Report for 05/02/2008
Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
Finally the weather cooperated – and so did the Snapper and Grouper. Large Red Snappers and Grouper were caught this past week. The bait of choice was large live pinfish and grunts.
The Grouper fishing was good at 25 miles out. A few Cobia were caught this week on jigs, live eels, and one on our recently stocked Berkley Gulp eel. Many of these fish were spotted near Bell shoals.
The Spanish Mackerel fishing is still varied, here today gone tomorrow, we’re still awaiting the larger schools. Most of the Spanish are caught while trolling mackerel rigs with a clarkspoon. Vary the weight on the mackerel rigs to find the correct depth. King Mackerel are starting to arrive well offshore.
ST JOSEPH BAY
The Pompano bite is still on this week. Catches were reported from Crooked Island all the way down to Indian Pass. Anglers are using shrimp on a double hook pompano rig or a 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 wall has its good days and bad. Use a double speck rig, or a Gotcha plug for casting, or the venerable Christmas tree rig for trolling the bay.
The Trout fishing is improved with some nice 20” plus fish being caught in 4-6’ water on the outside edge of the grass flats. Soft plastic bait, such as DOA or Berkley, or live shrimp under a popping cork are the tickets to a large trout.
Some nice Redfish schools are working the flats between the city boat launch and Presnell’s. Gold spoons are the top artificial baits, and large shrimp is definitely your best live bait option.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
King Mackerel have showed up this week. Several are being caught around the Whistle Buoy and many have been seen running the beaches. Most of the fish are being caught free-lining live baits.
Red Snapper are being caught in all depths of water right now. Boats are catching their limits in short order. Best baits include chunked cigar minnows, squid, live shrimp and small pinfish. The boundary line for State Waters is out to 9 miles. Be sure to go outside of 9 miles for your Grouper and AJ’s before catching your Snapper limit! FWC will be watching.
The Federal Snapper season opens June 1st. At that time all boats fishing for reef fish will be required to use a Venting Tool, De-hooker and Non-Stainless Steel Circle Hooks.
The Grouper bite is still going strong! Excellent reports coming out of the 5-10 mile mark. Several Black and Red Grouper and Scamp are being caught within state waters over hard bottom areas also. Live bait and butter flied Spanish Mackerel are the best bet.
Amberjack remain plentiful over several of the Bridge Spans with larger fish being caught farther offshore. Live bait, Williamson Jigs, and Butterfly Jigs will bring savage strikes!
Spanish Mackerel are being caught in large numbers. Try the jetties, inside St. Andrews Bay and along the sand bars off the beach.
The Cobia bite is hot and cold. Some days are much better than others. Live Eels and Jigs are all you need.
2008 Half Hitch Tackle Cobia Classic
Below are pictures of this years Cobia Tournament winners!
1st Place
Great Escape
2nd Place 3rd Place
Reef Dog Linnie Lou
ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Sheepsheads are still around the jetties, although not as plentiful as earlier this month. They will take live shrimp and fiddler crabs readily. Use a Carolina rig with a #4 hook, 15-20# fluorocarbon leader and light lead for best results.
Trout are feeding on the flats now. Target the deeper grass flats with live shrimp under a popping cork for best results.
Redfish are still working the pass in good numbers. Live Shrimp and Pinfish are the baits of choice. Large schools have been roaming Grand Lagoon around the State Park and Bay Point. 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.
Pompano are being caught along the beaches in greater numbers. Most fish will be on the inside edge of the first sand bar. 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
Offshore fishing is taking over as the prime effort now that Cobia season is coming to an end. I do feel we have one or two good weeks of Cobia fishing as the water is still in the high 60’s to low 70’s on the beach.
This was a good week on Cobia especially on Wednesday and Thursday. Several boats had limits of 6 Cobia Thursday and quite a few had 4 or 5 fish. We are starting to see some smaller fish which is a signal that the season is winding down.
On the trolling side of things, the Kings have been very good this week near the pass, the broken bottom and southeast rocks. Trolling offshore is producing good Wahoo, Blackfin Tuna and some Dolphin action. We had a report today of some grass southeast towards the flats.
For bottom fishing, the Snapper bite was very good this week with an excellent grade of fish. We also have a good supply of the venting tools that will be required on private vessels June 1st and are already in effect for the charter boats. Remember also you will be required to have a de-hooker and must use circle hooks for all reef fish.
On the pier they have been getting a few Kings, an occasional Cobia and some Spanish. The bait is starting to show up now. They are getting a few Cigar minnows, lots of Threadfin Herring and some ly’s. Hardtails and Ladyfish showed up on Tuesday and Thursday also. Pompano have been slow this week.
For the surf fisherman lots of Pompano, a few Reds and plenty of sharks have been available.
Fresh Water
Bass anglers are enjoying good fishing and report that they are catching the most fish on a shaky head rig. During the late afternoon crank baits, still seem to be the lure of choice. However if you will wait until that last couple of hours of daylight you can enjoy excellent top water bass action on Zara spooks or prop plugs. The bass are reportedly smashing them.
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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