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Report for Destin, Florida - Nearshore
Capt. Larry Pentel
November 25, 2007
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report
Bait on the Beach-Fish in the Box
Sunday after Thanksgiving and the weatherman is calling for 20 to 25 out of the East with big seas and lots of rain. I guess I'll pull the Christmas decorations out----
The past week had the weather go from great to nasty and back again. I was able to run 4 out of the last 6 days and we were fortunate that the plan worked every day -even with different plan every day!
Mon. I ran a Dad and 3 young teen age boys that have fished with me several times over the past few years and are getting past the "catch anything" stage. We tageted Triggers first and then groupers with great success. Out tally for the trip was 18 triggers, 5 scamps and 2 Black Groupers. The bigger Black was caught by the youngest boy and was his first grouper, at about 18# he had some fine bragging rights.
Tues. was 2 dads and 3 younger guys so we scaled down a little for most of the trip. We boxed 22 pink snapper ( great fish for small kids that just want to catch!), 3 triggers and 8, yes eight, count 'em, nice scamp. Looked like we ran to the edge instead of fishin' 7 miles from the truck! Threw back a bunch of "just" shorts too.
Wed. was another family trip and with 2 to 3's on the beach in the AM I called it off. No need to beat up the kids,
Thurs.- Thanksgiving- Small craft Advisory and I called it again. First year I made it to Turkey dinner on time in a while!
Fri. Dad and son that fish with me probably 3 times a year for years and a daughter with a buddy that doesn't fish. The wind is 25 knots due North and the Dolphins are on us like glue. We ended up over 10 miles from the truck but were never more than 2 miles offshore. Make a drop, catch a couple, miss a couple and move 'cause the dolphin shut us down. We ended up with a glory board for a half day - 6 Black grouper (4 in the 12-15# range) 6 scamps in the 3-5#, 6 Triggers and a dozen vermillions and pinks. The fishing can be a lot better than the conditions would have you believe some days!
Sat. A howling NE wind and it's supposed to be a 2 boat trip with 5 kids and 4 adults. The horizon is jagged and I tell the folks that it's not a kid day at all. Too rough to get off the beach to bottom fish but if the adults just have to go we can troll up in close with them. Now I know it's after Thanksgiving and the Kings are supposed to be checking into the Keys but-- We boated 6 nice kings and missed 11 more in the first 3 hours of the trip. The wind started to lay and the bite just died for the last hour but we came in with a summer time rack of fish and enough to feed 40.
The reason I tried the kings is I have still been catching cigar minnows every AM before I run my trip. I figured that if the bait is there the predators would be too. Now I never got clipped off catching bait or bottom fishing last week so the kings aren't everywhere. We also caught these dragging dead baits and dusters with a fish here and there, never finding a school. That's also half the reason for the great scamp catches- a live well full of little wigglers. We have to throw back a lot of snappers but that gallon ziplock or 2 of scamp fillets is sure a treat!
I have not talked with anyone out of Destin Pass or Panama Pass but if there are kings on the beach at Grayton I'll bet they are thick on the "lip" at the start of the falling tide!
If it's calm anywhere just go!! The trout and reds are hot inshore and the trigger and grouper are bitin' offshore and there are still kings on the beach. If you don't go now it'll seem just that much colder in February when you're stuck on the couch!
Capt Larry Pentel
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