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Surf Fishing

Whiting are rewarding the surf fisherman this week with a steady bite and increasingly so are the pompano. Try fishing the “stump hole” off Cape San Blas it’s a favorite among the locals, but along Mexico Beach is good also. Use a 2 hook pompano rig with small circle hooks rigged with a shrimp. Big redfish will also be along the shoreline at sunset. Use a 4/0 circle hook Carolina rigged on a 20lb class rod/reel.

St Joseph’s Bay and the Intracoastal Canal

The trout can be found in the deeper holes and up into the canals along with the redfish. Live shrimp is the bait of choice, however soft plastics like DOA shrimp and Gulp are trumping live shrimp. The Gulf canal is a great place to fish starting just past Raffield Fisheries all the way to the “T” and beyond the rest of the winter. The Port St Joe marina is a favorite fishing hole and with a good cold front some big trout will come in. Redfish can still be caught trolling Mann’s Stretch 25’s in the bay. Just troll between the St Joseph peninsula and the buoy line for some action. Apalachicola bay will be a hot bed of some great large trout action with live shrimp off the edges of the shoals and in the deeper channels doing well. Sheepshead bite will be good on the canal through February and some 10 pounders will be caught around the oyster beds using fiddlers and small shrimp.

The Red grouper and Bee liner bite has been good over the “natural bottom” spots and smaller wrecks. Small circle hooks and chunks of squid for Bee liners and Trigger fish. Larger circles and sand perch for the Red grouper, however ALL recreational grouper is closing for two months starting February 1st. Amberjack are pretty plentiful at the bridge trusses or large wrecks in 80 plus feet of water. Everything from the old glow jigs to the more sophisticated butterfly jigs work really well for these guys. We are still getting plenty of reports of Bonita about a half mile out from shore.

Speckled trout and smaller Redfish are being caught in the canals and bayous on a high tide. If the water you are fishing is pretty clear, live bait seems to work best. However if visibility is low, scented artificial or cut bait seems to be best. Larger Redfish and Sheepshead are being reported in the channels and at the jetties, especially on an outgoing tide. Black sea bass are feeding on anything from squid to live shrimp in the channels and around the marinas.

Not a whole lot going on at the piers this past week, a few Whiting and Pompano have been caught. Some pretty large Sheepshead can be seen but they are in spawn mode, so catching them is difficult at best. Some Redfish were caught on Gulp baits last week before the water got so muddied up. A few were able to be kept but most were oversized. Believe it or not there are reports of Spanish mackerel getting caught still or already, however you want to look at it. Surf anglers have had similar experience with the Whiting and Pompano but not much else. With this crazy weather, I can’t help but wonder what our upcoming Cobia season will be like. Probably time to check out your gear and get ready. At the very least, some fresh line and a squirt of reel oil here and there is called for.

PIER

King Mackerel- I have not heard of any Kings being caught this week. Most of the King Mackerel have started their migration to the south. With the water being this cold now it is highly unlikely any Kings will be caught until spring.

Spanish Mackerel- I have had reports of some very small fish being caught this week. Most fish have been caught on Gotcha plugs and spoons. Most of the Spanish have started their migration to the south. With the water being this cold it is highly unlikely any Spanish will be caught until spring.

Whiting- The Whiting bite has remained steady over the last week. Fresh peeled shrimp fished on the bottom will produce fish. A standard two hook bottom rig will produce fish. A better rig is a fish finder rig with a fluorocarbon leader and a #6 hook.

Pompano- There has been a few fish caught this week. The cooler weather has helped turn these fish on. Live sand fleas and fresh dead shrimp fished on the bottom will produce. Pompano jigs will also take them.

Bonito- The fishing has improved this week with some nice fish caught. It should improve as the water begins to cool down even further. Jigfish jigs, Diamond jigs, Buck tailed jigs and silver spoons will take these fish.

Redfish- A few Reds have been caught this week and they have all been oversized. Anglers are using live shrimp, live finger mullet or any cut bait. You can catch them with a fish finder rig and a circle hook. Good artificial include a ¾ oz Johnson gold spoon and a 1oz jig with a 4” Berkeley Gulp shrimp.

Flounder- No reports this week.

Sheepshead- There have been some fish caught off the pier pilings. Good baits to use are fiddler crabs, small live shrimp and crab knuckles.

Black snapper/Grey Snapper- No reports this week. The water has turned cold and it is highly unlikely any will be caught until spring.

Black Drum - I have had some reports of some nice black drum caught this week. These fish aren’t particular on what they eat. Best baits are shrimp, live or fresh dead, and a half of blue crab for the big fish. SURF

Pompano- There has been some fish caught this week. Best baits are live shrimp and sand fleas. Although fresh dead shrimp will work well. Most anglers are using a two hook bottom rig fished in a cut in the sand bars or just over the sand bar.

Redfish- Anglers are catching some big bull reds while fishing for Pompano. The will hit the same baits, but don’t be afraid to try some cut mullet or LY’s.

Sharks- There are several species to catch and area anglers have been catching Black Tip, Spinners, Mako and Bull sharks. Most shark fisherman are fishing high capacity reels with 80# test line on a 50# to 100# rod. They are using fresh Bonito or Skipjack for bait and using a 6’ leader of at least 400# test with large circle hooks and J hooks. They are placing the bait usually behind the first sand bar. There are smaller sharks available in the trough right off the beach.

