snookfinaddict

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fly Fishing Forecast for September 2026

Tarpon should still be a good option this month. Many have moved to inside waters, so you’ll find them around bridges, over deep grass flats or in deeper areas. When tarpon move into these areas, they are in a feeding mode. After a long migration and with their spawning duties completed, they need to rest and eat to restore themselves. Ladyfish will feed in glass minnow schools and tarpon may gorge themselves on ladyfish. A wide profile pattern fly, such as Lefty’s Deceiver or EP flies, may also be effective fished slowly around ladyfish schools. Juvenile tarpon from 10 to 30-pounds should be a good option around docks and bridges and in creeks and canals.

You should find snook this month around docks and bridges close to passes, in the ICW and in the surf. They will also start making their move towards shallow flats where you might find them staging along sand bars or in potholes. Fly poppers or Gurglers may draw some big strikes in shallow water at night or early in the day! I often fish lighted docks and bridges for snook before dawn before moving to the flats after daylight. My Grassett Snook Minnow fly is my ‘go to” fly pattern for snook or juvenile tarpon in the dark.

Reds are usually in large schools in September. You may find them in shallow water when the tide is high or along the edges of flats when the tide is low. Look for wakes, some as big as boat wakes, or “pushes” to locate them. If it is calm, a school of reds may look like a nervous patch of water or if there’s a ripple on the surface, the school may appear as a slick patch of water. Once you’ve located them, try to get in front of them and work around the edges of the school to avoid spooking the whole school. Fly anglers should score with fly poppers, Gurglers and wide profile baitfish fly patterns. I like to be as quiet as possible in shallow water, using a push pole to move my boat. It is great to find a big school of reds but remember, if you spook one fish you may spook the whole school. I sometimes also find big jacks and blues mixed with schools of big reds in shallow water. Not a bad problem!

Spotted sea trout fishing should also be good this month. In my opinion it’s important to release over slot trout, which are usually female breeders. Look for big trout in skinny water in many of the same places that you find reds this month. They will be most active in low light, either first thing in the morning or at dusk, particularly if we’ve had an afternoon shower. Cloud cover in the afternoon will also reduce heating of shallow flats, which usually makes fish more active. The same flies that you use for reds will work well for big trout in shallow water.

You may also find trout mixed with blues, pompano and Spanish mackerel on deep grass flats. I like to drift and cast quartering ahead of my drift. Fly anglers should do well with an Ultra Hair Clouser fly fished on a clear intermediate sink tip. In addition to making a series of drifts to find fish, focus on bait schools, breaking fish or diving birds to find fish. You may find tripletail on buoys, crab trap floats or channel markers in inside waters this month. A lightly weighted fly, like my Grassett Flats Minnow, works well for me.

Baitfish along beaches will attract Spanish mackerel, false albacore (little tunny), sharks, tarpon and more. Look for surface activity to find the mackerel and albies and cast small white flies to them. Look for feeding frenzies that begin with ladyfish feeding in glass minnow schools and may end with everything else, including sharks or tarpon, joining the fray. Full regulations on all species can be found at https://myfwc.com/ .

There are lots of options this month, but the key is usually to fish early for the best chance at success. An early start for snook or tarpon around lighted docks or bridges and then on to the flats for reds, trout and more is a good plan. There should also be good action in the coastal gulf for a variety of species. I usually tarpon fish as long as I can, wherever I find them! Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by residential, agricultural and industrial runoff, toxic spills and discharges, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation, please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!

Tight Lines,
Capt. Rick Grassett
Federation of Fly Fishers (FFI) Certified Fly Casting Instructor (CI)
Private and group fly casting instruction
Instructor for CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed Fly Fishing Schools
Hosted group destination fly fishing trips
www.snookfin-addict.com and www.flyfishingflorida.us
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
(941) 923-7799 (office/land line)