Local Fishing Guides

Capt. Nick Angelo

Tampa Bay

813-230-8473

Capt. Dan Bumgarner

Tampa Bay

727-526-7565

Capt. Frank Bourgeois

Offshore Hernando County

352-666-6234

Capt. Bryon Chamberlin

Tampa Bay

813-361-8801

Capt. Dave Chouinard

Tampa Bay

732-610-9700

Capt. Pat Damico

Tampa Bay

727-360-6466

Capt. Dave Dant

Tampa Bay

727-744-9039

Steve Gibson

Sarasota Bay area

941-284-3406

Capt. Rick Grassett

Sarasota Bay, Charlotte Harbor, Tampa Bay

941-923-7799

Capt. Pete Greenan

Boca Grande, Everglades

941-923-6095

Capt. Paul Hawkins

Tampa Bay

727-560-6762

Capt. Ray Markham

Sarasota and Tampa Bay

941-723-2655

Capt. Russ Shirley

Tampa Bay

727-343-1957

Capt. Wayne Simmons

Tampa Bay Area

727-204-4188

Capt. Steve Soults

Nature Coast Area

352-686-0853

Capt. Jason Stock

St. Petersburg-Englewood

727-459-5899

Jim Swann

Fresh Water

352-567-6029

Fly Fishing Reports

Fly Fishing Report Form

Please send in your fly fishing report by clicking the above tab.

Date:

01/22/12

Name:

Woody Miller

Weather

 Light breeze, clear water temp 62-65

Where:

St Joseph Sound off Crystal Beach

Fish Species:

Trout

Size:

 15" Max

Fly:

Clouser

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 16
Comments ManyTrout measured 14.5"

 

Date:

01/10/12

Name:

Ken Doty

Weather

 Light breeze, clear water temp 62-65

Where:

Pinellas Point

Fish Species:

Lady Fish

Size:

 27"

Fly:

Clouser

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 16
Comments 35 trout, one 16, rest 13-14 lady fish, mostly small,a few were larger. finally I was checked by the game & fish guy ,first time ever

 

Date:

12/06/11

Name:

Ken Doty

Weather

CLEAR ,SUNNY EARLY,BREEZEY/ LAID DOWN ABOUT 10AM

Where:

TARPON KEY/ COW&CALF

Fish Species:

Lady Fish

Size:

 27"

Fly:

Clouser

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 16
Comments Trout & Lady Fish/Lizard Fish.  Beautiful Day, water still a little turbid

 

Date:

09/10/11

Name:

Ken Doty

Weather

10 kts S/E Partly Cloudy

Where:

North Shore Beach

Fish Species:

Trout

Size:

 18"

Fly:

Gurglar and Streamer

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 18

 

Date:

08/15/11

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather

Hot and Humid

Where:

N.E St Pete Docks

Fish Species:

Redfish

Size:

 19"

Fly:

Bristle Bomber Minnow Imitation w/Jurassic Eyes

Weight Rod:

5
Amount 8

Comments:

Four Reds and four Trout on the Jurassic Eyed Bristle Bomber with various retrieves.  Reds beat the Trount to the Fly.  Tide was the last of the outgoing with little flow.

r

r2

 

Date:

08/10/11

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather

Clear and Warm

Where:

N.E St Pete Docks

Fish Species:

Snook

Size:

 24"

Fly:

Bristle Bomber Minnow Imitation

Weight Rod:

5
Amount 6

Comments:

Three Reds (one 20 inches), one Snook, and two Trout in one hour.

s1

t1

 

Date:

08/17/11

Name:

Woody Miller

Weather

Mighty Warm

Where:

 Alligator Lake, Safety Harbor

Fish Species:

Panfish

Size:

 Some hand size and some not so much

Fly:

Foam hopper with bead-head nymph dropper

Weight Rod:

4
Amount 10

Comments:

Fish were for the most part about 10 to 12 feet from the edge

Nice ones

Bead head

 

Date:

08/10/11

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather

Clear and Warm

Where:

 N.E. St. Pete Docks

Fish Species:

Snook

Size:

 24"

Fly:

Bristle Bomber minnow imatation

Weight Rod:

5
Amount 6

Comments:

Three reds, one snook and two trout in one hour

They really liked the Bristle Bomber w/Jurassic Eyes

A whopper

 

Date:

07/02/11

Name:

Woody Miller

Weather

Mighty Warm

Where:

 Alligator Lake, Safety Harbor

Fish Species:

Panfish

Size:

 Reasonable

Fly:

Myaka Minnow and Woody's Wonder fished as a dropper

Weight Rod:

4
Amount More than one

Comments:

Fish were for the most part about 10 to 12 feet from the edge

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c

 

Date:

05/25/11

Name:

Ken Hofmeister, Al Picher

Weather

Warm and Buggy

Where:

 N.E. St Pete dock lights

Fish Species:

Trout

Size:

 Pretty Good Size

Fly:

Raggedy Rabbit Fish

Weight Rod:

5
Amount More than one

Comments:

When it's buggy it's better!

