Report for 03/26/2009
Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
The Spanish are here in good numbers and can be caught along the buoy line and over at crooked island. The bluefish are with them so you can have some serious fun right now trolling mackerel trees and throwing speck rigs and gotcha plugs. Some good grouper reports coming in from the 150’ mark. Live bait is still a little tough to catch, but well worth the effort as they are definitely bringing in the bigger fish. The cold fronts pushed the cobia out for a few days, but they were spotted again outside Crooked Island. Use 30 lb tackle with 60 lb fluorocarbon leader for the cobia and if using live bait.
ST JOSEPH BAY
The Spanish mackerel are moving into the St Joseph Bay in force. Big catches are being reported from Crooked island to St Joe marina, and then to Blacks Island. With the Spanish mackerel are also bluefish. Trolling Christmas rigs and Clark spoons around four or five knots will work perfectly. For sight fishing, use Gotcha plugs or any weighted spoon with an attached wire leader. The flounder bite is good in and around the deeper holes near the head of the bay and around Black’s island. The trout are moving out to the flats slowly and some big ones were caught first thing in the morning on topwater lures such as the Mirrolure top pup and the Heddon Zara spooks. Still some redfish schools working along the edges of the flats and are hitting live bait.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
Cobia are being caught steadily along the beaches now. Only a few fish have been caught but this season looks promising. Good schools of Bonita and Spanish mackerel are just offshore. The Black and Gag Grouper season is closed now until Mar. 31st. Red Grouper opened Feb. 15th. Lots of big AJ’s are still being caught around the 100 foot mark over bridge spans and large wrecks.
ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Sheepshead are in great numbers at the jetties now. Live Shrimp or Fiddler Crabs are the ticket. Tons of Spanish mackerel are in the bay and can be caught trolling or casting. Some small schools of Redfish have been found on the flats in West Bay; while Bull Reds are still being caught with live shrimp and pin fish around the jetties. Trout have started to move onto the flats with the higher temperatures.
NAVARRE
SURF
The action at the beach has remained steady all week. There have been good catches of Pompano, Whiting, Redfish, Black Drum and the occasional Sheepshead. Best baits remain live or frozen sand fleas and live or frozen shrimp. Try a two hook rig with a two or three ounce pyramid weight to keep your bait planted on the bottom. Some fish have come from the other side of the sand bar, but I would still fish the deeper holes and breaks. Some of the Redfish will be slot size fish but for the most part they will be over the slot. Cut mullet is a very effective baits for the Reds. Don’t forget about the Whiting. The bulls can get up to two pounds and make great table fare. Try peeling your shrimp when fishing for them. It has been more than a little rough this week, but when it clears up I would expect to see schools of Spanish mackerel. Bubble rigs are a great way to locate these fish as well as 1/2oz silver spoons ripped through the surf. Spanish are being caught from the Okaloosa pier, so I don’t see why they can’t be caught from our beaches.
SOUND AND BAYS
The Redfish and Trout bite is incredible right now throughout the sound from Parish Point near Mary Ester to Tiger Point in Gulf Breeze. Live shrimp fished near the deeper docks with just a split shot to help give a little casting distance and get to the bottom is producing good numbers of Reds. Gold spoons in ¼ to ½ oz is still the lure of choice when blind casting in the choppy waters we have been experiencing lately, but some really nice Reds have been caught on the GULP shrimp baits. When the weather conditions are as they have been the last couple of days, most of us would normally stay on the south side of the sound. This is especially wise if you’re fishing from a small boat. But the high winds that make getting around a little tricky has also ramped up the Red and Trout bite on the flats on the north side of the sound. This is due to the small baitfish being blown toward the windward shore line. To fish these areas you will need a good anchor that will dig into the sandy bottom and cast to the grass line with a weightless DOA, GULP shrimp or gold spoon. Work it slow enough to entice a strike, but fast enough to keep it off the bottom and free of grass. The Trout in these areas are also responding well to a live shrimp under a popping cork, especially late in the afternoon just before sundown. Good numbers of Sheepshead, Redfish, and Black Drum are being caught at the bridges on live shrimp. Most are caught on slip sinker rigs (Carolina rigs, Fish Finder rigs) with just enough weight on them to keep the shrimp on the bottom.
NEAR SHORE – GULF
The big Redfish are still 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 in the pass, just outside the pass and within one or two miles of the beach. 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. The Cobia action has not slowed down much this week with both the Okaloosa and Pensacola Piers reporting catches almost daily. The anglers waiting for the Cobia to show up has been kept busy with small schools of Spanish mackerel. Got-Cha jigs and Bubble rigs have been the go to bait, but 1/2oz silver spoons have also been catching their fair share. The Sheepshead have invaded the pass this week. Live shrimp and Fiddler crabs will get the job done. The Flounder are slowly starting to migrate back inshore. They are starting to show up in greater numbers along area wrecks within a couple of miles of the shoreline. Live Finger Mullet, Bull minnows and Tiger minnows have been the key baits.
OFFSHORE – GULF
Cobia has received the most attention this week considering the rough water we have been experiencing. Those brave enough to venture out are landing some nice fish up to and over the 60 pound mark. Those that went out, before it got to rough, were reporting a slow down on the near shore reefs and wrecks with the exceptions of small Amberjacks. They seem to be almost everywhere. Venturing a little farther out in 100’ plus will garner you with Red and Scamp Grouper, Triggers and Mingos. Gag Grouper have also been in the mix, but the season is closed until March 31st. That leaves AJ’s with most of the big ones being caught well off shore in 140” plus depth over wrecks. No one has caught any King mackerel trolling but a few bottom fishermen have caught a couple while drifting 20 plus miles or so out. It won’t be long before we see them being caught near the beach.
Fresh Water
Spring is here and Black bass are starting their spawning pattern and moving into the shallows to bed. Sight fishing for them will be your best bet. Keep in mind that while on bed, they are not actively feeding but rather protecting their bedding area. Pitching your soft plastics in and around the bed will attract a strike. The male of the species will patrol and area outside the bed and usually not very far away it. Take your time and fish the perimeter of a bed before going for the sow.
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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