Fishing Report for the Florida Panhandle
Capt. Alex Crawford
September 27, 2004
Carrabelle - Saltwater Fishing Report
CHARLEY, FRANCES, IVAN AND JEANNE
Don’t know about you, but for the remainder of this millennium I will not be tuning into the TV weather channel or anxiously awaiting the next update of computer weather models to see the latest hurricane tracks. I am way over it! What is the old saying about having the ability to accept the things one cannot change. Well, easy to say, hard to do. As I bang on my word machine, winds are blowin’ a gale in the two mile channel. Jeanne is headed for my friends up north and she is such a little mother doggy.
Regretfully, there just ain’t much to report. My sincere apologies for being remiss in updating my fishy info. Been somewhat pre-occupied lately with matters of personal safety. All the water and sewer lines under my home were taken by Ivan’s surge and my dock looks like a pressure-treated pine mosaic. My attitude has been a bit snarky lately.
We did manage a corporate outing this past Saturday, before the wind and seas became unfishable. A group of gentlemen from Atlanta came to town for some r&r. A few of the boys joined me to rock and roll offshore and a few more boarded Capt. Jimmy’s boat for a trout soiree.
The offshore bite was again outstanding with a nice catch of red and gray snappers and gag groupers. When we arrived at our waypoint, the sonar showed big fish up off the coral bottom. This was not a show of triggers dispersed all throughout the water column, it was groupers and snappers holding just off the hard bottom. With days and days of stiff northeast winds, the seas build and the current rips with the surge. The fish move up, so they won’t get beat up in the rocks. The falling barometric pressure ahead of Jeanne had the fish in a survival, eating posture. For a while, every pinfish and cigar minnow got inhaled on every drop. This captain/mate was bouncing around the boat like a one-armed wall paper hanger in a wind storm, trying to leader fish with triple hookups. The crew and guide would sleep well that night from exhaustive pumping and winding, as well as from getting our butts kicked on the return run to the hill. Fish hard-play hard. Life’s a breeze having fun catching fish!
The next weather forecast ( you read it first here) calls for another fabulous day on the unforgettable coast with spectacular scenery, dynamite fishing and fantastic fun for all. And almost forgot, no more hurricanes please; will everyone join your glasses and toast.
Till next tide, tight lines and solid hookups,
Captain Alex Crawford
Proud to be alive
www.topknots.com
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