1

2

 

Date:

05/06/11

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather

Cool and Calm

Where:

 N.E. St Pete dock lights

Fish Species:

Snook

Size:

 28"

Fly:

Al Pitcher Polar Fiber Minnow

Weight Rod:

5
Amount 8; 1 Snook, 5 Trout, 1 Redfish, and 1 Ladyfish

Comments:

Out going tide

Ken and Snook

Date:

04/20/11

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather

Nice

Where:

 N.E. St Pete dock lights

Fish Species:

Trout

Size:

 19"

Fly:

Al Pitcher Polar Fiber Minnow

Weight Rod:

5
Amount 4 in an hour

Comments:

Tide was going out and fly was irresistible

Ken and Trout

Date:

03/15/2011

Name:

Ken Doty

Weather

4kts from the S/E

Where:

 Pinellas Point

Fish Species:

Trout

Size:

 19"

Fly:

Streamer

Weight Rod:

6
Amount 14

Comments:

Caught Mackeral, Trout and Butterfish

Date:

02/15/2011

Name:

Ken Doty/John Adams

Weather

Perfect 65-72 degrees

Where:

 West of Tarpon Key

Fish Species:

Trout

Size:

 17"

Fly:

Yellow and Orange Clouser

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 50+

Comments:

Only three measured the rest were 13 to 14 1/2

 

Date:

01/30/2011

Name:

Woody Miller

Weather

Perfect, Flat Calm

Where:

 Northside of Tarpon Key

Fish Species:

Redfish and Trout

Size:

 20"

Fly:

Black Gurgler

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 2

Comments:

The flats were full of large redfish schools, water depth was maybe 12"  Many follows but no takes.  The largest trout took the Gurgler right out of mouth of a very large redfish.

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Date:

11/21/10

Name:

Woody Miller

Weather

Perfect

Where:

 Alligator Lake   Safety Harbor

Fish Species:

Bream

Size:

 8"

Fly:

Terrestrial with a buggy nymph

Weight Rod:

4
Amount 20+

Comments:

The bream have really turned on here at Alligator Lake. Started out with a Doty spider and a small deer hair bug with no interest what so ever. Switched to a Terrestrial style that Tiger tied at one of the meetings with a 12-15" piece of 10 lb tippet and a #16 green bead head nymph. All were out from the edges about 10' or so. Bass were forcing bait fish to the surface in the middle of the lake and the Pelicans were having a feast.

a

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Date:

10/08/10

Name:

Ken Doty

Weather:

Light

Where:

 Guana Rver  St Augustine

Fish Species:

Redfish

Size:

 26"

Fly:

Tinkerbell

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 3

Comments:

Fished with Mike McQuiston  from the First Coast Fly Fishers. Spartina grass flats adjacent to the Intercoastal Waterway on a big falling tide.

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a

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Date:

09/19/10

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather:

30 MPH winds

Where:

 NE St Pete Docks

Fish Species:

Redfish

Size:

 19"

Fly:

Tan Gurgler

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 14

Comments:

Strong East wind and a good incoming tide helped make canals a good place to catch trout and reds. Nearly every light was holding hungry fish! Where was this fish Saturday when we had our tournament?

a

 

REDFISHING THE SPARTINA GRASS FLATS WITH FIRST COAST FLY FISHERS

SPLENDID SHARING

John Adams, a member of both Suncoast and First Coast Fly Fishers,  invited Ken Doty and Ken Hofmeister  to fish the high tide North of Jacksonville with some other First Coast Fly Fishers.  What an incredible experience!

I’ve been to a few club meetings and fished with a few fly fishers before; but, never have I experienced such remarkable hospitality and help.1  We were met at the launch site by several   First Coast Fly Fishing members waving fly rods and pressing their favorite flies into our hands.  We were given  “Tinkerbelle” from Bart Issac, Shrimp Fly from John Adams, and Spoon Fly from Mike McQuiston.  All flies had produced impressively earlier in the week.  How could we miss?  This was a “pre-outing warm up” prior to the Saturday scheduled outing.  Such enthusiasm!  Outrageous camaraderie!  Splendid sharing of tips, techniques, tools, and tackle overwhelmed us.

