Light Tackle Night Red Fishing, Pensacola, Navarre, Perdido Key
Capt. John Rivers
November 9, 2011
Pensacola - Saltwater Fishing Report
Can you believe November is already here?
This has to be one of my favorite times to fish because it's cool outside and the big reds are here. Over the past two to three weeks, I've been running a lot of trips in the afternoon, since the bite has just been great on the flats and along the bridges in the late afternoon. I've been targeting specks and reds on the flats and white trout and redfish on the bridges. It has been some great light tackle fishing.
Capt. John shows off a monster 41" Redfish caught at 3-Mile Bridge.
When I'm on the flats I'm tossing out a few things: one is MirrOlure's Catch 2000 and their new Paul Brown Lure, which has been producing some quality catches with both the trout and redfish. At the bridges, I've been using a ¼ -3/4 oz jig head rigged with either a 3" –4" Berkley Gulp shrimp (colors ghost white or nuclear chicken) or 5" Jerk-shad (colors are shad and nuclear chicken). The trout on the bridge are getting bigger, with most of the fish we're catching from 12 –18" with even a few near 20".
Keith is all smiles after landing this 28" Red
Lia holds up her first ever redfish, it slammed a 3" Berkley Gulp Shrimp while night fishing 3-Mile Bridge.
I went last night, and although we didn't stay out long, (got a bit too windy); we still managed to hook all the trout we wanted and had 3 hookups on reds. The average trout was around 15 inches. I've not been to the pass in a couple of weeks due to all the action in the upper bay systems. As we get this next cold front tonight, the big reds will start to make their way into the bay. Right now they're just off the beaches to the west about a mile or two outside the pass. With the seas being 3-5 ft over the past two weeks, I've not been out off the beach to hook up any of these fun drag burners, but as soon as we get some calmer winds it's going to be game on; I'll be out every day I can. November is one of my favorite times to fish because I love hooking up these powerful fish.
Capt. John and Jason show off a pair of slot reds they sight fished under the lights at 3-Mile Bridge.
If you've never experienced the pure power of these monster fish, you need to set up a trip with me; it's all artificial lures and on light tackle. I use 7ft Medium Heavy to 8ft Heavy Rods. These rods can handle the power of these big reds and it's still considered light tackle. With 5000 style reels spooled with 30 lb braid and 40 –50 leader, you'll have no problem with these awesome bruisers. But don't think you'll just reel these fish in, you will get your workout; they are that powerful.
Jason shows off a Monster 42" Red caught at 3-Mile Bridge, it slammed a 3" Berkley Gulp Shrimp on a 1/4oz jig head.
I don't like to use much lighter tackle because the fish will expend all its energy and has a greater chance of dying and that's not our goal. These fish are the breeders and are great for sport fishing and we need them around to make more reds and to let anglers like you enjoy battling them year after year.
I'll be out a bunch next week as soon as this wind dies down; right now the forecast is for 15 –25 knots for the next 3 days, so no fishing for me.
Check back soon for my next report, and thanks for stopping by.
Tight Lines.
Capt. John
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