Salt Water
No significant changes to the fishing reports this week because the seas have not cooperated with anglers. The grouper continue to be caught trolling the Mann’s stretch 25’s in 50’ or shallower over shallow wrecks like the lumber ship and the stretch 30’s in 60’ plus over the car bodies will work. The weather patterns are reasonably predictable and you should be able to pick a fair day for fishing out of each week. March winds! What can you do?
The trout season is re-opened as of March 1, and the trout continue to bite as if nothing changed. This week anglers report good catches at the PSJ Marina and outside the mouth of the gulf canal. Sheepsheads fishing is still going strong at you favorite haunts. A few more flounder were caught this week and looks like their spring migration is beginning.
Grouper season opens in Federal waters next Friday. Several Grouper and Scamp are still being caught within state waters over hard bottom areas. Live bait is the best bet.
Amberjack remain plentiful over several of the Bridge Spans with larger fish being caught farther offshore.
SheepsheadS are all over the jetties right now. They will take live shrimp readily, but the bigger fish are hammering Fiddler Crabs. Several fish between 9 and 12 pounds have been caught within the past few days. Use a Carolina rig with a small hook and light lead for best results.
A few Pompano are being caught along the beaches. Throw a jig tipped with shrimp, sand fleas, or gulp. They are also being caught using frozen sand fleas and shrimp, 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.
Trout season opened March 1st. Most Trout will still be holding in the creeks and canals. Live Shrimp on the bottom is the best bait.
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.
To start lets talk about Cobia, none have been caught but there have been quite a bit of effort in trying. The Full Pull has been 3 times last Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. They found really warm water, at one point they were registering 66 degrees and in the past they have caught the first cobia when the water was only 63 so it could happen any day. Also there is a reliable source that attests to the fact that the Pensacola pier saw one over the weekend.
On the Spanish mackerel front there have been a few scatter fish showing up so expect them here in good number maybe as early as the weekend.
Pompano reports are coming in all along the surf in both directions from the pass. The fish are scattered and no one has a big catch but lots of 1 and 2 fish days. Sand fleas, fresh shrimp and small pieces of Berkley gulp are working well. We also have the new Wheelez conversions kits for the pier carts so they work on the beach now.
In the bay a steady bite of White Trout is still on and the Speckled Trout are back in season also and they are moving to the flats now that the weather is getting better. Reds are still around the Destin Bridge and Coast guard station.
Out in the gulf the Flounder bite has been very good as of late on the near shore structure. The Amberjack bite is the main stay of the charter boats along with a few nice size Mingos.
This Friday March 7th is the Shimano Tour here at the store and we will have factory reps from Shimano, Costa Del Mar, Power Pro and Gamma showing off their new product and doing seminars. Also Rick Murphy will be here telling fishing stories. Come by and register for a chance at a free Pathfinder boat and a free pair of Costa Del Mar sunglasses.
Fresh Water
The Crappie bite slow in this area, however, reports say Lake Seminole is on fire with Crappie. Sorry, no solid Bass reports this week.
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.