Robert Bernado, president of First Coast Fly Fishers, took Ken Hofmeister and John Adams on a sightseeing tour of the Spartina grass at high tide.1 

Bart Isaac mentored Ken Doty.  1We paddled kayaks about four and a half miles in search of tailing reds. 

HANDS ON LEARNING

“Can’t you see that fish?” said Rob.  I couldn’t, but I would learn to eventually spot the slight wake and moving grass even when they didn’t tail.  I also learned that you’d better stop a kayak before you cast or you’ll not be able to strip the fly properly.  Leading the fish meant learning which way he was going and that day you needed to cast rapidly and accurately.  Much to my chagrin, I did neither.  After tangling leader in rod tip, I asked Rob to get the fish.  He, of course, did.  Stealth is a good thing.  Telling isn’t teaching, listening isn’t learning.  But doing it and getting feedback with coaching was beginning to pay off—albeit slowly.

Ken Doty was getting his education from Bart Isaac, tier of “Tinkerbelle.”  Tinkerbelle came through for Bart with a nice red1.  Ken learned a few things about fishing the Spartina on a tough day.  We never saw people “dismount” from standing on kayaks like these guys.  Nor did we try to emulate that trick at our age. 

“You should have been here earlier in the week” was a common phrase heard at the tailgate lunch stop.  They acknowledged that this was a tough day and more fish were caught earlier in the week.  Ann and Bill Lott each got one after a lengthy search.

HOLD ON LEARNING

Day two of our education  featured  John Adams taking Ken Doty and Mike McQuiston taking Ken Hofmeister for a foray from St. Augustine to Pine Island.  Mike, a former Navy pilot and airline pilot, “flew” the flats while I held on.  At that speed he still recognized every fly fisher on the river.  We saw tailing reds feeding,  and casting was better,  but catching was beyond Mike and Ken Hofmeister that day.  John Adams watched Ken Doty hunt, spot, and catch two reds!1  Triumph!  We were learning this stuff.  We also learned to get off the flats before the tide does or be prepared to eat fiddler crabs and grasshoppers for lunch and supper.  John showed us how to read a “Google earth map” for the waters we had fished after dinner.

HOSPITALITY BEYOND DESCRIPTION

Ken Doty said, “Those First Coast Fly Fishers did everything but hook one and put the rod in your hand to see that you caught a fish.”  The coaching was first class.  The enthusiasm was contagious.  The First Coast Fly Fishing Club welcomed a couple of Suncoast Fly Fishers like long lost cousins at the family reunion. 

Sherry Adams saw to it that we ate well and behaved reasonably.  John Adams constantly provided just the right nudge or hint to see that we were getting a good orientation to their waters.  When the fly fishing for bluegill resulted in one fish (they were stuffed from feeding on river shrimp), 1John took us on his dock where he and Ken Doty filled a 48 quart cooler with shrimp in an hour and a half!  Boiled shrimp with fried alligator appetizers  was served for  supper the next night.1

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TRANSFER OF TRAINING

As an educator in a previous life, I knew the value of “transfer of training” where you took the skills and knowledge you learned and applied them to your situation—constantly improving with positive practice.  We’ll certainly be better at fishing future Spartina grass flats and our home waters for reds. 

But, we’ll also be finer sportsmen for this experience.  We now have a benchmark for first class hospitality and friendliness.  John demonstrated remarkable fishing etiquette that was followed by an on-line amend for possibly coming too close to another fly fisher.  FCFF fellows share their fishing reports with each other on the clubs’ web forum.  Sharing of tips, flies, and eyes is what makes fly fishers a different breed of cat.  Sharing the spirit of a club is something else.  That’s priceless.    I can only hope that Suncoast Fly Fishers can begin to share the spirit of our club like these  guys from First Coast did with us.  Let’s hope they come south and give us a chance for SFF’s finest to show them a few of our best fishing spots and tricks.

Ken Hofmeister

 

Date:

08/26/10

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather:

Beautiful

Where:

 NE St Pete Docks

Fish Species:

Snook

Size:

 21"

Fly:

Bait Fish Patterns

Weight Rod:

5
Amount 20+

Comments:

Al Pitcher and Ken Hofmeister caught 20+ under dock lights using light brown bait fish patterns. Al got an inshore grand slam (trout, snook, and redfish). Ladyfish and pinfish were also caught.

