Panhandle Fishing Report - Pensacola Bay & Choctawhatchee Bay
Capt. Eddie Woodall
November 8, 2004
Pensacola - Saltwater Fishing Report
Fishing Report
September & October
Well I’m back!! I’d like to start with a gracious thanks to God for getting us through Ivan with minimal damage, unlike some of my friends and neighbors that have lost everything they owned. I just got my phone service back last Friday, so I’ve been without a computer till now. I’d also like to thank all my family and friends that came through after the storm and helped us get back on our feet so quickly. My brother-in-law, Scott drove all night after the storm from South Carolina to deliver us a 12,000 kW generator that we powered the whole house on. My best friend Neal Morgan and his brother-in-law also drove all night from Atlanta to bring food, gas and water. We truly had Angels raining on us from every direction!
On to the fishing-- Fall is my most favorite time of the year, the weather is cooling down, the water is clearing up, the bait is plentiful and all the fish are eating! I went out 25 miles last week with Capt. Jeff Moore, another inshore guide and we had a blast catching Amber Jack, Grouper and Snapper. I caught the two biggest Grouper, a 15 pound Red Grouper and a 20 pound Gag Grouper, the tally ended up with 25 or so Grouper, 12 Snapper, 4 Amber Jack and quite a few that we never turned that made it back to the wreck!
The Flounder are starting their migration late, as the water temperature has stayed up due to the unseasonably warm weather lately. We are starting to catch the Flounder, in Pensacola Pass now that the water temperature is starting to fall-- use a ¼ to ¾ oz. jig head depending on the current, with about any color soft grub. I like using 10 lb. spinning outfits with Power Pro for the added sensitivity to the light tap, tap of a flounder eating. Also, any live or dead bait will work well. Shrimp and Bull Minnows are the favorite and then cut your dead bait into strips and add it to your jig head and grub and it to will get eaten.
The Bull Red fishing is what most of the Inshore anglers are in a frenzy over now, when Halloween comes and goes this marks the time for the waters to start turning RED, and it has proved to be true yet again this year. Last Friday, I had 3 guys out from Atlanta and man did we hit it just right!! We made a few drifts on the West side of Pensacola Pass without a single hook up, but I knew the fish were here somewhere so we moved over to the East side on the Fort Pickens Point and on the first drift we hooked up with a triple. After we landed all three fish we moved back up on the point, in the new trough that is there now after IVAN, anchored the boat and ended up landing 35 in about two hours. 6 of the 35 were in the slot size limit and all the rest were over 30 inches long. They were eating everything we put out, Jigs, Gold Spoons, frozen Cigar Minnows and even top water plugs.
So, now is the time to start thinking about booking a trip for this phenomenal late fall and winter Bull Red fishing that is available here in the Pensacola Bay area. November, December and January are the best months to fish for these Giant Red’s, although February and March proved to be just as good last year. This is by far the best place in the World to have your chance at catching the biggest and the most of these Great Bronze beauties.
If fishing the flats is what you’re after, then lets get-er-done! Last week I drifted Big Sabine in Santa Rosa Sound for a couple of hours and just wore out the Specks and slot sizes Red’s, they are hungry! Using soft plastic jerk baits on a 1/8 oz. jig head, cast on an 8lb. spinning outfit seemed to be the best combination for the day. And the flats fishing will just get better as the water temperatures continue to fall.
I know one thing for sure-- you ain’t going to catch’em sittin on the couch, so get out there, and take a kid fishing!
Tight Lines and Screaming Drags. Till next time, God Bless.
Professional Fishing Guide
Capt. Eddie Woodall
Full Net Charters
Fullnetcharters.com
850-936-8203
850-565-0593
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