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Panhandle Fishing Report - Pensacola Bay & Choctawhatchee Bay
Capt. Eddie Woodall
March 8, 2007
Pensacola - Saltwater Fishing Report
SPRING IS CLOSE!!!!
Well, fellow anglers its close now- the weather the last few days has brought out a lot of anglers and the phone is ringing off the hook!! (YEA). It’s time to get out there and start enjoying the great sport of fishing.
The Sheephead are going to be a for sure thing for anyone who likes; they are stacking up real nice around Pensacola Pass jetties and the jetties and bridge pilings in East Pass in Destin. I like to have fiddler crabs for when they are being a little finicky, but for the most part live shrimp for bait are the ticket, then when the bite gets really hot I will use a half a shrimp just to make the live bait go a little father. The rigging technique I use is real simple, it’s a Carolina rig on a 10 pound spinning outfit with a 15 pound fluorocarbon leader and a small Gamakatsu #2 light wire live bait hook (stk#220409). To find the area to be fishing is fairly simple also. Just get in the general vicinity of either pass and look for other boats anchored up then ease up close enough and ask if they mind if you anchor up and try your luck. I’ll bet the answer will be yes. As always be courteous to your fellow angler and don’t bump rub rails, but just get in the general vicinity.
Now what are you going to do after you fill up the cooler with your catch? Sheephead are a pain to clean but the finished product is well worth the effort. The technique that I have found to most productive at cleaning these fish is: start at the tail (and if you have access to an electric filet knife your job just got a whole lot easier) with a serrated knife and filet off the side working to the head, then flip the filet over (skin side down) and with a regular filet knife filet off the strip of white flesh above the rib cage, I leave the rib cage attached to the skin for easy disposal, but if you like leave the rib cage attached to the filet- some call the rib meat the sweet meat. There is a generous limit on Sheephead in Florida, the size limit is 12 inches and the creel is 15 per person.
Now, on to the Red Fish, I have been on a lot of Red Fish over the last week, I am still catching the Bull Reds on the Beach. They are cruising the drop off in schools of as few as 4 or 5 up to schools of 25 to 30 fish. This is a sight fisherman’s dream; these fish are a little spooky to any noise so stealth is of the most importance. Stake out or drift with the current and watch for the fish. When you spot the fish get the lure out ten to fifteen feet in front of the school and jig it a time or two as they close in on the lure.
Just in the last two days I have been catching some smaller Reds, also. I’m using a Pompano jig for these fish--they are up on the sand bar in just a foot of water eating everything that moves. You might ask why are you using a Pompano Jig, well because I have been catching a few Pompano also.
All in all it’s time, so if you are still thinking about it your too late, so get out there and
Git-er-done.
I know one thing for sure - You ain’t going to catch’em sittin’ on the couch!!
So get out there, and take a kid fishing.
Tight Lines and Screaming Drags, Till Next Time! God Bless.
Professional Fishing Guide
Capt. Eddie Woodall
Full Net Charters
www.fullnetcharters.com
Blazer Bay Boats, Yamaha Outboards, SPRO Fishing Tackle, Gamakatsu Hooks, Pure Fishing, Shakespeare Fishing, All-Star Rods, Gene Larew Fishing Products.
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