Today, So Far this Year in Pictures and the Brutal Truth
Capt. James Pic
June 30, 2008
Panama City - Saltwater Fishing Report
Jeremy Tackett, a long time customer came to town this week for a little fishing. Today we focused on trout, because of how they act on days like this weatherwise, putting nine in the box and leaving number ten out there for another day several times. Take a look:
Been a great year so far. Sorry I can't put everyones photo up but here a few of the highlights,not all just a few:
Read something on the internet last night that needs to be clarified. What you read is not always the truth.
I owned a tackle shop and was very successful for a few years. During that time I had hands on experience with every aspect of the business. From the cut throat wholesale end of it to the "new guides" asking for me to send them business. I watched as a lot of these came and went. I hired a couple. Some were magnificent, like Joey Sosthiem, and some not so good.
I would never associate my name or the name of my business, then or now, with someone because they caught fish once and think they can be a guide. Being a competant guide takes many years of learning the water and understanding fish and there patterns. Adjusting for the time of the year, water teperature, clarity, whether it's sunny or cloudy, tide in or out and many many more factors. On top of that, a potential guide must be able to find fish that frequent spots during these various times. Not like some here that have 8 or 9 places and if the fish don't bite, "oh well, must be a bad day of fishing". There are a lot of guides that find there fishing spots by following other guides and some of the locals around the bay. That is both unethical and unprofessional.
The cruel reality is that you can't count on or trust the opinion of some of the local tackle shops when it comes to reccomending a guide. A tackle shop will reccomend a guide based on how much they like the person, how much money he spends and how much he kisses the owners butt while he's in the store. Ability has nothing to do with it. Anyone can walk into some of the local tackle shops say, "I'm a guide" and immediately get referals. They don't check anyone out. OK...so one day that guy caught a couple of fish, big deal. What about all the other days? What about the pitiful reports you read on the internet.
Yes, I agree, you shouldn't hire someone just because they have a website...you should hire them based on the content of that website.
Those of you that fish with me know how it is on my boat....no one else around here is putting as many trout in the boat as I am this year. What I have, and there are a couple more around here like me, is God given and I thank him each and every day for the opportunity to work doing something I love.
Thank you to all of my customers, years past, this year and in the future. My business is up once again this year and the fishing has been as good as ever. You can bet that not only will I always work to help you catch the most fish while your on my boat but I have the knowlegde of fishing around here, out of boats, for over 37 years.
I'm not going to say who you should or should not hire...I will say, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and smells like a duck, it's probably a duck.
Panama City Fishing Forecast:
Night fishing for big reds, mangrove snapper and sharks will be hot all the way thru the end of summer. See my previous report for details. If you want a trip like that book it at least two weeks out to garauntee the night you want.
The trout bite is strong along with the reds,spanish (big spanish, not pitiful little bitty ones you catch by accident), blues, black snaps and sharks.
We had a 21' 1/2" gag grouper this morning which reminds me that the summer time grouper bite in the bay is not long from happening.
King fishing remains good. I will start chasing mahi mahi and bonito off the beach with the fly soon on the calm days.
Everything is happening. If your not catching a lot of fish your not fishing with the right guide.
Target Species:
Anything that swims
More Fishing Reports:
