Fishing Report for March 6, 2006

Greetings from Captain Tommy!
We are off to a great start for the month of March. The awaited cobia migration is here. This past week was very exciting and fun for anglers aboard my 25 foot boat 'Catch Spirit' as they were treated to some of the most fun fishing there is to do around the Sarasota area and maybe even the west coast of Florida. We have been sight fishing for cobia along our gulf beaches in 15 - 20 feet of water. Cobia migrating in the area are seen swimming on the surface giving us the opportunity to cast topwater lures or flies at them. I have been using Zara spooks of all colors and Cottee jigs with Exude tails as well as many other lead head grub tail combinations and 10lb. test line with my very own hand-crafted custom spinning rods. This has to be my favorite of all types of fishing trips we take. It's so much fun to watch your lure get charged at by a dozen cobia all at once!

This is what my week was like... The beach waters were feathered over by a smooth southern breeze and nothing but beautiful sunshine glistening on the surface. The beach run is so nice because the boat ride is mesmerizing. The scenery is beautiful and knowing you'll be seeing cobia in a few miles just gets you psyched up and makes you feel great. See, fishing really is good for the soul, and you haven't even caught anything yet! The point is this: Projecting success brings happiness to you and this is what matters. This is what a cobia trip is like mentally to me.

As for the catching, my 5 groups fishing 4 hour trips this week caught and released more then 60 cobia! Most trips are boating 10 cobia but have many opportunities to catch more. Between bait refusals and bad casts, I would have to say I think my anglers this week did just fine. The beginning part of the week we were seeing 1- 3 fish showings. Later in the week there were many pods of fish moving along the beach to cast at. Well, that's it for the cobias. Hope you can join me on my next trip!

Offshore Report -
We're landing amberjacks and mangrove snappers mostly, but there's definately a chance to get a big shark! The mako shark we hooked last week is still out there eating my people's fish!!! Darn him. "I'm gonna get that bird!" :)

Today's bay fishing trip was also a blast . We got into schools of 5 -7 lb. jack crevelle and boy did they work over my tackle. This kind of fire drill fishing isn't easy for keeping all your lines in order. With jacks of any kind you have to let them have all the line they want. Pounding fish on the surface can take most of your lures and patience in just a few short minutes. :) Casting around the edges of the marauding fish and birds can keep you hooked up instead of digging in the tackle box for another jighead. Well, after a healthy jack session we went to some back bay canals for our sheephead friends and managed a half dozen. Not bad! We went though 6 dozen shrimp!! I saw a lot of snook in one canal but could not get them to bite. Maybe next time... There's always next time. :)

Many thanks for your business and patience. Be good to one another!
Captain Tommy Tinacci