Report for Destin, Florida - Nearshore

Capt. Larry Pentel
February 6, 2002
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report

I can't believe it's been over a month since I wrote a report. It's that time of the year tho, I've probably only fished as much this past month as I usually do in a week -10 days.

I've spent most of the time working on the new fish camp but did get a couple of bay trips in over there. The redfish are right up in the mud flats where they're supposed to be and just as much fun to sight fish as ever. We probably saw 300 fish in a 4 hour trip. Lots of trout around too. I had 3 folks on the boat with one of 'em keeping score. He said we caught 30 in half an hour.( we released everything) I knew the bite was hot but a fish a minute is pretty impressive, especially when some of the fish were up to 'bout 3 pounds. Don't worry about specks being closed in Feb. if you are looking to freezer fish. We found big schools of white trout and whiting just as eager to bite.

I ran three gulf trips here this weekend and had happy anglers all three days. Even though we can't keep red snappers rereationally we still had a good mess of fish in the box. The black groupers are on the beach like they should be right now with the biggest we landed at about 18#. We also found a good bite of Black snappers on one of the inshore rocks that put 8 of these tasty critters in the boat. They ran from 2# to 5#, just right for dinner. Still some amberines around but not in the numbers of a month ago.

Plenty of fish just not many anglers this time of the year. It will stay slow till the middle of March and then Everybody wants to go fishing again. At least this should give me some time to finish the House at Indian Pass.

Dates in July and August are starting to book up for Tarpon trips. Please call if you are wanting to book dates in the hieght of the season, especially if your group requires more than one boat. Logistics will get difficult getting closer to the season.

Capt. Larry Pentel

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