10-6 Weekly Fishing Report by Half Hitch Tackle
Salt Water
MEXICO BEACH/PORT ST JOE OFFSHORE
Fishing the hard bottoms off Cape San Blas will yield plenty of grouper, so say the reports from offshore this week. Cigar minnows did well along with butterfly jigs. The bite was in 150’ of water. The king mackerel are hitting flat lines and trolled Mann’s Stretch 25’s and 30’s. Bonita are also hitting the flat lines and cigar minnows. Spanish mackerel and bluefish schools are at the Air Force tower thick. Throw a gotcha plug or troll a Clark spoon, or try trolling the stretch 25’s in natural color (black/chrome or mullet) for the larger Spanish.
ST JOSEPH BAY
Pompano are hitting great outside eagle harbor and along St Joe beach in the surf. Pink pompano jigs and shrimp on surf rigs are working well. The trout are still working the head of the bay from the middle grounds to Pigs Island. Although the water is stained from all the runoff from rain, top water lures are working well in the morning hours and soft plastics in the afternoon. Bass assassins and DOA shrimp imitation baits are the most popular. Live baits were small LY’s caught on the grass flats and free lined. Redfish schools reported off the grass flats and sand bars around Black’s island. The best time for the reds has been first thing in the morning using live bait and gold spoons. A few pompano caught this week around Pompano Point and along the shore of Mexico Beach using a pink pompano jig.
PANAMA CITY OFFSHORE AND BAYS
King Mackerel are still biting very well from the beach out to 40 miles. Grouper have slowed way down. To find them, fish well offshore from 20 plus miles out. Use large live baits. Wahoo are being caught from 20-40 miles out. Hi speed trollers, like the Yo Zuri Bonita, are a sure bet. Lots of AJ’s are still being caught around the 100 foot mark over bridge spans and large wrecks. Big hard tails are the best bet for keeper AJ’s.
Flounder are just beginning to bite better. Start looking for them to migrate out of the bay in the next few weeks. Mangrove Snappers are very plentiful under the bridges and at the jetties. Use live shrimp. King Mackerel are being caught regularly off the new city pier along with Spanish, Bluefish, Lady Fish, Redfish and a few Flounder. Ladyfish, Bluefish, and Spanish mackerel are biting well at the jetties on spoons and Gotcha Plugs. Redfish have been found on the flats in East and West Bays; while Bull Reds are still being caught with live shrimp and pinfish around the jetties. Trout are being caught on the flats with topwater lures early and live shrimp under a cork later.
DESTIN
Fishing is great right now as kings and sailfish still take the spot light near the pass just around the sea buoy. Also the Destin Fishing Rodeo kicks off on October 1st which brings all sorts of opportunities. Offshore there has been a good bite of wahoo and blackfin tuna with the cooler weather. Along the edges the grouper and amberjack have been good.
In the surf, some pompano and whiting are being caught bottom fishing; there have been some blues and ladyfish being caught on spoons.
In the bay, there are loads of redfish and some trout, in the harbor they are getting some flounder. Lastly, on the pier they have had some good king runs this week, a couple sailfish, blues, ladyfish and pompano.
Fresh Water
Shell cracker and Bluegill bite is very strong still. Bottom fishing in 3-4 ft. with a wiggler is producing a full stringer and little beetle spins have been bringing in hand sized bream. The largemouths are at the tributaries and hitting spinner baits regularly. For the big boys, fish wild shiners along the grass lines, or if you want to use an artificial, your best bait will be shallow running jerk baits and topwater along the shore.
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