Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
The Spanish Mackerel are here and in good numbers, anglers report them along the buoy line and near Crooked Island and along the outer sandbar and Mexico Beach. The bluefish are with them so you can have some serious fun right now trolling Mackerel trees and throwing speck rigs and Gotcha plugs. Many reports came in this week of Red and Gag grouper coming in from the South between eighty and one hundred fifty feet of water. Live bait is still a little tough to catch, but well worth the effort as they are definitely bringing in the bigger fish. A few Cobias spotted well offshore but no reported catches this week.
ST JOSEPH BAY
The Spanish Mackerel are moving around inside St Joseph Bay from the buoy line to Blacks Island. The best catches reported were in the two channels on either side of the island and along the seawall in front of the Port St Joe Marina. Be prepared to catch a few Bluefish as they are moving with the Spanish. Trolling Mackerel rigs and Clark spoons four or five knots will work nicely, or sight casting Gotcha plugs and double speck rigs are working well too. The flounder bite is still happening around the deeper holes near the head of the bay and around Black’s island. Live Bull Minnows will work Carolina rigged on a Mutu light circle hook. Artificial choices include light color grubs or Berkley Gulp. Live shrimp on a jig head slowly dragged along the bottom will work also. No sign of a strong run of Pompano this week but numbers improved greatly this week from Cape San Blas and along Mexico Beach to Crooked Island.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
The Grouper bite is on fire! Excellent reports coming out of the 15-20 mile mark. Several Black and Red Grouper and Scamp are being caught within state waters over hard bottom areas also. Live bait is the best bet. Amberjack remain plentiful over several of the Bridge Spans with larger fish being caught farther offshore. Spanish Mackerel are being caught in large numbers. Try the jetties, inside St. Andrews Bay and along the sand bars off the beach. Several Cobia have been caught in the past few days. Live Eels and Jigs are working well. Below is one angler’s report of his Cobia catch.
This Cobia was caught Sunday, 30 March at about 1:00 in the afternoon. We were off Shell Island (right about at the Spanish Shanty hut) in about 20 feet of water. We hadn't seen a fish all day and the water was still a bit soupy from the storms. But the water temp was about right (67.5o) so we figured there was a chance. We here heading West and about to turn around when he was spotted from the tower of CAPT Chris Chace's 23' Grady White. We were trying to get into a position to throw from the cockpit so a friend from New Zealand could have a shot at some special Florida fishing, when the tank took off for deeper water. We had time for one throw from the tower which unceremoniously hit the "big brown log" on his head. He instantly went deep and it looked like a blown opportunity. I guess getting "bonked" on the head just made the tank mad because he quickly picked up the jig and headed for Pensacola. After a 20 minute battle, and nearly losing our gaff (don't ask) we boated the 77# ling, and got some cheers from "a few" nearby boats - which by the way gave us nothing but room and encouragement The gear used: custom 8' cobia rod (made by Half Hitch), Penn 320gti (bought at the last Half Hitch tent sale), spooled with 40# Ande’ clear (guess where...?), and a 3oz. Jig (red head, white feather skirt). You'll have to ask my wife Bonita for the details as she made it - no joke. She's thinking about selling them if you're interested. Pictured: Left to right Ted Dempsey, Captain Chis Chace, and
Jason Middleton (our Kiwi)...we all like in PCB.
ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Sheepshead are very plentiful around the jetties. 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 this past week. Use a Carolina rig with a #4 hook, 15-20# fluorocarbon leader and light lead for best results. Trout have just started to move back onto the flats. Many will remain in the creeks for the next month or so. Use live Shrimp on the bottom in the creeks and under a popping cork on the flats. Redfish are still working the pass in good numbers. Live Shrimp and Pinfish are the baits of choice. There are several schools of reds swimming along the shorelines of East and West bays. The water color is still quite stained from the storms a few weeks ago, but fish can be seen by working down the banks slowly. These schooling fish can be very spooky, so a quite approach with long casts will work the best. Throw a live Shrimp on a light lead head or weightless 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.
DESTIN
Cobia are finally happening!. The best boat catch I have heard of is the Full Pull going 4 for 4 on Sunday, the best Pier day so far is Pensacola Pier on Monday going 5 for 14. The Hogs Breath Cobia tournament is Saturday the 5th and Sunday the 6th. The captains meeting is Friday evening at 6:30pm. Entry for the tournament is $500, the big fish Calcutta is $2500.00, the big 3 Calcutta is $1500.00 and the Daily Calcutta is $500.00 dollars. There will be food and drink all 3 nights for registered anglers. On the jetties there are good numbers of Spanish, a few Reds, the occasional Pompano and loads of small sharks 20 to 100lbs. In the Surf the Pompano have become much more reliable on frozen sand fleas, gulps and fresh shrimp. There very good numbers of large Reds some days and good runs of Spanish in the early mornings. In the Bay the Trout have finally turned on and the Reds are good also. The Trout are even moving on the flats on some or the warmer mornings. At the Mid Bay Bridge good numbers of Black Snapper and some Sheepshead. On the Okaloosa Pier they hooked Cobia on Sunday and Wednesday but both were able to get away just at the gaff. Lots of Spanish have been showing up in the mornings and Pompano each day but not in great numbers. Squid fishing at night has been very good. Ron that works at the pier had over 30lbs one evening. In the gulf the Grouper bite is still strong and the Spring Amberjack run is starting to heat up in water 140-300 ft deep. A few reports of Blackfin Tuna near the edge and also some reports of Wahoo coming in. There have been a few Kings caught offshore.
Fresh Water
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.
