» fishing report

Where to Find the GOOD Fishing Everyone who visits Panama City Beach with any intention on fishing don’t want to go where the tourists go, they want to know the secret places the locals go. And there is a reason those places are secret; its the best fishing in NW Florida. It is likely I will be mobbed by local fishermen for letting a few of the secret places out of the bag, but I’ll do it because I care about our tourists. So, here are 5 places you shouldn’t know about. Just promise you’ll keep it to yourself. Crooked Island Sound – 29.974639,-85.476809 This place is a bit of a drive, but definitely worth it. Crooked Island is actually not an Island at all, but a combination of two narrow peninsulas that form a nice sized saltwater lagoon. Located just between...

Report for 07/24/2009 Salt Water MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE Bottom fishing continues to be good however challenging, as you may have to try several locations before finding fish. When you find them, they are hitting everything you drop down to them. Live baits are getting easier to catch, but dropping down frozen baits like cigar minnows will work almost as well, or try the new Lucanus bottom jigs from Shimano. The king mackerel bite is still strong with many fish seen skyrocketing after baits. All you have to do is troll dusters or cigar minnows and the fish will come to you. Start your trolling on the buoy line and work your way out to deeper water until you find the bite. Trolling offshore is picking up with some nice dolphin picked up 50 miles out trolling ballyhoo with a skirt...

Salt Water MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE The king mackerel bite is hot. Trolling dusters along the buoy line, and over and around wrecks and structure will get you your bag limit. Live lining for kings will get you larger kings and afford you the opportunity to do some bottom fishing for grouper and red snapper too. Further, out, the Wahoo and dolphin bite is good. Some scattered weed line occurring at about fifteen miles and a good place to target dolphin, and further at about twenty miles you will find blue water and Wahoo. ST JOSEPH BAY St Joe bay continues to be active this week with redfish trout and triple tail Redfish are hitting topwater plugs in the early morning and the area between Black’s Island and Simmon’s Bayou is the hot spot this week. Trout are favoring live bai...

Salt Water MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE Those of you who are dragging lures will find the king mackerel over and around wrecks and structure, also the buoy line. Going further out from about ten miles the Wahoo and dolphin activity is heating up. A rigged ballyhoo trolled behind a Boone jet or the high-speed duster of your choice will get you one of these hot rods. If you prefer bottom fishing for grouper and snapper you won’t be disappointed, the snapper are plentiful and hungry. Grouper fishing has been excellent in the one hundred to one hundred fifty feet of water. ST JOSEPH BAY Fishing St Joe bay couldn’t be better this week with redfish trout and triple tail all eager to make your day. Redfish are hitting topwater plugs in the early morning around Black’s Island and Eagl...

Report for 06/04/2009 Salt Water MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE We had great weather over the last weekend and the king mackerel bite was on over the Air Force tower and out around the buoy line and car bodies. The bite has slowed though over the last couple of days due to the weather fronts, but the kings will be here all summer long. Trolling widgets and dusters with cigar minnows is everybody’s favorite and is a good producer. It is taking some searching to find the keeper grouper without the interference from red snapper. The main bite has been over the natural bottom starting at about 180’. Live baits were the main choice, but butter flied northern mackerel and cigar minnows are always a good back up. Live baits are still plentiful around the inshore structures. The Snapper b...