Report for 02/01/2008 Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
The sea conditions have not been very good since our last report, but those anglers who did make it out during the breaks in weather and high seas report excellent catches of Black Grouper and a few Red Grouper. Here is how they did it, trolling a Mann’s Stretch 25 in fifty feet or shallower over shallow wrecks like the lumber ship and the car bodies.
Those anglers who anchored up did not report as good of catches of Grouper but did report that Triggerfish are biting. For Triggers, use a drop rig of three #2 Owner Fly liners hooks 12” apart with Squid being great bait. They are around any wreck or reef and are a great eating fish. Amberjack’s are also still hitting well.
ST JOSEPH BAY
Speckled Trout season will close for the month of February but we are receiving reports of Redfish congregating in large schools. While we haven’t gotten too many reports of fisherman hooking up with these large Bull Reds we are seeing all the signs of the Bull Red run, large flocks of birds, and muddy patches of water just a few hundred yards off Mexico beach. These tell-tell signs this time of year are a good indication of Redfish schooling. We suspect that as soon as the water conditions improve anglers can begin targeting these tough fighters. Some Redfish catches are reported in the intercostals canal while jigging live bait along the bottom. Whiting activity is slowing, but is still good in the surf along the beaches of Cape San Blas.
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 areas. 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. Around the jetties are the best 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.
Speckled Trout season is closed for the month of February. For catch and release, try the hot water canal in Warren Bayou.
Bull and Slot Reds are still in the pass. Gulp, Gold Spoons, Live Shrimp, LY’s, Bull Minnows, Pinfish and Cut Bait are working well.
DESTIN
Fishing off the piers has slowed a lot here lately, only a few Bonito on white jigs, a Flounder or two on gulps and a few Sheepshead on live shrimp.
Out in the bay the Sheepshead are good around the Destin Bridge, some Blues in the back of the harbor, Reds are in the pass and the channels around Crab Island and plenty of White Trout.
In the gulf there is a steady Flounder bite near shore; Amberjack are strong on the edges, big rocks and wrecks. I have heard of a few Red Grouper near the funnels and timber holes.
Look for a few stray Spanish to show up near the end of the month before the big push early in March. Also the boats will be gearing up to find the first Cobia at the end of the month and should have one caught in the last week of February or first week of March.
NAVARRE
The Bluefish and Bonita are still being caught by pier anglers casting 1oz. and 1/12oz. chrome spoons along with 1 1/2oz. Jigfish jigs.
Surf casters are catching the occasional Pompano, but the Whiting bite has been much better. Both species can be caught using live or frozen shrimp. Bluefish and some Bonita are being caught in the surf as well using the same spoons as the pier anglers.
The rivers continue to hold Trout and Redfish in the deeper holes. Live shrimp, jigs with grubs, shrimp tails, curly tails and Gulp baits will catch both. Slow down your presentation when the temperature drops.
Sheepshead and some Black Drum are being caught off the bridge pilings. Use small live shrimp on #4 and #6 hooks for the Sheepshead and live or fresh dead for the Black Drum.
The Flounder bite with in five miles of the beach is still happening. Small live Pinfish and Live Bull Minnows will put them in the boat.
Fresh Water
APALACHICOLA /WHITE CITY
Crappie bite turned back on with this cooler weather, head to Depot Creek or Lake Wimico with some live minnows. Start fishing around six feet in depth. You may want need to adjust your depth to find the Crappie. Bass can be caught in 10-12’ using plastics. They are hitting the bait on the way down, so keep your line tight and watch for the slight movement as the fish lightly takes your lure then drive that hook home.
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.
Half Hitch Tackle
850-234-2621
2206 Thomas Dr
Panama City, Fl 32408
www.halfhitch.com/
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.
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
The sea conditions have not been very good since our last report, but those anglers who did make it out during the breaks in weather and high seas report excellent catches of Black Grouper and a few Red Grouper. Here is how they did it, trolling a Mann’s Stretch 25 in fifty feet or shallower over shallow wrecks like the lumber ship and the car bodies.
Those anglers who anchored up did not report as good of catches of Grouper but did report that Triggerfish are biting. For Triggers, use a drop rig of three #2 Owner Fly liners hooks 12” apart with Squid being great bait. They are around any wreck or reef and are a great eating fish. Amberjack’s are also still hitting well.
ST JOSEPH BAY
Speckled Trout season will close for the month of February but we are receiving reports of Redfish congregating in large schools. While we haven’t gotten too many reports of fisherman hooking up with these large Bull Reds we are seeing all the signs of the Bull Red run, large flocks of birds, and muddy patches of water just a few hundred yards off Mexico beach. These tell-tell signs this time of year are a good indication of Redfish schooling. We suspect that as soon as the water conditions improve anglers can begin targeting these tough fighters. Some Redfish catches are reported in the intercostals canal while jigging live bait along the bottom. Whiting activity is slowing, but is still good in the surf along the beaches of Cape San Blas.
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 areas. 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. Around the jetties are the best 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.
Speckled Trout season is closed for the month of February. For catch and release, try the hot water canal in Warren Bayou.
Bull and Slot Reds are still in the pass. Gulp, Gold Spoons, Live Shrimp, LY’s, Bull Minnows, Pinfish and Cut Bait are working well.
DESTIN
Fishing off the piers has slowed a lot here lately, only a few Bonito on white jigs, a Flounder or two on gulps and a few Sheepshead on live shrimp.
Out in the bay the Sheepshead are good around the Destin Bridge, some Blues in the back of the harbor, Reds are in the pass and the channels around Crab Island and plenty of White Trout.
In the gulf there is a steady Flounder bite near shore; Amberjack are strong on the edges, big rocks and wrecks. I have heard of a few Red Grouper near the funnels and timber holes.
Look for a few stray Spanish to show up near the end of the month before the big push early in March. Also the boats will be gearing up to find the first Cobia at the end of the month and should have one caught in the last week of February or first week of March.
NAVARRE
The Bluefish and Bonita are still being caught by pier anglers casting 1oz. and 1/12oz. chrome spoons along with 1 1/2oz. Jigfish jigs.
Surf casters are catching the occasional Pompano, but the Whiting bite has been much better. Both species can be caught using live or frozen shrimp. Bluefish and some Bonita are being caught in the surf as well using the same spoons as the pier anglers.
The rivers continue to hold Trout and Redfish in the deeper holes. Live shrimp, jigs with grubs, shrimp tails, curly tails and Gulp baits will catch both. Slow down your presentation when the temperature drops.
Sheepshead and some Black Drum are being caught off the bridge pilings. Use small live shrimp on #4 and #6 hooks for the Sheepshead and live or fresh dead for the Black Drum.
The Flounder bite with in five miles of the beach is still happening. Small live Pinfish and Live Bull Minnows will put them in the boat.
Fresh Water
APALACHICOLA /WHITE CITY
Crappie bite turned back on with this cooler weather, head to Depot Creek or Lake Wimico with some live minnows. Start fishing around six feet in depth. You may want need to adjust your depth to find the Crappie. Bass can be caught in 10-12’ using plastics. They are hitting the bait on the way down, so keep your line tight and watch for the slight movement as the fish lightly takes your lure then drive that hook home.
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.
Half Hitch Tackle
850-234-2621
2206 Thomas Dr
Panama City, Fl 32408
www.halfhitch.com/
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.
