Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
A few King Mackerel were brought to the dock this week and the Spanish bite is still good too. Fish the buoy line and the car bodies’ area, troll dusters, or drift cigar minnows. Reports of Grouper and red snapper catches remain steady this week. One hundred feet of water seems to be the magic depth this week. Of course, the biggest red snapper you have ever seen will be jumping in your boat Saturday morning. Red snapper season closes Friday the 31. The Amberjack bite is very good at most of the larger reef and structures and these tough guys will hit nearly any large live bait.
ST JOSEPH BAY
Redfish reports are still coming in strong. Hit the flats from town beach on the east side and on the west side starting outside the fire tower all the way up to Pompano Point. Be on the flats early mornings and late afternoons for the best bite. Topwater plugs, DOA shrimp, and gold spoons work great. The flounder bite continues to be steady this week. The main bite is in the channels off Blacks Island, but many are taken in the intercoastal, under the George Tapper Bridge. Live bull-minnows fished on a Carolina rig along the drop-offs are working the best. The best trout bite is on the west bank of St Joseph Bay. If you want some fun, look on the beaches for schools of Jack Crevalle, throw a buck tail jig or jerk bait in the schools and hold on. The sheepshead’ are starting to migrate onto the flats and up the canal also.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
Remember Red snapper season is open until November 1st in state waters. For all you out-of-towners, LaQuinta Inn on Thomas Drive (7115 Coastal Palms Blvd.) is offering a room with double beds and breakfast for $79 + tax. This rate will be available for the month of October at this location only. All you have to do is contact LaQuinta Inn directly at (850) 234-3133 and mention you are with Half Hitch Tackle to reserve your room at a great rate.
The Grouper bite is still good. Many are still being caught on structure within 9 miles. Check the hard bottom areas in the 100-120 feet range further offshore. Take some big live baits and get ready for action!
Below is a picture Scott Baldwin with some nice grouper.
The Red Snapper bite has remained very good. It is generally not hard to get a limit within state waters. Live cigar minnows, herring and even alewives are excellent baits. Red Snapper season is closed in Federal waters. The State Snapper season remains open within 9 miles from shore until November 1st.
ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Pompano are starting to be caught in greater numbers along the beaches. A 2-hook rig or Pompano jig will catch these fish. Mangrove Snappers are all over the jetties. Live shrimp fished on the bottom is the best bet. Redfish are schooling on the beaches right now and making their way into the jetties. Live baits, artificials or cut bait – they’ll hit anything! Flounder are biting well now. Try any of the deep points leading out of the bay and the inshore wrecks with live minnows on a Carolina rig. Trout are spread out over deep grass beds in all of the bays. Live alewives and shrimp will produce better sized fish, while grubs and topwater plugs will yield the most strikes.
DESTIN
What a wonderful week this was to close out the 2008 Destin Fishing Rodeo. The weather was great and the fishing hot. The highlight of the week was Thursday evening when the Sunrise came in with a great catch of Wahoo, Dolphin, Yellowfin tuna and Swordfish. They had a full rack of Dolphin, 2 Swordfish one that took over the lead in the rodeo, several Yellowfin tuna including one that took over the lead there also.
Brett Martin caught the 25 lb. plus king (shown below) last Saturday off Blue Mtn. Beach. He was trolling cigar minnows with a silver duster rig. He had plenty of action all morning up until early afternoon. His wife went out with me around lunch and she got a 15 lb. king on a free lined cigar minnow. They were chasing the birds around and the fish were under them.
Brett Martin caught this 25lb plus King
In the bay the flounder are getting good for the fisherman and those who like gigging. The redfish action is hot and good numbers of trout near the mouth of the river.
Off the pier they have gotten some nice kings, a few Spanish, some reds and a few pompano this week.
Bottom fishing is still very good with lots of nice grouper and amberjack coming into the rodeo scales. Snapper have been good also in state waters but they close for the rest of the year on midnight October 31st, 2008.
To see a complete list of the current standings for the Destin Fishing Rodeo go to www.destinfishingrodeo.org.
