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Report for Destin, Florida - Nearshore
Capt. Larry Pentel
September 17, 2007
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report
It's Fall
Well, it is officially fall. I don't care what the calender says 'cause the wind is blowin' NE and the dog flys have shown up on the beach! They only missed it by a week this year on the traditional count anyway.
Plenty of Red Snapper around. If we don't come in with a limit it's cause folks just quit fishin'. Lots of triggers too but most are still short of the 12" to the fork size limit. The big movement of triggers has yet to happen. A few kings have shown up since my last report. They are not red hot by any means but we have been bringing in one or two most days along with the bottom fish. The groupers are still here in pretty good numbers also. 'Course just 'cause you know where they live doesn't mean you can get 'em to the boat! These close in fish fight all the way to the top and know every hole and crack in the reef. Landing a 15# gag on a 40# 3/0 rig takes either some skill or luck. Like I've said for years "I'd rather be lucky than good any day!"
A lot more fish this time of year than anglers. Neither Capt Kerry Jones (Not a Dog Charters) or I had a trip yesterday so we went out on the "Dead Fish" to look for spots, put a little meat in the freezer and let Kerry swim around and look for lobsters. We went and found a few new spots, checked some old ones and caught a limit of Snapper pretty easy. The good news (great?) was Kerry's report of the 2 reefs I threw him over on. The first he said was covered with
Red snapper ,made the comment that anybody says they are threatened should put on a mask . Lots of triggers with a few nice ones and a school of Black snappers also. He said there were at least 6 good Grouper on it and a bunch that were right at legal or short. No trash on the bottom and very little fishin' line. The second spot he came up and asked why we didn't have a box full of Grouper, said there were at least a dozen in the 18-20# range and a "pile" (I guess that's metric?) of regulars. Not many snappers but the ones there were big and some BIG black snappers. He also saw a school of spanish and a couple Kings swim by. Now Kerry is a very experienced diver and knows whet and where to look but it is nice to get confirmation of what we have always thought. The fish you catch off a spot represent a small fraction of whats really down there !
Now he didn't bring a gun (or even a pole spear) so as not to ruin a good charter spot but you know--I have never caught a lobster on a rod and reel- and having a diver to grab 'em is nice!
I've got snapper and grouper in the freezer for a few weeks as well as a batch of smoked mackeral. I know I'll be eatin' good!- Pity anybody stuck with frozen pizza. Come on down and fill up your cooler with the good stuff!
Capt. Larry Pentel
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