Report for 04/29/11
Salt Water
PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE AND INSHORE
The Pompano catches were great this week and they are biting from Crooked Island all the way down to Indian Pass. The wind and weather curbed the bite until water clarity improved. Anglers are using shrimp on a double hook, pompano rig, or a regular pompano jig tipped with shrimp. Flounder fishing is picking up nicely off the PSJ marina wall using live bull minnows, Carolina rigged. The Spanish Mackerel off the oil dock is intermittent this week with wind keeping anglers at home.
The Trout fishing has improved with some nice 20” plus fish being caught in 10-16” water outside the grass flats. Live shrimp is the bait of choice under a Cajun thunder float or just enough weight to keep it on the bottom. Some nice Redfish schools are working the flats between the city boat launch and Presnell’s. Gold spoons are the top artificial baits, and live shrimp is definitely your best live bait option. The whiting bite is ok, with a few bigger fish caught while anglers are fishing for Pompano.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND INSHORE
The King Mackerel bite has been really good, trolling deep diving plugs or duster rigs with a dead cigar minnow have produced some 30 to 40 pound Kings. If you are drifting a wreck try free lining a live bait out behind the boat while you are bottom fishing. You will more than likely be hollering for the gaff. Amberjack catches have been very good, you may have to weed through some shorts to get a keeper but there are keepers out there. Try really heavy weights or jigs to get past the smaller fish and down where the big ones are. Gag and Red Grouper catches have been pretty good, you just have to fish the Federal water first for the Reds, then State waters for Gags to stay out of trouble if checked. Still hearing about some rather large Bee liner catches, so don’t forget the squid and smaller circle hooks for these guys, they are some of the better tasting fish out there. Fewer Cobia catches reported but I for one will still try to be ready, more than a few have been missed because a pole was not rigged and ready.
ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
A good Redfish and Trout bite in the bay area, they are hitting well on live shrimp. The best reports have been on a falling tide in about 6 or more feet of water. Most of the Reds have been “pups” but a few upper slot fish are there as well (same for the Trout). Still a lot of Spanish Mackerel and Bluefish being caught, best reports for Spanish have been in the Deep water point area and along the shipping channels. For the Blues a hard running current like that at the end of the jetties is home to them. Flounder are on the move, some nice sized flatties have been hauled in around deep water, Hathaway bridge, and Tyndall bridge. It might be time to plan a night trip, better charge up the batteries and sharpen up the gig.
PANAMA CITY BEACH SURF & PIER
King Mackerel are keeping anglers at the piers busy (while hoping to see a Cobia). Plenty of Spanish Mackerel, Bluefish, and Ladyfish are there to occupy your time (and provide cut bait). Redfish, Pompano, and Flounder are making their way down the beach as well. There have been good schools of cigar minnows and tinker mackerel along the coastline and the piers. If you have the opportunity to catch yourself some of these, you will have exactly what the Reds, Kings, and Spanish are looking for. Jack Crevalle and Tarpon are being spotted too, so load up and go when you can, it’s game time!
DESTIN
PIER AND SURF
Kings, Spanish, and Pompano are daily catches. You can throw in a Cobia once in a while. Kings on live or frozen cigar minnows, Spanish on gotchas, and Pompano are caught on sand fleas and jigs.
BAY
Reds are caught on live shrimp around bridges and docks. Trout are caught on Gulps and live shrimp on the flats and around boat docks. Spanish are caught on gotchas and spoons around the jetties and crab island.
GULF TROLLING
Kings are being caught on live or frozen cigar minnows, Yozuri lures, and Bomber lures. You can also get some Bonita and Spanish Mackerel.
GULF BOTTOM FISHING
Mingo Snapper and Trigger fish are a staple, and caught on cut squid and mackerel. Amberjack and Grouper are in water 150 to 300 ft deep and being caught on cigar minnows, thread fin herring, and butterfly jigs.
OFFSHORE TROLLING
Wahoo and Dolphin are in the 25 to 40 mile range and being caught on ballyhoo, Islander lures, and Moldcraft Soft heads. Some Swordfish are in the mouth of the canyon and being caught at night on whole squid and whole Spanish Mackerel.
NAVARRE
PIER
The fishing has been very good on the Navarre Pier this week. The Spanish Mackerel are being caught with the tried and true Gotcha plugs. Although other bright silver spoons will work if they are retrieved extremely fast. Bubble rigs will also get the job done. Don’t forget your leader! The Whiting bite has begun to slow down as the water temp climbs. Live shrimp fished on a fish finder rig is a good way to catch them. Sheepshead are there too, try small live shrimp or fiddler crabs. Redfish and Black Drum are also being caught. They are not too particular this time of year, but cut mullet is hard to beat. The Cobia fishing has been good as well with multiple landing of nice fish each day. The fishing for these gamesters should continue to be good all though April. The King Mackerel have showed up this week. Any live bait you can get to them will produce. I have had some reports of some cigar minnows and speedos starting to show up. Always a good sign! The Pompano bite has been improving this week as well. Small Pompano jigs, sand fleas, and fresh shrimp will do the trick. If you want a serious pull make sure you throw your plug at one of the oversized Jack Crevalle that has been cruising the pier. They aren’t particular what they eat, just get it to them!
SURF
The Pompano bite has been really good this last week. Best baits remain live sand fleas, with live or fresh dead shrimp coming in at a close second choice. Redfish, Bluefish and some Spanish Mackerel have been caught. Redfish will hit the sand fleas and shrimp, although cut mullet will produce fish. The Blues and Spanish prefer small silver spoons or Gotcha plugs traveling at high speed. Be sure to use a heavy mono leader in the 50# range or light 27# wire. Fishing should get better each week as the water temp increases. I expect the Skipjack (Ladyfish) to be on the beach at any time.
SOUND AND BAYS
The Trout have moved up on the grass flats. I have heard there have been dink Trout and nice Trout caught on the flats this week. Bigger fish have been caught around the canal mouths and rock piles throughout the sound and bays. Don’t overlook fishing the drop off edges in the sound and bays. Live shrimp fished with a popping cork will produce on the flats. Live shrimp on a split shot cast around the structure will yield good results. Good articicial baits this week have been the Mirro Lure Mirro Dine, DOA ¼ oz shrimp and GULP shrimp. Redfish can be found cruising the grass flats and stacked up on deep water docks and pilings. Johnson Silver Minnows in gold in ¼ and ½ oz sizes score well. Don’t overlook the top water baits, Gulp!, Mirro Lures, Yozuri's and soft plastic baits for both species.
NEAR SHORE – GULF
Red Snapper are everywhere! Live pinfish and frozen cigar minnows will catch them. Jigging the Shimano and Williamson jigs are also very productive. The season is still closed so make sure you throw them back. Trolling for Spanish Mackerel should only get better. The King Mackerel are here! Try trolling some Mann’s Stretch 25 or 30 baits, Yozuri and Rapala swim baits will work too. Duster rigs with cigar minnows is a very productive method for catching the Kings. The oversized Redfish will hit them, along with Cobia, and big Jack Crevalle as well. The Black Fin and Yellowfin Tuna bite at the rigs has been very good. Butterfly jigs have been producing well. Most fish have been caught in the 60 to 100 foot depths. There have been some Amberjack caught at wrecks in the 300 foot depths. Most have been really nice fish. Jigs and live bait have been producing well.
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.
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