Capt. Larry Pentel
May 16, 2003
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report
The close in Gulf fishing is great right now. In addition to the usual Red Snappers and Groupers there has been a movement of Amberjacks in to a few miles of the beach.
Yesterday I ran a 6 hour with 4 folks and we had a limit oF A.J's with several released, a limit of snapper, two groupers, a pile of triigers and a king. Hard to beat.. but. Monday I had 3 folks on a 4 hour who hadn't been in years and were talking 'bout the "good old days". By the time I finished cleaning fish they were bragging about it being the best trip they had ever had and how good the fishing was. They tallied 1 A.J., a limit of Red Snapper, 3 Black Snapper, 3 Black Grouper, 8 amberines and 5 triggers. We released another 8 amberines ( box was getting full), two sharks and (the best part) one of the Snapper was 17# !!
Todays trip had a father son team who didn't want to keep any fish. I put 'em on the jacks and we caught fish till they ( literally) couldn't wind any more.-I kept 2 for my dinners tho--
Last week had dry weather but a stiff wind and enough sea running to make me have to cancel all my Gulf trips. I had 3 days tho where the folks wanted to fish no matter what so we went in the Bay. I was pleasantly surprised to find the trout doing quite well in some of my old holes. Two of the trips had us limit out along with some skip jacks and released fish while the 3rd trip we had 8 but with a very nice grade.
Remember, when you get into those big trout that the limit is ONE fish per person over 21 inches and it counts towards your 5 fish. The main reason we have all these specks these days is because the big females are getting released to make more. No need in getting too greedy- a limit looks real good in the photos, especially when when one of 'em is a slab.
My son just walked in coming back from Indain Pass. He sightfished triple tails this AM with Capt Randall and said they caught several but had the big one on only to lose it to the bouy it was living on. I asked how big and he said bigger than a garbage can lid !-- I told him I'd go over come Tarpon season and catch that rascal----
Call up for tarpon trips, july is about 1/2 booked and looks to be good season this year.
Gulf Fishing off Grayton Beach in beautiful South Walton. Red Snapper to Cobia to King Mackeral to Grouper. No need to get up early or drive for an hour to a marina. We will pick you up on the beach and be on a reef or wreck in usually less than 15 minutes. Some of the Gulfs best fishing lies just offshore of the snow white sands of South Walton. We also offer Tarpon trips at Indian Pass during the summer run. July and August have large schools of giant Silver Kings feeding just off the beach.
