Fishing Report for the Florida Panhandle
Capt. Alex Crawford
September 29, 2001
Carrabelle - Saltwater Fishing Report
Inshore, the water temperature has fallen to 84 degrees and the feeding switch has been turned on. The St. George Sound and Apalachicola Bay are literally chocked full of Lys and white shrimp and the redfish and speckled seatrout bite is wide open. My last trip to the Government Cut produced 9 released reds to 22lbs. and a 19# cobia on a dead low tide. Redfish love finger mullet, especially big frisky 5 inchers. Fish them with the least amount of lead possible to get them down, but not impair their action or hang you in the rocks. Set out a 20# outfit as a flat line, just in case a monster bull red comes to eat. Trout are hot on the St. Vincent Dry Bar. Use an equalizer float with a live shrimp dropped down 3 feet. Fish the up current side of the bar, when the water is ripping toward West Pass. This is a very popular spot this time of year, so please practice your best fishing etiquette and maintain a good distance from other anglers. There are plenty of fish for all of us to share.
Offshore, keeper groupers have not yet moved into shallow water. However, the big boys are very hungry in 80 plus feet on live bottom. Wednesday, my party caught a limit including a 17# red and a 13# gag. The secret is big, lively pinfish. Invest in a bait pen and catch your pins the night before. Drop your chin-hooked pinfish on a 12/0 circle hook and hang on. You will miss the fish if you attempt a traditional hook set while using circle hooks. Just crank up until you feel the weight of the fish and fight him as usual. The circle hook will rotate to the corner of the mouth, facilitating a live release of shorts and putting more keepers in the box than J hooks. Red snappers love cigar minnows. Get on your favorite wreck and try fluorocarbon leaders. They will catch more of these leader shy chunksters and you will enjoy chargrilled fillets of snapper.
Until next tide, tight lines,
Capt. Alex Crawford
Capt. Alex is a full-time fishing guide based in Apalachicola, FL
More Fishing Reports:
