 |
Fishing Report for the Florida Panhandle
Capt. Alex Crawford
October 19, 2003
Carrabelle - Saltwater Fishing Report
SPECK SPECTACULAR!!! The spotted seatrout fishing in the Apalachicola Bay right now is, in a word, spectacular. Yesterday, my party scored a limit in only an hour of fishing. The combination of awesome weather and a wide open fish bite makes October my favorite time on the unforgettable coast.
The Bay is choked full of bait now. The pelicans, terns and gulls are working bait frantically all over the place. I’m watching them out my office window as we speak. If you can throw a cast net, you’re in business. At first light, there are huge schools of finger mullet working on the surface. Position your boat upwind and up current and drift quietly within casting distance. The bonus with finger mullet is that you will catch eating size fish. The rest make outstanding baits for reds, snapper and grouper. The mullet disappear when the sun gets up, so go early and you will be rewarded with deluxe live baits. Mullet are hardy, frisky baits that really catch fish.
Pogies are so thick that you can walk on them. They are small, perfect size for trout and flounder. A tight mesh cast net is necessary for small pogies, unless you enjoy pulling dozens of gilled pogies out of the mono mesh. Live chumming pogies is a successful technique now. Try it, you’ll like it.
Another winning technique now is to cast or troll Mirrorlures around the bridge pilings of the old SGI bridge. Don’t get hung up on color patterns, just keep your lure in the water and vary your retrieve. Gator trout sometimes like a lure pulled fast and erratically. Try the mullet or red and white pattern. Trout on top is a blast!
Flounder are starting to eat around the bridge pilings. We had a three pounder yesterday that ate a pogy worked slowly on the bottom. Sheepshead have not turned on yet, but it won’t be long with cooler nights. The reds are hot with many slot and short fish, as well as a few bulls. Pinfish and grunts are still plentiful inshore and make super redfish offerings.
With all of the bait in the bay, Spanish mackerel are in their pillage and plunder mode now. Four pounders are not uncommon as they beef up for winter. Always keep one stick rigged with a light wire leader when the macks come around. After losing a few to chomped fluorocarbon, we went to wire and caught three chunky boys. Little macks are good when cooked fresh.
Going way south after groupers in the am. Will report the results when I can muster the energy to get back into Word. I know my effort to disguise the profession as real work is feeble. Go coastal and have an intimate relationship……………..with a fish!
Till next tide, tight lines and solid hookups,
Captain Alex Crawford
Proud Member Florida Outdoor Writers Association
Proud Member Florida Guides Association
www.topknots.com
More Fishing Reports:
|
|
|
|
