I spoke with Victor at Gulf Breeze Bait & Tackle near Pensacola today. He tells me that fishing in the western panhandle is excellent both inshore and offshore. Redfish are under mangroves and docks, and in deeper holes or on oyster bars. Cut bait, Berkley Saltwater shrimp, and gold spoons are the best baits. Trout are on the grass flats. A top water plug fished early in the morning will catch trout. Later in the day move to deeper water and try a live shrimp under a popping cork, jigs, or slug baits. Flounder are in the bay and inlet. Bull minnows bounced across sandy bottom will draw strikes from flounder. Spanish mackerel are in the bay. Small silver spoons and Got-Cha Plugs are good baits for spanish. King mackerel are off the beach and will eat cigar minnows and hardtails slow trolled near bait schools. Mangrove snapper are along the jetty's in the inlet. Shrimp and small pinfish are the best baits. Red snapper, grouper, and amberjack are on wrecks in 100ft of water. Pinfish are a good bait for all. Dolphin, wahoo, blue marlin, white marlin, and a few sailfish can be caught by trolling lures and ballyhoo. Start at the nipple and work your way offshore to the spur, the dumping grounds and other structure. Tuna are being caught around deep water oil rigs. For more information contact;
Gulf Breeze Bait & Tackle
850-932-6789
825 Gulf Breeze Pkwy
Gulf Breeze, FL 32561
www.gbtackle.com/
