Report for 01-11-2008
Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
Trolling for Grouper is producing nice fish. Troll a Mann’s stretch 25 or 30 in up to fifty feet of water. Target your inshore wrecks like the Lumber ship. The water is calming a little and if you can, head out to the 120’ mark for the best bite. Second choice is of course, Butter-flied Northern or Cigar minnows. Keep a rod rigged Carolina style for your baits using a 10/0 Mustad circle hook with 4-6’ 80lb fluorocarbon leader topped off with a 10oz egg sinker.
ST JOSEPH BAY
Trout along the sea wall near the PSJ marina are keeping anglers fishing from shore busy. Live shrimp fished on the bottom is the bait of choice. The canal is a good back up with some larger fish in the area. Some good Redfish catches reported in the canal jigging live bait along the bottom. Catch Sheepshead in the surf on their way in, but better catches are in the canal. Flounder continue hanging around the inshore wrecks, during this warming trend. Carolina rig a Bull Minnow on a 1/0 mutu light circle hook with 15 lb fluorocarbon leader. Drift along side wrecks and structure. When you feel the bite, begin free lining your bait for a few seconds before reeling. This tactic will improve your flat fish hook-ups.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
Grouper are being caught in shallower water. Scamp are being caught within 5 miles of the beach. Lots of Red Grouper can be caught within 10 miles over hard bottom areas. Live bait, whole Boston Mackerel and jigs(Shimano Butterfly or Williamson) are working well. Jigs with a glow color to them are a sure bet.
Amberjack are on many of the inshore wrecks and reefs in good numbers. Try the Bridge Spans for lots of action. The larger fish will be well offshore over hard bottom. Live Cigar Minnows or Pinfish will entice the larger fish, while jigs (Williamson Jig or AJ Jig) will trigger the most bites.
ST ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Sheepshead are starting to show up in greater numbers. Under the Hwy 79 bridge and around the jetties are hot spots. We just received a shipment of live Fiddler Crabs. This is the absolute best bait to use. Use a Carolina rig with a small hook and light lead for best results.
Pompano are being caught regularly along the beaches. Throw a jig tipped with Shrimp, Sand Fleas, or gulp. They are also being caught using frozen Sand Fleas, rigged on a 2 hook leader and pyramid sinker.
Silver Trout are being caught in large numbers under the Hathaway and Tyndall bridges. Use live shrimp on the bottom for best results.
The Flounder bite has been great. Best reports are coming from close to shore structure in up to 75 feet of water. Use a Carolina rig with live Bull Minnows for the best results. For artificial bait fishermen, use an 3/8 oz. jig with Gulp Curl Tail Minnows in a variety of colors.
The Trout bite has been sporadic. Many have started to move into the creeks, marinas, and intercostals’ waterway. The cooler water temperatures will push these fish into deep holes in these areas. Not much is better than live shrimp worked slowly on the bottom with a jighead or Carolina rig.
Bull and slot Reds have moved into the pass in numbers. Gulp, Gold Spoons, Live Shrimp, LY’s, Bull Minnows, Pinfish and Cut Bait are working well.
DESTIN
Breaking News!!
The first Pompano of the season was caught off the Okaloosa Island Pier on Sunday Jan 6th by Gerald Moss. Gerald received a season pass for his efforts. On Saturday the 5th he caught a very nice Flounder that was 23 inches long. On the last day of 2007 Gerald also caught a nice grouper from the Pier. Way to go Gerald!!
Gerald with the first Pompano of the season
Gerald with a Flounder
Gerald with the last Grouper of 2007 from the Pier
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
The year is has ended with a bang. The last several days the Flounder bite in the gulf has been off the hook. Live Bull Minnows and Berkley gulps have done really well on the near shore wrecks. Most all the steel structures are holding loads of Amberjack. One charter boat reported that both the Angelina and Deborah are holding plenty of legal Jacks and some Barracuda. Also one boat had a nice catch of Black Fin Tuna that really surprised me.
