King mackerel will be the main target for near shore fishermen this month. Slow trolled duster/cigar minnow combos or lipped plugs should catch the fish. Don't be surprised if a wahoo grabs your offering, as this is how a good many wahoo are caught each year.

There will also be a good number of chicken dolphin inshore this month around weed patches. The easiest way to catch them is on a light action-spinning rod with a piece of squid or chunk bait on a hook.

June is a great month for offshore trolling. You will have the opportunity to catch Wahoo, Dolphin, Marlin and Swordfish. The closest deep water to us is the Squiggles. Most people will start trolling around the point, which draws a lot of bait, then head towards the Squiggles.

Red Snapper opens on the 1st and there should be no problem catching your limit. Fish any of the inshore structures or offshore hard bottom areas for plenty of action. Use a 5/0 circle hook with cut squid, cigar minnows, northern mackerel or spanish sardines. Live baits; such as pin fish, herring, sardines, and cigar minnows will draw the bigger snapper and a 6/0 sized circle hook will do the trick.

Amberjack will be over most of the bridge spans and other structure and can be caught on jigs and live baits. Most bottom fishermen will fish a flat-lined cigar minnow for a chance at a wahoo, black-fin tuna or king mackerel.

June is usually a very good month for fishing our bays. The flats will be holding plenty of trout, redfish and flounder. The larger trout will be holding in deeper waters such as channels and can be caught on various artificial baits as well as live pinfish, shrimp and LY'S.

Flounder should have migrated back into the bays and can be caught on plastic grubs as well as on bull minnows rigged Carolina style. Spanish mackerel will be plentiful in the bay and can be caught trolling mackerel tree rigs and casting Got-Cha plugs.

INSHORE
Everything is pretty much in full swing during May.  You can expect to catch beeliners, triggerfish and amberjack over wrecks and reefs. King mackerel will make their presence known during this month. People will generally slow-troll a lipped lure like a Mann's stretch 30, or a duster/cigar minnow combination for the kings. Another very popular and effective way to catch king mackerel is flat-lining a live cigar minnow. Spanish mackerel will be caught along the sand bars as well.
 
PIER
Pompano, Spanish mackerel, Lady Fish, Blue Fish and King Mackerel will be easy to target from the piers this month.  Pompano can be caught using jigs tipped with shrimp, sand fleas, or fish bites strips; or use a two hook rig weighted with a pyramid sinker.  The Spanish, Lady Fish and Blue Fish can be caught using spoons and gotcha plugs.
 
OFFSHORE
As the warmer waters move inshore the tuna, dolphin and marlin become reachable. Watch the satellite temperature charts to see where the warm waters are to save time and money. Wahoo and dolphin will show up first with tuna right behind. Many people will troll high- speed lures, such as the panhandler, to find the fish or tide line then use natural or live bait to really focus on the fish. 

 
BAY
The speckled trout and redfish will return to the grassy flats. As the water gets nice and warm during this month the fish will become more active and start hitting top water baits. Live shrimp is still the preferred bait but top water plugs like Bomber Ba-Donk-A-Donk are lots of fun to use. Generally, the better tide to fish is the high tide and the first few hours of the outgoing tide. Bull redfish can be found along the jetties. Mangrove snapper will be around most structure in the bay as well as at the jetties. Spanish mackerel will be around all month, and it best to troll with a mackerel tree with a Clark spoon. Early in the month use a size 00 Clark spoon and change to a size 0 mid month as both the Spanish and the baitfish get bigger.

Everything is pretty much in full swing during April. Cobia will be migrating along the beaches. Blue Fish, Lady Fish, Pompano, Whiting, Jack Crevalle, and Spanish mackerel will be roaming the beaches.You can expect to catch beeliners, triggerfish and amberjack over wrecks and reefs. Amberjack will be hanging around the bridge spans and bigger wrecks. Red Snapper will be plentiful for some catch and release fun. Red Grouper and Scamp open Aril 1st and will be hungry.  King mackerel will make their presence later this month. People will generally slow-troll a lipped lure like a Mann's stretch 30, or a duster/cigar minnow combination for the kings. Another very popular and effective way to catch king mackerel is flat-lining a live cigar minnow. Spanish mackerel will be caught along the sand bars as well.The speckled trout and redfish will return to the grassy flats. As the water gets nice and warm during this month the fish will become more active and start hitting top water baits. Live shrimp is still the preferred bait but top water plugs like the Bomber Badonk-A-Donk are lots of fun to use. Generally, the better tide to fish is the high tide and the first few hours of the outgoing tide. Bull redfish can be found in the pass around the jetties on a moving tide. Mangrove snapper will be around most structure in the bay as well as at the jetties. Spanish mackerel will be around all month, and it best to troll with a mackerel tree with a Clark spoon. Early in the month use a size 00 Clark spoon and change to a size 0 mid month as both the Spanish and the baitfish get bigger.

