Report for Destin, Florida - Nearshore

Capt. Larry Pentel
March 31, 2002
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report

Once again the wind is blowin' and the rain is pourin' so I'm writting a report. The weather this morning was perfect for cobia. High tide at noon, crystal clear water, SE wind and a 2-3 ft. swell. Unfortunately the fog was so thick you couldn't see 200 yards. My angler for the day and I went anyway and we were somebody. I found a fine fish in about 8 ft of water right on the first sandbar that obliged us by eating the eel we threw. I would rather have had bright sun and still be looking this afternoon but any day you can put a big fish in the box in less than 4 hours is a good one.

The cobias have showed but it's just been in the past 3 days that things are looking Right. There are huge schools of bait coming down the bar along with wads of Jacks (cravelle). A 25# jack is a sport fish in it's own right. As good as they fight I'm surprised more folks don't want to target them this time of year. I guess it's 'cause cobias taste so good.

Today was only my 2nd cobia trip of the year. They stared(slow) 2 weeks ago while I was running trout trips at Indian Pass and shut down when the next cold front came. The trout have been hot over there but slow here. When I came back here I had one cobia trip on the cold front(saw none)and have been running bottom trips ever since. The triggers seem to be on the feed here lately with those black beauties making up the bulk of my box. A few vermillion and pink snapper with the odd grouper thrown in for good measure.

I've got cobia trips for 9 out of the next 10 days so I'm fired up. Nothing like sight fishing for big brown backs to keep the adrenaline up.

Capt. Larry Pentel

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