Report for 10/09/2008
Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
Find yourself a spot around the wrecks and reefs and you will find the red snapper bite is hot. Cigar minnows on light 20/30 lb tackle is doing catching them along with jigs. Try either Williamson jigs or Shimano’s Butterfly. The King mackerel bite is improved this week and were hitting flat lines or trolling Mann’s Stretch 25’s and 30’s. Spanish mackerel and bluefish schools are at the buoy line and around the Air Force tower. A number of schools of Spanish are scattered along the beaches and in St. Joe Bay. You can catch them by throwing gotcha lures, spoons, or any variety of plugs.
ST JOSEPH BAY
Redfish is the hot bite right now. Fishing a live shrimp under a Cajun thunder is working the best. A real hot spot for reds as reported are the grass flats and sand bars around Black’s island. Using this same rig in the same areas is also producing some decent trout. For artificial, use a gold spoon or a topwater plug at first light. A few more pompano catches reported along the shore of Mexico Beach using a pink pompano jig, and inside crooked island sound are some large Spanish mackerel working and are being caught on live LY’s and rattletraps.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
Remember Red snapper season is open until November 1st in state waters. For all you out-of-towners, LaQuinta Inn on Thomas Drive (7115 Coastal Palms Blvd.) is offering a room with double beds and breakfast for $79 + tax. This rate will be available for the month of October at this location only. All you have to do is contact LaQuinta Inn directly at (850) 234-3133 and mention you are with Half Hitch Tackle to reserve your room at a great rate.
King mackerel are biting extremely well near shore. Trolling and free-lining live baits are both working well.
The inshore Grouper bite is still good. Many are still being caught on structure within 9 miles. Check the hard bottom areas in the 100-120 feet range further offshore. Take some big live baits and get ready for action!
Big Spanish Mackerel are schooling all over inshore from 3 miles in. Free-lined live baits, spoons, and Speck Rigs are working well.
For fun and excitement on light tackle, give the huge schools of Bonita a try. They are all over up and down the beach within a mile or two. Small jigs, spoons, and live bait will take as many as you want.
The Red Snapper bite has remained very good. It is generally not hard to get a limit within state waters. Live cigar minnows, herring and even alewives are excellent baits. Red Snapper season is closed in Federal waters. The State Snapper season remains open within 9 miles from shore until November 1st.
Below Norman and Faith Parr with a nice catch of Red Snapper before season closes on November 1st.
ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Redfish are schooling on the beaches right now and making their way into the jetties. Live baits, artificials or cut bait – they’ll hit anything!
Flounder are just now starting their fall migration. Try any of the deep points leading out of the bay with live bull minnows on a Carolina rig.
Trout are spread out over deep grass beds in all of the bays. Live alewives and shrimp will produce better sized fish, while grubs and topwater plugs will yield the most strikes.
Bluefish, Spanish and Ladyfish are plentiful on all of the major points around St. Andrews Bay, the Middle Grounds, and Camel Back Shoals.
DESTIN
Pier Fishing
There have been some nice catches this week of kings up to about 16lb, throw in some blues, pompano, reds and Spanish and there are opportunities for everyone.
Bay
The reds are still very good around the bridges, we have had reliable reports of very good flounder fishing just outside the pass, one boat reported catches of, 30 one day, 50 the next day and 3 on there last trip.
Gulf near shore
Snapper are still very good in state waters, nice sized trippers and the trolling for kings has been very good. Some of the kings have been ranging into the 30lb range.
Offshore Gulf
Large amberjack, good numbers of both gag and red grouper have been showing up at the weigh in for the rodeo every day. We are also getting so good catches of wahoo, a few dolphin and some yellow fin and black fin tuna.
NAVARRE
SURF
The Pompano have showed up along the beaches. There have been some reports of a few good fish being caught, but the majority has been undersized fish. Best baits remain live or frozen sand fleas and live and frozen shrimp. Pompano jigs will catch them too. As the water continues to cool, the Pompano bite will increase. There are a lot of Ladyfish (skipjack), Spanish mackerel and Bluefish to be caught as well. Bright spoons, Gotcha plugs, Straw Rigs, Top Water and regular plugs will catch them. Live and frozen Shrimp will take them too. There is no shortage of sharks to catch either, there have been a lot of reports of Bull and Blacktip sharks caught using Bonito and Skipjack (ladyfish) for bait. Redfish catches will continue to increase as well; some will be slot size fish. Live, frozen and cut baits, especially cut mullet will catch them.
SOUND AND BAYS
Trout remain on the grass flats in three to five feet of water. If you have no luck there try to go deeper, say five to nine feet. You can catch your biggest Trout early and late in the day on top water baits and on live baits. Live Shrimp, Tiger Minnows, Pinfish, Menhaden and Mullet all catch Trout. A host of artificial lures will catch them as well. Redfish can be caught on the same live baits and artificial lures. Work all visible and underwater structure to increase your chances at landing a red. Skipjack, Jack Crevalle, Bluefish, Spanish mackerel and Flounder can all be caught in the bay this time of year. The Flounder fishing should start to pick up with the gradually cooling water. King Mackerel will be in the bays from now until the water gets to cold. Try slow trolling live baits in the pass, along the three mile bridge and in front of the Palafox Pier. You can also anchor and chum for them. Put your live bait under a balloon and wait for Mr. King to come along.
NEAR SHORE – GULF
There have been some good reports of King Mackerel and Spanish mackerel caught right off the beach in the last few weeks. Live Cigar Minnows and Blue Runners (hard tails) are the bait of choice. If there are large schools of bait around the King and Spanish mackerel are not far away. Jack Crevalle have also been caught while fishing for King and Spanish mackerel. The big Redfish have begun to show up in the pass. Jigs, cut bait and live bait all take these fish. You may encounter a slot Red while fishing, but be sure to put the big ones back. This is a good time of year to look for the big schools to be on top. Try looking for birds working the schools. Throw topwater baits for some great action. For the fly rod enthusiasts this is prime time. Live baits or jigs will catch them too catch them.
OFFSHORE – GULF
The bottom fishing for Snapper and Grouper remains very good. Live bait and frozen bait will work on both. Don’t be surprised if an Amberjack shows up, especially if you are jigging with Butterfly jigs or fishing with live Hardtails. Black Snapper (Mangrove) have been on all the reefs this year. Use live shrimp and live Tiger Minnows. However, they will eat the same baits as Red Snapper. I have had some reports of Cobia being caught over some live bottom here lately. Don’t forget that Federal waters are closed to Red Snapper but State waters (within 9 miles) remain open. I have had some good reports of Yellowfin Tuna being caught around the offshore oil platforms. Most anglers are trolling, jigging or chumming. Look for weedlines and floating debris if you are interested in catching some Mahi Mahi, Wahoo and other species.
Fresh Water
The largemouth bass are at the tributaries and hitting spinner baits regularly. For the big boys, fish big 10-12” worms in dark colors around the tree trunks...
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.
No comments:
Post a Comment