March will bring warmer water, which will bring bait, which will attract fish.  It is a good month to catch amberjack, beeliners and triggerfish on some of the inshore wrecks. In addition to live and cut bait, jigs will also work great on these offshore species.  Grouper and red snapper are closed. 

March is also the month people start to get real excited about the cobia run. They should start to show up in small numbers sometime around the middle of the month. I know if I were doing any fishing at all during March, I would have a rod rigged for cobia, because you just never know when one may pop up next to you!  

The biggest excitement usually comes with the arrival of the Spanish mackerel. They can be caught by slow trolling mackerel tree rigs with small spoons attached to them, or by casting Got-Cha plugs or straw rigs. This is usually a good time to take the family out and catch some fish because they will be plentiful and are fairly easy to catch. Smaller children love this type of fishing because it keeps them occupied. The current limits on Spanish mackerel is 15 per person per day, and they must be 12" long measured to the fork of the tail.

Also in the bay this month, the trout will be moving back onto the flats and they can be caught on everything from live shrimp to artificial bait such as DOA or GULP Shrimp or mirro-lures. A lot of people like to fish the Steam Plant Canal during the winter months, which it is catch and release only from November 1st until February 28th. This means starting on March 1st, you can keep your catch of legal fish.

Redfish will be caught along the mouths of the bayous as well as along the flats. Gold spoons, live shrimp and various soft plastics will entice a redfish bite.

Flounder should start to migrate back into the bays from the gulf sometime in March as well. Live bull minnows or soft plastic jigs are great baits for the flounder.

Those fishing the jetties and the pass will have the opportunity to get into some fabulous Spanish mackerel, sheepshead and redfish action.  The sheepshead will be spawning along the jetties and love fiddler crabs or live shrimp.

While most people are doing other things such as hunting or working on their honey-do's this month they are missing out on some fabulous near shore fishing. The cooler water temperatures bring the amberjack closer to shore - not to mention all the flounder stacked-up on the inshore wrecks.

Fishing on structure, even the public numbers, within 10 miles of the shoreline should provide you with some of the best near shore bottom fishing of the year. Drop a live pinfish, dead cigar minnow or a jig around these wrecks and it shouldn't be too long before you are getting bit by an amberjack. Drop smaller baits such as strips of squid or cut bait for some great triggerfish and beeliner action. A live bull minnow rigged on a 2/0 Khale style hook and a 1-2oz egg lead on light (10-15#) spinning tackle should put you in the flounder zone.

If you like to fish in the pass or on the jetties you can expect to catch sheepshead, bluefish and bull redfish this month. Try baiting your hook with a fiddler crab or small live shrimp for sheepshead. Redfish will take everything from a 3oz jig to live pinfish or shrimp. Bluefish are not picky and will take just about anything you want to offer them.  You will also find the larger amberjack hanging over the wrecks offshore as well as plenty of scamp, triggerfish and beeliners.

February is typically a very decent month for fishing in our local bay system. You can expect to catch trout, redfish, bluefish, sheepshead and a few flounder. Where you will locate the fish, especially the trout, will depend on the water temperatures. Trout don't take to the real cold water too well so they will generally be where the water is the warmest. This usually means along an area in the bay that has a dark, rather than sandy bottom. You will usually find these areas in the residential canals and in the bayous. Another great place for trout fishing is Warren Bayou, or locally known as the "Steam Plant Canal". You will need a boat that is capable of navigating in some pretty shallow water to get there and it is strictly catch & release fishing there this time of year. Redfish are not as intolerable to the cold water temperatures and you will find them along the flats this month. You can also find the redfish in the bayous around oyster beds as well as around boat docks and other structure. Live shrimp or various plastic grubs are great baits to use for both trout and redfish. Bluefish will be in the main part of the bay as well as up in some of the bayous. They will hit just about anything you toss to them, including live shrimp, chunk bait, silver spoons and plastic grubs. Be careful when handling bluefish as they have very sharp teeth and a strong jaw.

Sheepshead can be found around most structure throughout the bay this month. They will feed on small live shrimp as well as fiddler crabs. Fishing around boat docks, bridge pilings and oyster beds with 10-15# tackle and a small but strong hook should yield you a nice mess of fish.

Most of the flounder have migrated out of the bay and into the Gulf by now, however, you can still pick a few up by fishing a live bull minnow or plastic grub in the sandy areas around the pass.

