 |
Panhandle Fishing Report - Pensacola Bay & Choctawhatchee Bay
Capt. Eddie Woodall
August 4, 2006
Pensacola - Saltwater Fishing Report
Wow; what a great season it has been so far. The fishing and the weather has been great. Usually by this time of the year I’ve had to cancel several trips due to inclement weather. I can only Thank You Mother Nature for being so kind. As of now I haven’t canceled a single charter.
The inshore fishing has gotten into the summer time pattern for sure, IT’S HOT!!
Fishing around structure is offering a lot of action with the flounder and mangrove snapper with redfish thrown in every now and then. Large piers or rock piles, such as the jetties in Pensacola Pass, have been producing a good catch lately. You should use a Carolina rig; a #2 circle hook will work well with a bull minnow or shrimp attached and just enough weight to get it to the bottom in the current. This is a good all-around rig for this type of fishing.
If you're looking for speckled trout, it’s been tough fishing during the daytime, try top water plugs early before daylight and dock fishing the lights at night for your best shot a limit of specks. Ordinarily the grass flats will hold fish this time of year, but at this point I suggest fishing the Gulf it’s a lot more fun. Plenty of fun can be had with the ladyfish and bluefish that are scattered throughout Pensacola Bay and along the beach. They can be caught by finding surface action and casting flashy jigs or lures. This also is a good way to pick up Spanish mackerel.
If you have never had an opportunity to fish for Tarpon, it’s been a great season for sight casting to the fish. A good approach is to ride down the beach looking for bait pods. Tarpon can be a great challenge and are caught using lures and fly, but I definitely would be prepared with some type of live bait on a fluorocarbon leader.
Trolling around the buoys in Pensacola Pass or along the beach has been great for King Mackerel. I couldn’t count the number of Kings I’ve caught so far this season. Slow trolling with live baits purchased from the Live Bait Boat on light tackle works best.
If you're going searching for bottom dwellers, there are a lot of fish on the public spots in the 100 foot of water; they are just hard to catch. They have been hit hard since the weather has been so good. You will have to drop down to the smallest tackle you can fish with to get these fish to eat. I’ve been catching a few Snapper on 15# spinning outfits with hardly any weight. The farther you go the better. The best reports have come from anglers fishing in 200 feet of water. You won't find the number of Snapper you would in 100 feet of water, but they'll be a much better grade. You will also improve your chances of catching a Grouper or an Amberjack.
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
More Fishing Reports:
|
|
|
|