Skipjack (Ladyfish) Whiting- The Whiting bite remains steady. These are being caught using a two hook bottom rig with live shrimp or peeled fresh dead shrimp. The cooler the water gets this fall the more bull whiting you will catch.

INSHORE

Speckled Sea Trout- Fishing for trout has been very good all this week. I have had good reports of them being caught off the grass flats in 5’ to 7’ of water. Live shrimp is a great bait fished under a popping cork. A live Croaker, Finger Mullet or Pinfish can be fished on a cork or on the bottom. Good artificial baits include silver spoons, DOA Shrimp, Yozuri Crystal minnows, MirroLure Mirrodine lures and Berkeley Gulp soft plastics. You may want to try fishing some canal mouths and in the canals as the water cools. I have had reports of these fish being caught there and in the East river in the deeper cuts. I am assuming that you will find these fish in the Escambia and Blackwater rivers as well. Jig and grub combo’s will take a lot of fish along with a jig and live shrimp bumpd along the bottom.

Redfish- These have been caught on the grass flats with the same baits used for Trout. Although don’t leave home without a 1/4oz Johnson Silver Minnow in gold, DOA shrimp and Berkley Gulp on a jig head. Deep water docks, dock pilings and bridge pilings are all good places to find Redfish, they like being around structure. There can be some good top water action early in the morning casting Skitter Walks and Top Dogs on the flats. You may want to try fishing the canal mouths and the canals as the water cools. These fish will start to migrate to the rivers and bayous after a few cold fronts have moved through.

Flounder- There has been some good fish caught this week. Most anglers are using bull minnows, tiger minnows and finger mullet. I use as light of weight as possible when fishing with live bait for these fish. Don’t over look the jig and grub combination or jig and Berkley Gulp combination. Founder love structure, find some pilings, rock piles and oyster bars. Old wooden dock pilings is a great structure that holds fish. The fishing should get better as the water cools in the coming weeks. Flounder should be showing up in the Pensacola pass very soon if not already. These fish will be in the gulf on near shore wrecks as well.

Sheepshead- I have heard of some fish being caught this week. As the water continues to cool this fishing will improve, especially in the months of December and January. Try fishing around structure like dock pilings, bridge pilings and rock piles. Best baits are fiddler crabs and small live shrimp.

Black Drum- There have been some nice fish caught around the bridge pilings and any other structure in the sound. Best baits are live or fresh dead shrimp, half of a blue crab and cut mullet. Use a standard fish finder rig and a 1/0 to 3/0 hook and fish it on the bottom around structure.

White Trout- The bite has been very good for these all winter. These fish like structure in deep water, like bridge pilings or submerged structure. Jig and grubs and jig with fresh dead shrimp work well fished slowly on the bottom. Live shrimp and fresh dead shrimp fished on the bottom with a fish finder rig work well too. They will also hit cut bait fished on the same rig on the bottom.

OFFSHORE

Trigger Fish- You can find these on the artificial reefs. I have had good reports of fish being caught on squid and cut Bonito. Use a fairly small hook to get these fish to take the bait.

Red Snapper- This season is now closed for harvesting. Catch and release only. These fish are everywhere! From 2miles out of the pass to the edge. Live cigar minnows, threadfins, hard tails, pinfish and grunts all work well. Frozen squid, cigar minnows and Bonito chunks will work as well too. Butterfly, Bomber and Williamson jigs will catch their share. Look for them on the artificial reefs and natural bottom.

Black Snapper- No reports this week

Scamp- These have been caught this week. You can use a lot of the same baits as with snapper, although live pinfish with the top fin cut off and the tail trimmed work for me. Look for them on any natural bottom or artificial reef. The Yellow Gravel area has been producing fish.

Grouper- The Grouper bite has remained good this week. These fish will inhabit the natural bottom and artificial reefs just like the Red Snappers. Live Grunts, Pinfish and Cigar Minnows will produce fish, but so will the Butterfly, Bomber and Williamson jigs. Try butterflying a natural bait and fish it just off the bottom. Fish are being caught this week in 60’ to 100’.

Amberjack- Some nice fish have been caught this last week on the edge in 180’ of water and deeper. Any live bait fished over a wreck should get results. Shimano, Diamond and Williamson jigs will take their fare share as well. There can be some big fish caught this time of the year so hang on. The Oriskany has been producing a lot of fish in the mid 30” and larger range this week.

King Mackerel- No reports this week.

Wahoo- No reports this week.

Dolphin- No reports this week.

Tuna- Schools of Black fin have been found within 20 miles. Look for birds working the water. The oil rigs will hold these fish most often. Diamond and small Butterfly jigs are great lures to use. Also small poppers worked on the surface will take these fish. The Yellowfin report has been a little spotty. Last report I had was from a boat working the oil rigs 70 miles out. They caught some fish in the 60# to 100# range on chunk baits and trolling cedar plugs. The Nipple has produced some fish this week. The pink Stretch 25 and pink Yozuri Magnums have been the go to baits.

White Marlin– No reports this week.

No report this week.

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.