Report for 06/04/2010
Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
Fishing is wide open this week; I personally saw the charters coming in with full limits of grouper, king and huge red snapper! The buoy lines as well as most of our close inshore wrecks are holding King Mackerel as well as Snapper. Further off shore the grouper are eating large live baits. The Black Snapper bite has been strong on near shore structures. Live bait is plentiful and will continue to be easy to catch at the buoys and over wrecks and reefs close in. Jigging for both Snapper and Grouper will yield good numbers.
In addition to the great near shore fishing anglers are reporting a great Wahoo bite in the Madison/Swanson area and the Dolphin bite is improving too. Trolling accounted for most fish but casting around flotsam and weed patches worked well too.
ST. JOE BAY
This week was a banner week for trout. Many large fish were caught and fried for dinner and redfish are throughout the bay and anglers caught many in the slot and numerous ones to large to keep. Sheepshead, Spanish and a variety of other small game fishes are biting well too. The pompano bite has remained steady and the shark anglers are well pleased with their results from the beach.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND INSHORE
Red Snapper season is finally here and there are some huge ones being caught! All you have to do is get over some structure and drop down your favorite bait and game on! Once you have your limit of Snapper, drop a big live bait down and you might get a Grouper. It has to be big to avoid the Snapper. The Amberjack are still biting well on any of your larger wrecks and bridge spans, the deeper the better. The King mackerel bite has been very good; use deep diving plugs or dusters to troll for the Kings or free line a live bait while drifting. Beeliners, Triggerfish and White Snapper (Porgy) can still help you to fill the box, try in the 120 ft range and use frozen squid. It is a short Snapper season unfortunately so don’t miss out, get out there and get ‘em up! Also getting reports of Tarpon rolling around bait schools, use a Sabiki rig to catch some of the bait you see them following and pitch it to them. You will need to rig it with a strong super sharp hook like an Owner SSW.
ST. ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM
Spanish mackerel are still here, find some clean water on an incoming tide and or look for birds diving. Troll Clark Spoons or cast Gotcha Plugs and Spec rigs for them. Of course you will probably get “bycatch” of some Ladyfish but hey they make a good cut bait. Some good size Pompano are being caught along the beach. Daybreak and dusk are your better bites, you can sight cast pompano jigs tipped with your favorite bait, or use a surf rig to cast out and wait for them to find you. The Bull Reds are still being caught with live shrimp and pinfish around the jetties and bridges. Lots of Speckled Trout and younger Redfish are moving onto the flats especially at daybreak. Use shrimp under a popping cork or free line a live minnow. Good numbers of Flounder are being caught, look for a mottled bottom (a mix of grass and sand). Shrimp and bull minnows make good baits as well as a Gulp! bait on a jig head. A good way to fish for Flounder is to retrieve them real slow on the bottom.
PANAMA CITY BEACH SURF & PIER
The King mackerel bite is very good, so long as you have bait schooling around the pier you will find Kings feeding. Keep an eye on the game and fish forecast for your best times to fish, but don’t forget that the best time to fish could be, when you can go!!! Spanish mackerel, Sheepshead, Ladyfish, and Pompano are still a pretty good bet at the pier. Have not had any reports of Cobia being caught but some small ones have been seen cruising with schools of Tarpon. Surf fishing has been pretty good, you should find some Pompano, Whiting, Ladyfish, Spanish and you may hook into a Jack Crevalle or the occasional Redfish cruising the beach. There have been a lot of small Sharks getting caught too, so don’t forget the pliers!
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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