111

 

Date:

08/21/10

Name:

Kyle Langan

Weather:

95deg scattered showers

Where:

 Bull Bay / Charlotte Harbor

Fish Species:

Redfish

Size:

 32"

Fly:

Kwan/Merkin brown & tan

Weight Rod:

8
Amount 10

Comments:

Had a long weekend at Palm Island with Michael December and my dad. Michael D landed the big red as it was tailing in the grass beds. We also caught beach snook, 20" jacks,trout and reds. Saturday fished Bull Bay at dusk for tailing reds, what a site as the sunset!

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Date:

08/16/10

Name:

Kyle Langan

Weather:

Hot and Steamy Bay was flat

Where:

 Jackass Key

Fish Species:

Redfish

Size:

 32.5"

Fly:

White & Chartreuse Rivet w/ deer fur

Weight Rod:

8
   

Comments:

Fished mid-morning, school held approximately 500 to 600 above slot redfish. Shot first video with Michael December. A great day!!!

 

k

 

Date:

08/11/10

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather:

Terrible turning to Awful

Where:

 Boca Grand

Fish Species:

Snook

Size:

 24

Fly:

Neer Hair

Weight Rod:

8

Amount:

 14

Comments:

Fished Boca Grand dock lights with Ron Whiteley. Freeze didn't get all the snook down there! Trick was to bounce a fly across the surface imitating a frightened minnow. Heavy rain and high wind followed the dawn.

k

k

 

Date:

07/11/10

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather:

Warm

Where:

 N.E. St Pete Canal

Fish Species:

Snook

Size:

 24

Fly:

Estaz Red Eyed Gurgler; Chartreuse Estaz

Weight Rod:

6

Amount:

 7

Comments:

Outgoing tide. Al Pitcher's Estaz Chartreuse Death #2 was a hit with trout on this field test. Snook passed on the chartreuse fly and took the Red Eyed Gurgler instead.

.

 

Date:

07/06/10

Name:

Ken Hofmeister

Weather:

97 and Clear

Where:

 Reliance, TN Hiwassee River

Fish_Species:

Rainbow trout

Size:

 15"

Fly:

Isonychias (#10 and #8 hook size)

Weight_Rod:

5

Amount:

 20+

Comments:

Hiwassee River was 55 degrees and running fast and clear. Trout were hitting dry flies with Isonychias being their preference.

Ken hooked up

Ken w/another one

Nice one

 

Date:

06/27/10

Name:

Ken Hofmeister and Al Pitcher

Weather:

Windy

Where:

 Northeast St. Pete dock lights

Fish_Species:

Trout & Redfish

Size:

 19"

Fly:

shrimp pattern, ada potato, Doty snook

Weight_Rod:

8

Amount:

  

Comments:

Al Pitcher and Ken Hofmeister fished N.E. St. Pete Docks and caught trout, redfish, ladyfish, catfish, and lost a nice snook. Windy conditions prevailed--outgoing tide and full moon.

Ken w/2 trout

Trout w/ Rod

Al with his Red

Ken with Trout

Date:

05/13/10

Name:

Ken Hofmeister and Al Pitcher

Weather:

Warm and Sunny

Where:

 Hillsborough River Morris Bridge

Fish_Species:

Bass, bluegill, stumpknockers

Size:

 8"

Fly:

Spider , Beetles

Weight_Rod:

4

Amount:

 60 plus

Comments:

Bluegill, stump knockers, bass were hitting spiders and beetles along the banks. Best above Morris Bridge. Slower below Morris Bridge.

Al in Kayak

Rosette

Date:

05/12/10

Name:

Ken Hofmeister and Ken Doty

Weather:

13 knot winds-no rain-sunny

Where:

 Hillsborough River Morris Bridge

Fish_Species:

Bass, bluegill, stumpknockers

Size:

 9.5"

Fly:

Spider , Beetles

Weight_Rod:

5

Amount:

 134

Comments:

Launched at Morris Bridge and fished up and downstream from 9-1. Great day on the water for lots of stumpknockers, bass, and bluegill. May SFF Hillsborough River outing from Morris Bridge to Trout Creek should be just right for fun and lots of fish.

Ken underthe trees

 

Date:

04/22/10

Name:

Ken Doty & Paul Sequira

Weather:

65-76 degrees w/ light NW wind

Where:

 Hillsborogh River

Fish_Species:

Blue Gill

Size:

 9.5"

Fly:

Spider

Weight_Rod:

4

Amount:

 30

Comments:

One Shellcracker in the bunch, slow to start but it picked up

A nice bunch of Blue Gills