Report for Destin, Florida - Nearshore

Capt. Larry Pentel
April 23, 2007
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report

Open The Gates

After a rather slow start to this seasons annual cobia migration the flood gates have been opened. The past 5 days have had a good a show of the brown backed crab crunchers as could be asked for.

Yesterday I ran a straight cobia trip- no bottom fishing first- just looking for big un's. A good call too 'cause we had a 20 knot SE wind blowing that would have made it not just uncomfortable but about impossible to hold up on a spot. The weather was perfect for pushing our intended species to the top tho and we found 23 fish intent on swimming to the West. The first fish we saw was swimming with a wad of 8 more ! Though these fish weren't ravenous ( I worked a jig right through the school on the 1st cast wothout even a look!), we did convince the biggest fish to eat an eel and after much to do we put a 52 pounder in the box. The sightings came fast and furious after that with most being singles ready to eat a jig right away. By the time we put the boat up on the beach we had tangled with eight of 'em that were willing to play. It was ROUGH tho and the rocking boat made it hard to fight a big fish and stay on your feet. We lost one when the angler abruptly sat down in the middle of the fight and the resulting slack line gave the fish a chance to throw the hook. A glorious day tho and the three big fish I cleaned for my anglers will fill up the freezers.

The best day of the week was an all day that had us catch a limit of fine red snapper to about 8# and a 16# grouper first thing in the AM and then find 9 cobia with 6 of 'em willing to play latter in the day. We hit the beach at 1:30 in the PM with a 4 fish cobia limit from 20# to 55# and a rack of snappers.

Alas the 20 knot wind that is pushing the cobia through made me cancel todays trip. I'm hopeful we can get off the beach tommorrow but the weatherman isn't so sure. The good news is that all the fish that come through on the rough days will be back next year !!!

With LOTS of big fish being seen and caught it seems the run is really just getting going. Hopefully the fish will continue coming through well into May this year. With the water temperature still only in the high 60's we might not see the big schools of "clones" untill the first or second week of May!

If you can't get a boat, don't have $10 to go to the pier- stand on a ladder off the beach!! If throwing at a cobia dosn't get your pulse up call the coroner and reserve a slab!

Capt Larry

More Fishing Reports:

• All Reports by Capt. Larry Pentel
• Destin Fishing Reports
• Panhandle and Big Bend (Suwannee to Pensacola) Reports
• Florida Fishing Reports
• Browse All Fishing Reports