this method of fishing. Shallow water jig fishing is challenging, but rewarding. A 4” or 5” swim bait on a 1/16 ounce jig head is a good choice.
Depending on weather conditions, fishing can be very good in the inshore Gulf of Mexico for both surf fisherman and anglers in boats. Good conditions would be clean, clear water in the mid 60s. Jigs cast from shore will catch pompano, whiting, jacks, mackerel, and ladyfish. Tipping the jig with a small piece of shrimp can help a lot in the surf. This is particularly true in the winter when the water temperature is lower.
Fishing with jigs in the Gulf of Mexico
Anglers fishing from boats in the inshore Gulf of Mexico will find jigs productive as well. Anglers will target surface activity from breaking false albacore and Spanish mackerel. This is fairly easy fishing when the fish are this active. Just about any lure that is close to the forage in size and color will be devoured quickly. A very fast, steady retrieve will normally produce best.
The jig and grub will produce some very nice snook in area rivers in the winter. Snook migrate up creeks, rivers, and residential canals to survive cold winters. I prefer a slightly larger bait as trophy snook are the target. My favorite is the Bass Assassin 5” Die Dapper swim bait. Dark colors are good with Golden Bream being my go to pattern. There are a lot of downed trees and other submerged cover in the rivers. Jigs with exposed hooks will hang up a bit more often than other lures. Using a soft plastic baits on a special hook that keeps the hook buried will help reduce snags.
A jig with a wide gap, stout hook is required when jig fishing for snook. A 1/8 ounce is a good weight. The jig should fall slowly then reeled back in using a slow, steady retrieve. Snook can become a bit lethargic in the cooler water. However, they need to feed and bluegill, tilapia, and mullet are larger bait fish that the snook feed on. Larger baits tend to produce in this situation.
Small jigs are deadly on panfish when Sarasota jig fishing in area freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers. Jigs have been used successfully all over the country for decades now. 1/8 ounce and 1/16 ounce jig heads with tiny twister tail and shad tail grubs will produce a lot of fish. Bluegill, crappie, and small bass will take these lures which mimic tiny bait fish that are found in these waters.
Capt Jim Klopfer
(941) 371-1390
captklopfer@comcast.net
1059 North Tamiami Trail Sarasota, Fl 34236