NAVARRE
SURF
The Pompano have showed up along the beaches. There have been some reports of a few good fish being caught. Best baits remain live or frozen sand fleas and live and frozen shrimp. Pompano jigs will catch them too. The Bonito are in the surf too. Any bright colored lure worked fast will catch them. As the water continues to cool, the Pompano bite will increase. There are a lot of Ladyfish (skipjack), Spanish mackerel and Bluefish to be caught as well. Bright spoons, Gotcha plugs, Straw Rigs, Top Water and regular plugs will catch them. Live and frozen Shrimp will take them too. Redfish have showed up on the beach as well. Some will be slot size fish but for the most part they will be over the slot. Live, frozen and cut baits, especially cut mullet will catch them. There have been reports of the occasional Flounder being caught, some will be some nice fish over five pounds. Best baits are Tiger, Bull minnows and live finger Mullet.
SOUND AND BAYS
Trout remain on the grass flats in three to five feet of water. If you have no luck there try to go deeper, say five to nine feet. You can catch your biggest Trout early and late in the day on top water baits and on live baits. Live Shrimp, Tiger Minnows, Pinfish, Menhaden and Mullet all catch Trout. Now is a good time of year to throw the top water baits early in the morning for the bigger Trout. Redfish can be caught on the same live baits and artificial lures. Work all visible and underwater structure to increase your chances at hooking up with a red. Skipjack, Jack Crevalle, Bluefish, Spanish mackerel and Flounder can all be caught in the bay this time of year. The Flounder fishing should start to pick up with the gradually cooling water. Finger Mullet, Bull Minnows and Tiger Minnows are hard to beat. Mangrove Snapper on are the bridge pilings, tie on a 12” piece of 10# to 12# fluorocarbon leader, a #1 hook, ½oz sinker and a live shrimp. This rig will take Sheepshead as well. The upper part of east Bay has been good for Redfish and Trout. Try fishing around the power lines and the surrounding oyster bars. King Mackerel will be in the bays from now until the water gets to cold. Try slow trolling live baits in the pass, along the three mile bridge and in front of the Palafox Pier should prove productive. Don’t overlook trolling a big Rapala bait for these fish as well. You can also anchor and chum for them with Menhaden Oil or cut up Menhaden. Put your live bait under a balloon and wait for Mr. King to come along.
NEAR SHORE – GULF
There have been some good reports of King Mackerel and Spanish mackerel caught right off the beach and outside Pensacola Pass in the last few weeks. Live Cigar Minnows and Blue Runners (hard tails) are the bait of choice. If there are large schools of bait around the King and Spanish Mackerel are not far away. The big Redfish have begun to show up in the pass. Jigs, cut bait and live bait all take these fish. You may encounter a slot Red while fishing, but be sure to put the big ones back. This is a good time of year to look for the big schools of Redfish to be on top just outside and within one or two miles of the pass. Try looking for birds working the schools. Throw top water baits for some great action or a large spoon or jig. For the fly rod enthusiasts this is prime time. Any pattern that imitates a large baitfish will serve you well. Live baits or jigs will catch them to.
OFFSHORE – GULF
The bottom fishing for Snapper and Grouper remains very good. Live bait and frozen bait will work on both. Don’t be surprised if an Amberjack shows up, especially if you are jigging with a Butterfly jig or fishing with live Hardtails. Black Snapper have been on all the reefs this year. Use live shrimp and live Tiger Minnows. However, they will eat the same baits as Red Snapper. I have had some good reports of Yellowfin Tuna being caught around the offshore oil platforms. The Destin rodeo has weighed in two fish over 100 lbs so far. Most anglers are trolling, jigging or chumming. Look for weed lines and floating debris if you are interested in catching some Mahi Mahi, Wahoo and other species. I had a report today of a couple of Wahoo in the 30lb and 50 lb range being caught yesterday.
Fresh Water
Start your day throwing some topwater and switch to the jerk baits and plastics later in the day. The bass in the river are starting to bite better every day. Try using brush hogs and ribbon tail worms. Now is the time to pick up your flipping stick and a good jig. The bream are still biting in the creeks and can be caught using red worms, wigglers, or crickets. Just be patient the fish are not everywhere but when you find them you can catch your limit in a hurry. With the cold fronts that have come through the last couple of weeks the crappie, bite should be starting to happen any time now.
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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