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Report for Destin, Florida - Nearshore
Capt. Larry Pentel
February 22, 2004
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report
I think it's Spring!!! The last couple of days have been absolutely fantastic. The chamber of commerce coulldn't have ordered better weather.
I ran 2 guys out today and we ended up 15 miles offshore ( a lot further than I usually go) on a big stand of Amberjacks. The water was crystal clear, you could see the fish 50-60 feet down. Flat calm, hardly any wind and 70 degrees. I was proud to be there. We ended up catching a dozen AJ's ( kept our limit of 3) and about 10 grouper, 3 of which we kept. Several of our throw backs were about 1/4 in short butt-----stilll short.
By and large the bite has been slow. The water is colder than usual ( even for winter) and the fish aren't feeding much. I have run a few trips the past week or so and we've come in with a good catch each time but had to cover a lot of ground to do it. Sometimes you'll pull up to a huge stand of fish and not be able to lose a bait, run a 1/4 mile to another rock and catch a few.
The fish will turn on strong as soon as the water warms up a couple degrees. The grouper will more than likely make a good rally in the next couple of weeks. They are probably going to be starving. There was a nice Pompano and a redfish caught by a surf fisherman at Grayton yesterday. Thats the first pomp I've heard of so far this year. Once again, justa couple degrees and they'll be thick. The beach water is 57 degrees and it was 61 offshore today. Last week it was 59 in the same area offshore. These past couple of nice days made a difference!
Back at Indian Pass the reds are still thick but the weather has to be nice to get in the "glory days". I talked with one of the guides over there who ran a trip a couple of days ago and had 1 guy catch 20 in a half day of sightfishing. The next day he had 2 folks land 3 and pull off a couple but nothing like the day before- the wind had switched, the tide had run super low and the water got muddy-. The reds will start to slow down a little as the water warms up. The inshore fisherman really shouldn't care as the trout will take their place. Specks reopen March 1st and should be strong at the "Pass" by the 15th.
Cobia season is less than a month off!!!!!!!! I can't wait!!! New line on everything, new drag washers fresh grease and even a few new rods and reels. We'll be puttin' 'em to work shortly!
Capt. Larry Pentel
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