SURF
The king mackerel will be the hottest bite near shore this month. Troll lipped plugs or cigar minnow/duster combos for best results. Find the bait clusters and you will find the kings. Mahi-Mahi dolphin will still be in the area around weed lines and patches. Usually September is the last month you will find them in our inshore waters, as they will migrate to warmer waters for the winter. Usually in September we see the red snapper bite turn on a bit as well.

OFFSHORE
The water temps offshore should still be warm enough this month to still hold plenty of Wahoo, Dolphin, marlin (white & blue) and swordfish. The offshore bottom fishing generally picks up this month as well.

BAY
September is typically a very good month to be fishing in the bays. The water is starting to cool off just a bit and you can generally catch nicer fish throughout the day. Live shrimp and finger mullet or small pinfish should be great bait for both the trout and redfish. Spanish mackerel will still be caught in the bay this month, but if you want them, this will likely be the last month of the year you can find them in our waters, as they will begin to migrate out of our area. Speaking of migrating, towards the middle to the end of the month the flounder will begin their fall migration out of the bay and into the gulf to spawn for the winter. This is an excellent time to target them around most sandy areas of the bay using a live bull minnow or plastic grub for bait.

Surf
The king mackerel bite will be hot this month. Near shore, you will see a lot of boats trolling for them around the whistle buoy, which is approximately 4 miles out of the St. Andrews Pass. This area holds a lot of bait, thus draws the kings. Be prepared for anything while fishing this area. Every year some very large wahoo and a few sailfish are hooked by people either trolling or flat lining baits for kings. Bottom fishing near shore will be slow, as the areas have been hit hard all summer. You will be best off traveling down the coast a bit then heading off a few miles, where there are a lot of natural bottom areas. Mahi-mahi dolphin will be caught near shore around weed patches.

Pier
Pier fishing should be pretty good this month. Most of the action will come from king mackerel and Spanish mackerel. If you visit the pier at night, you will see some of our hard-core shark fishermen out there all night. If you haven't seen these guys fight a large shark from the pier, it is well worth the trip out there.

Bottom Fishing
Red Snapper will still be open until the 10th.  They can be caught over a variety of bottom structures using live pinfish, cigar minnows, herring and frozen sardines, cigar minnows and squid.  Black and Gag Grouper open on the 1st.  Large live pinfish, squirrel fish and grunts make great baits.  Most grouper will be caught from natural live bottom areas.  Amberjack is closed.

Offshore
Blue marlin, white marlin, wahoo, swordfish and dolphin should all be caught offshore this month. Fish the areas around the Point or the Squiggles for the pelagics. It is a little further, but if you have the fuel capacity to take you there, the Desoto Canyon is another excellent spot to troll - or set-up for a night drift and a chance to catch some swordfish. Offshore bottom fishing should also be good this month in 200+ feet of water. Keep a flat-line out for Mr. Wahoo when he comes by.

Bay
If you are fishing for trout up in the bays, you will want to be out there right at daybreak and fish a top-water plug over the flats. This technique will usually work good for the first couple hours in the morning and then just prior to sunset. During the day, you will be best off fishing live bait such as LY's or shrimp either under a popping cork or fished right on the bottom on a jig-head. Redfish can be caught in the same manner in the same areas you are finding the trout. Mangrove snapper will be around most bay structure and can be caught on light tackle and small live shrimp. Spanish mackerel will be available, but they will be spread out throughout the bay. Flounder will be caught throughout the bay as well. Live bull minnows or plastic grubs fished in the sandy holes of the bay should produce a bite.

Pier
This is one of the best months for pier fishermen. Bonita will be caught on bubble and straw rigs along with Spanish mackerel and a few blue runners. Those targeting Spanish will be throwing a #1 Clark spoon two to three feet behind a one ounce sinker. The big draw at the pier this month will be the kings. The die-hards will be there one hour before sunrise catching live baits, then rigging them on a stinger rig for the kings.

Bottom Fishing
Red Snapper will still be open until the 10^th. They can be caught over a variety of bottom structures using live pinfish, cigar minnows, herring and frozen sardines, cigar minnows and squid. Black and Gag Grouper open on the 1^st. Large live pinfish, squirrel fish and grunts make great baits. Most grouper will be caught from natural live bottom areas. Amberjack is closed.

Trolling
Those trolling for kings will find that the bite will usually be much deeper this month than others. The more successful fishermen will be using downriggers with their baits fished around the 40 foot range in 60 to 80 feet of water. In such depths the darker color duster skirts seem to produce better. July also brings those wonderful weed patches that hold all of our mahi-mahi (dolphin). If you run across one of these weed clumps pull to the upwind side and kill the motors. Start chumming with small pieces of squid or cut minnows. Once the feeding frenzy has begun simply hide a small 1/0 hook into pieces of bait. Remember to keep one fished hooked by the boat and in the water at all times to keep the school near.

