Spring Fishin'
Capt. Larry Pentel
April 2, 2017
Destin - Saltwater Fishing Report
It's o'fishily spring here at the beach. LOTS of folks down on Spring Break and I'm taking a lot families fishing. Plenty of Vermillion Snappers and Pinks to catch which makes it easy to keep the kids happy. If they aren't getting a bite within a minute of hitting the bottom we're moving !! It doesn't take much to keep kids happy fishing, just constant action.... and that's pretty easy to come by on the inshore reefs this time of year. Still plenty of Amberjacks around to give the parents and bigger kids a tussle. Every now and then we get a "big" one to the boat we get to keep. The radio slang for a keeper Jack these days is a "yardstick". The fish has to pretty much cover up a yardstick from the fork of the tail to the tip of his nose to keep....
The Scamps are starting to show as well, with the same size ratio, most are just short but we have been finding a few legal ones as well. Plenty of Red snappers and the Triggers are so thick there are a lot of spots you just can't fish 'cause you can't catch anything else.
The cobia run has started in earnest with Sam Wesley bring the first one into Grayton last wednesday. I got to run a cobia trip yesterday but they just didn't show like they had been earlier in the week. We found one nice fish 50# + but just couldn't get em to eat. My angler put a live eel right in front of the critter several times with out even a look..... I have been catching cigar minnows real good the past couple mornings so
the mackerels should show on this next big front coming this week.
here's a a few pics....
Vermillions, Pinks and a fine "yardstick"
A long time fishing family with a similar catch.
This family had a pile of Vermillions.
Father and son with great vacation memories.
yet another legal AJ after releasing a bunch of "just" shorts
This family had 2 nice Scamp along with Vermillions.
getting up before 5AM was easier this morning when this is was "office view" to catch bait.
This mornings family had a Scamp, a nice Lane Snapper and an Atlantic Sharpnose to go with their Vermillions and pinks.
The weather forecast does not look good for the next 5 days or so and for once I'm not upset . I have to have some knee surgery tomorrow AM that is going to keep me off the water for a week or so. I'd sure rather miss rough, windy and cloudy than calm and perfect, especially during cobia season !! I should be back in the tower chasing those brown backed crab crunchers in a week....
Capt Larry Pentel
Deadfish
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