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Pensacola, Navarre & Perdido Key
Capt. John Rivers
February 17, 2008
Pensacola - Saltwater Fishing Report
Redfishing on the flats & Trout fishing near the bridge
Redfish frenzy on the flats the past few days has been what fishing in Pensacola is all about. I’ve been out looking for some new fishing spots this past week, and it paid off in a big way. I was out on the flats this weekend doing some fun fishing, and the reds were eating gold spoons and RT Slugs. A couple of areas I was fishing were Escambia Bay near East Bay and also up in Blackwater River.
Other fish that are eating well are white trout, and I’ve found their lair near the 3-mile bridge in deep holes, which are twenty to twenty five feet. I’ve been hooking most of the trout on 2 – 3” Berkley Gulps. I have also hooked a few big fat reds on the bridge, but the bite for the big reds has come more during the evening hours. Just a few days back, I ran an evening trip, around 3pm to right at dark, and starting around 6 pm the redfish bite started to pick up and lasted till 8pm. The reds didn’t want cut bait or small live white trout, but they were hammering 3 – 4” Berkley Gulps on a 1/2oz jig head. During the month of February, speckled trout season is closed, but they’re biting on live shrimp and they’re also hitting jigs that you slow bounce off the bottom. A good place to catch trout is Jim’s Fish Camp off of Hwy 90 before the Pace bridge. I haven’t been out near the pass lately, but I have heard of a few sheepshead being caught and a few black snapper on the rock jetties.
Venturing out a little further offshore has been a little tough these past weeks as the seas have been around 4 - 7ft, but not to worry, as spring will be here soon and that means the big cobia run. If you do venture offshore, check out the 3-mile bridge and catch a few small live baits and put them in the live well; big hungry groupers can't pass up a lively bait. The amberjack bite near the Chevron Rig and the Oriskany has been very good using a Diamond Jig and also a 2 - 4 oz Spro Buck Tail Jig with a chartreuse or green grub attached. A few black fin tuna have also been caught out near the Edge and the Nipple, but not many. Off to the west near the Hump, the yellow fin tuna bite is on fire, and just a few weeks back, two fish over 200lbs were landed. The tuna bite over at the Hump will stay good for the next few weeks depending upon the weather.
The amberjack bite has been excellent in depths of over 120ft this past week, and in depths of 60-100ft there are plenty of Red Snapper, but remember that you can't keep red snapper until April 15th in State water and June 1st in Federal Waters.
Capt. John Rivers
Mega-Bite Inshore Charters
850-341-9816
Mega-Bite Inshore Charters
Thanks to my sponsors:
Mann’s Lures, SPRO Fishing Tackle
Gamakatsu Hooks, Pure Fishing - Berkley
ABU Garcia, Shakespeare, Sea Pro Boats
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