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Fishing Report for the Florida Panhandle
Capt. Alex Crawford
September 15, 2001
Carrabelle - Saltwater Fishing Report
Tropical storm Gabrielle and the tragedy our nation is enduring has caused this writer/captain to stay at the dock. However, last week was an extraordinary fishing time. We can always count on the unmistakable signal of fall, that refreshing chill in the morning air. Just a couple degree change in the ambient air temperature seems to also invigorate the fish. The snappers and groupers have been on a seafood diet. They see food and eat it! Soon they will begin their annual migration nearer to shore, where they will be more accessible to more of us bottom bumpers.
One sure-fire pattern that will work for you is to go “get wrecked.” There are literally dozens of wrecks in the Northern Gulf from Carrabelle to Mexico Beach. Many of these fish havens are in less than 100 feet of water and can be reached, depending upon sea and wind conditions, within a couple hour run. Plan your trip to go out at first light when the seas are normally calmer and return, if possible, with the wind and seas following off your stern. Fishing is all about having fun, not bouncing all over the ocean and eating salt, it’s not good for one’s blood pressure.
One word of caution is appropriate here. If you are offshore wreck fishing and see a serious storm cell moving from up wind, discretion is always the better part of valor. Pull anchor and retrieve you marker buoy. Straight line wind, heavy seas and electricity are a life threatening scenario that the prudent mariner should avoid. If you get caught in one of these big boomers, get the jackets on, lower antennas and rods, get down low in your vessel and navigate down the sea.
Sorry for the digression, anyway back to wreck tactics. If you anchor directly on top of the wreck, you will lose beaucoups of terminal tackle. Snappers and jacks are famous for pulling you into the steel and breaking you off. Look for fish on your bottom machine on the perimeter of the wreck.
One sometimes overlooked wreck species in the great eating mangrove or gray snapper. Last week we had 10 of these chunksters that weighed in at a total of 44 pounds. The biggest fish was 6 ½! These leader shy big boys will bite on 20# fluorocarbon with a 3/0 long shank hand sharpened J hook (Mustad # 92671). Best bait is live cigar minnows or pinfish, with squid or shrimp a distant second. While unhooking these chompers, beware of their canine front teeth if you value the use of your digits. Get a good glove and a stainless fish hook extractor.
Try fillets of mangrove lightly sauteed with real high cholesterol Land of Lakes highly salted butter, fresh mushrooms, Vidalia onion and real pressed garlic. Add your favorite California white to this ultra-gourmet dinner. Or, for you raw folks, mangrove sashimi is right up there with yellowtails and blackfin tuna.
Until next tide, tight lines,
Captain Alex Crawford
Capt. Alex is a full-time fishing guide based in Apalachicola, FL
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