Wind SE 15 to 20 with a hot trout bite in East Bay
Capt. James Pic
April 27, 2009
Panama City - Saltwater Fishing Report
Headed out early thirty this morning with a group of guy that are good friends from Tennessee/Georgia. Wind was howling as we left the dock. We made out way up to a spot where we have taken some good fish lately. After losing a couple of spanish at the boat and putting one in the boat on the fly, I made a command decision to head to East Bay for trout and reds.
Anyone that has fished since late March will tell you the water is brown all over the bay...darker in some areas than others. You can't see the bottom in two feet of water in both East and West Bays. It is starting to clear and the fish are definitely on the move.
When we arrived at one of my favorite spots in East Bay the wind was howling to the point we couldn't use the electric motor to sight fish. So I put the boat shallow letting a loose anchor drag to slow us down. I had Ron on the bow with an 8 WT fly rod and a clouser tied by me....Mike and Doug in the back; one with a DOA and one with a 3" Gulp! Shrimp, both on DOA Clacker popping corks. Didn't take long for the bite to start and get hot. Had fish coming in the boat almost non stop for three hours. I would estimate close to 75 were boated. Not a lot of keepers but a few. The DOA and fly caught more keeper fish than the Gulp!, but the Gulp caught more fish. I have said for a long time; DOA catches better trout, Gulp! is a great redfish bait.
All in all it was a good trip with a lot of fish caught. The bite is definitely turning on and the bay is clearing with each tide. The coffee colored water around the park and pass is clearing to weak tea color and the rest of the bay should do the same in the next week or two.
Around the pass and bay immediately within, the spanish continue to come into the bay but not in huge numbers. We have started catching blue runners which means the kings are on the way. Even though the water is messy you can still catch fish. Stick with noisy baits, fishing them slow.
Panama City Fishing Forecast:
Trout on the flats is hot and will continue. With the clearing of the water all of the migratory fish will show up. Pompano and jacks will be one of my target fish for May, with kings at the end of the month. King fishing was hot last year along with everything else.
Target Species:
Trout on the flats, sight fishing for reds, jacks, pompano and spanish.
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