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Fishing Report for the Florida Panhandle
Capt. Alex Crawford
February 17, 2002
Carrabelle - Saltwater Fishing Report
The ambient air temperature is 73 degrees as I write this report. The grass is greener, the birds are chirping and the pine pollen has turned my vessel yellow. The first signs of spring are in the air along the Panhandle of Florida's unforgettable Coast. A few more days of 70's and the schools of bait will move northward from their winter offshore haunts. And with the bait will come the pelagic predators. Kings, Spanish, Cobia and their friends will be back soon looking for an easy meal. Just last week on an offshore trip out 16 miles southeast, my bottom machine lit up with Spanish 40 feet up in the water column. All the live bait Sabiki rigs cut off except for one little gold hook stuck in a 12 inch Spanish. These roving marauders will be in the barrier passes when the water warms a little.
Offshore, the groupers are in a post spawn mode and moving around. The black sea bass fishing is still wide open. Mangrove snappers are hanging on the offshore wrecks and will eat half a fresh cigar minnow in a heart beat. Look for terns moving fast over schools of football bonitas. Drag a small white bucktail jig on a 16 pound fluoro leader around the leading edge of the school and hang on. Bonita belly strips make outstanding grouper baits.
Inshore and nearshore, the dependable target species is the spawning February Sheepshead. On the bridges the fishing pressure has these convict bait stealers a bit leader shy. At low tide go to 10 pound class spinners with no leader. Crimp a large split shot 12" up the line and tie on a #4 Mustad J hook. Shuck a couple dozen Apalachicola world class oysters and salt them down to make them stay on your hoook better. Use a long handle spade to scrape barnacles off the pilings as natural chum. Drop your oyster appetizer down with the chum. Put the big sheepshead in your dip net so you don't break them off at the boat. Sheepshead sashimi cooked in lime juice is the best. Bring hot sauce and saltines so you can eat your leftover oyster baits.
FISH ON!!!
Until next tide, solid hookups,
Captain Alex Crawford
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