For the shore bound fisherman both the Okaloosa and Pensacola piers have produced good Bonito runs Monday and Tuesday. They have also had some good days on the Flounder but they have not bit everyday. Last year the first Pompano of the New Year was caught on the Okaloosa Pier on January 4th. Each year the Okaloosa pier gives a season pass to who ever gets the first Pompano, King and Cobia and the water is plenty warm to produce Pompano as a couple were caught the last week of the year. Shrimp, Gulps and Sand Fleas are the best way to target a Pompano this time of year.
In the surf a few Blues and Reds are around. On the jetties there are a few Sheepshead and a Grouper once in a while. Reds move through on the tide changes also.
In the bay the Reds are good around the Destin Bridge and so are the Sheepshead. We have had reports of nice sized White Trout in the harbor and have been very plentiful. One of the local guides has been getting the Stripers very good near the mouth of the river in the east end of the bay.
A 4.6 lb. Trout & Cody with a Permit
Cobia will be here in just over 60 days and we have a fresh supply of 2008 Cobia jigs. You will also find a good supply of blank painted Cobia jig heads for those of you that want to tie your own jigs. We paint the heads and you add what ever tails you like. We are also in the process of taking orders for custom Cobia rods. We are building Seekers, Lamiglass and Rainshadow rods. Order yours now to ensure delivery for the beginning of Cobia season. Also we will start taking orders for the new Shimano Spheros manual pickup reels in mid to late January as soon as Shimano releases the price!!
For those needing there reels serviced you can beat the spring rush and bring your reels in and we will get them ready for the upcoming season.
Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
Trolling for Grouper is producing nice fish. Troll a Mann’s stretch 25 or 30 in up to fifty feet of water. Target your inshore wrecks like the Lumber ship. The water is calming a little and if you can, head out to the 120’ mark for the best bite. Second choice is of course, Butter-flied Northern or Cigar minnows. Keep a rod rigged Carolina style for your baits using a 10/0 Mustad circle hook with 4-6’ 80lb fluorocarbon leader topped off with a 10oz egg sinker.
ST JOSEPH BAY
Trout along the sea wall near the PSJ marina are keeping anglers fishing from shore busy. Live shrimp fished on the bottom is the bait of choice. The canal is a good back up with some larger fish in the area. Some good Redfish catches reported in the canal jigging live bait along the bottom. Catch Sheepshead in the surf on their way in, but better catches are in the canal. Flounder continue hanging around the inshore wrecks, during this warming trend. Carolina rig a Bull Minnow on a 1/0 mutu light circle hook with 15 lb fluorocarbon leader. Drift along side wrecks and structure. When you feel the bite, begin free lining your bait for a few seconds before reeling. This tactic will improve your flat fish hook-ups.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
Grouper are being caught in shallower water. Scamp are being caught within 5 miles of the beach. Lots of Red Grouper can be caught within 10 miles over hard bottom areas. Live bait, whole Boston Mackerel and jigs(Shimano Butterfly or Williamson) are working well. Jigs with a glow color to them are a sure bet.
Amberjack are on many of the inshore wrecks and reefs in good numbers. Try the Bridge Spans for lots of action. The larger fish will be well offshore over hard bottom. Live Cigar Minnows or Pinfish will entice the larger fish, while jigs (Williamson Jig or AJ Jig) will trigger the most bites.
ST ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Sheepshead are starting to show up in greater numbers. Under the Hwy 79 bridge and around the jetties are hot spots. We just received a shipment of live Fiddler Crabs. This is the absolute best bait to use. Use a Carolina rig with a small hook and light lead for best results.
Pompano are being caught regularly along the beaches. Throw a jig tipped with Shrimp, Sand Fleas, or gulp. They are also being caught using frozen Sand Fleas, rigged on a 2 hook leader and pyramid sinker.
Silver Trout are being caught in large numbers under the Hathaway and Tyndall bridges. Use live shrimp on the bottom for best results.
The Flounder bite has been great. Best reports are coming from close to shore structure in up to 75 feet of water. Use a Carolina rig with live Bull Minnows for the best results. For artificial bait fishermen, use an 3/8 oz. jig with Gulp Curl Tail Minnows in a variety of colors.
The Trout bite has been sporadic. Many have started to move into the creeks, marinas, and intercostals’ waterway. The cooler water temperatures will push these fish into deep holes in these areas. Not much is better than live shrimp worked slowly on the bottom with a jighead or Carolina rig.
Bull and slot Reds have moved into the pass in numbers. Gulp, Gold Spoons, Live Shrimp, LY’s, Bull Minnows, Pinfish and Cut Bait are working well.
DESTIN
Breaking News!!
The first Pompano of the season was caught off the Okaloosa Island Pier on Sunday Jan 6th by Gerald Moss. Gerald received a season pass for his efforts. On Saturday the 5th he caught a very nice Flounder that was 23 inches long. On the last day of 2007 Gerald also caught a nice grouper from the Pier. Way to go Gerald!!
Gerald with the first Pompano of the season
Gerald with a Flounder
Gerald with the last Grouper of 2007 from the Pier
Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
The year is has ended with a bang. The last several days the Flounder bite in the gulf has been off the hook. Live Bull Minnows and Berkley gulps have done really well on the near shore wrecks. Most all the steel structures are holding loads of Amberjack. One charter boat reported that both the Angelina and Deborah are holding plenty of legal Jacks and some Barracuda. Also one boat had a nice catch of Black Fin Tuna that really surprised me.
For the shore bound fisherman both the Okaloosa and Pensacola piers have produced good Bonito runs Monday and Tuesday. They have also had some good days on the Flounder but they have not bit everyday. Last year the first Pompano of the New Year was caught on the Okaloosa Pier on January 4th. Each year the Okaloosa pier gives a season pass to who ever gets the first Pompano, King and Cobia and the water is plenty warm to produce Pompano as a couple were caught the last week of the year. Shrimp, Gulps and Sand Fleas are the best way to target a Pompano this time of year.
In the surf a few Blues and Reds are around. On the jetties there are a few Sheepshead and a Grouper once in a while. Reds move through on the tide changes also.
In the bay the Reds are good around the Destin Bridge and so are the Sheepshead. We have had reports of nice sized White Trout in the harbor and have been very plentiful. One of the local guides has been getting the Stripers very good near the mouth of the river in the east end of the bay.
A 4.6 lb. Trout & Cody with a Permit
Cobia will be here in just over 60 days and we have a fresh supply of 2008 Cobia jigs. You will also find a good supply of blank painted Cobia jig heads for those of you that want to tie your own jigs. We paint the heads and you add what ever tails you like. We are also in the process of taking orders for custom Cobia rods. We are building Seekers, Lamiglass and Rainshadow rods. Order yours now to ensure delivery for the beginning of Cobia season. Also we will start taking orders for the new Shimano Spheros manual pickup reels in mid to late January as soon as Shimano releases the price!!
For those needing there reels serviced you can beat the spring rush and bring your reels in and we will get them ready for the upcoming season.
Half Hitch Tackle
850-234-2621
2206 Thomas Dr
Panama City, Fl 32408
www.halfhitch.com/
Fishing Report prepared by Half Hitch Tackle Staff.
The Captains Corner Fishing Report is provided by local charter captains and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Half Hitch Tackle.
This report is dedicated to the memory of Al Hubbard.
Al Hubbard was a field editor for Florida Sportsman magazine, an outdoor writer for the News Herald and a board member of the Florida Outdoor Writer's Association.
Mr. Hubbard was also the owner of Al's Outdoors Outfitting Services.
The Captains Corner Fishing Report is provided by local charter captains and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Half Hitch Tackle.
This report is dedicated to the memory of Al Hubbard.
Al Hubbard was a field editor for Florida Sportsman magazine, an outdoor writer for the News Herald and a board member of the Florida Outdoor Writer's Association.
Mr. Hubbard was also the owner of Al's Outdoors Outfitting Services.