Offshore
Blue marlin, white marlin, Wahoo, swordfish and dolphin can all be caught offshore this month. Fish the areas around the Point or the Squiggles for the pelagics. It is a little further, but if you have the fuel capacity to take you there, the Desoto Canyon is another excellent spot to troll - or set-up for a night drift and a chance to catch some swordfish. Offshore bottom fishing should also be good this month in 200+ feet of water. Keep a flat-line out for Mr. Wahoo when he comes by.

Bay
Flounder fishermen should have good luck fishing ¼ ounce jig-heads with root beer or white colored grub tail bodies throughout the bay. The back bayous and creeks will be holding good numbers of flounder. Trout fishermen will have their best luck fishing finger mullet and live shrimp along the deep edges of the grass flats. Redfish will be caught in these same areas. Good numbers of small black tip sharks will be seen around the camel back and Spanish shanty areas as well. Anchor-up and start a chum slick and the black-tips should show up.

Inshore
Everything is pretty much in full swing during May.  You can expect to catch beeliners, triggerfish and amberjack over wrecks and reefs. King mackerel will make their presence during this month. People will generally slow-troll a lipped lure like a Mann's stretch 30, or a duster/cigar minnow combination for the kings. Another very popular and effective way to catch king mackerel is flat-lining a live cigar minnow. Spanish mackerel will be caught along the sand bars as well.

Pier
Pompano, Spanish mackerel, Lady Fish, Blue Fish and King Mackerel will be easy to target from the piers this month.  Pompano can be caught using jigs tipped with shrimp, sand fleas, or fish bites strips; or use a two hook rig weighted with a pyramid sinker.  The Spanish, Lady Fish and Blue Fish can be caught using spoons and gotcha plugs.

Offshore
As the warmer waters move inshore the tuna, dolphin and marlin become reachable. Watch the satellite temperature charts to see where the warm waters are to save time and money. Wahoo and dolphin will show up first with tuna right behind. Many people will troll high- speed lures, such as the panhandler, to find the fish or tide line then use natural or live bait to really focus on the fish. The grouper bite should be very good in water 150+ feet deep.

Bay
The speckled trout and redfish will return to the grassy flats. As the water gets nice and warm during this month the fish will become more active and start hitting top water baits. Live shrimp is still the preferred bait but top water plugs like Yo-Zuri crystal minnow are lots of fun to use. Generally, the better tide to fish is the high tide and the first few hours of the outgoing tide. Bull redfish can be found in the along the jetties. Mangrove snapper will be around most structure in the bay as well as at the jetties. Spanish mackerel will be around all month, and it best to troll with a mackerel tree with a Clark spoon. Early in the month use a size 00 Clark spoon and change to a size 0 mid month as both the Spanish and the baitfish get bigger.

The cooler waters we experience in November should result in excellent surf fishing. Pompano should be cruising the beaches and providing anglers with great action. Not only do pompano put up a good fight on light tackle, they are also excellent table fare. The two main tactics to catch these fish are to bounce a pompano jig off the bottom, or set up a two-hook bottom rig, using fresh shrimp or sand fleas for bait and a Owner 1/0 mutu-lite circle hook attached with 15-20 pound fluorocarbon leaders and a 1 or 2 ounce pyramid style lead. Mixed in with the pompano will be some redfish, bluefish, Spanish mackerel and whiting.The fall run of blackfin tuna are here this month. Try pulling small tuna tango plugs or small Illander lures with small ballyhoo rigged behind. Try chumming and chunking with small chunks of cut minnows to keep the fish on the feed and near the boat. Once the feeding frenzy has begun simply attach the next chunk of minnow on a 25 pound spinning outfit for some great fun and good eats.Flounder are migrating out of the bay this month and can be targeted at the mouths of creeks and canals as well as any sandy area close to the pass. Live bull minnows, finger mullet or ly's Carolina rigged is a good choice for live baits. Plastic grubs tipped with shrimp or squid bounced along the bottom is a great artificial choice. Trout start to head towards the mouths of the creeks and canals and can be caught on live shrimp, plastic baits under popping corks or a suspending type lure. Redfish will be found in these same areas.

The big bull redfish will be running in full swing on the beaches this month. Most anglers will be using live bull minnows or small pinfish. Try using a basic Carolina rig but instead of an egg sinker use a pyramid type, which will allow the weight to stay put. Attach live bait to a 3/0 Owner mutu-light circle hook with no more than 30 pound leader. Putting your rod into a sand spike will allow you to fish multiple rods at once. Cooling gulf water combined with the warmer water pushing out of the bays this month bring spanish mackerel to the jetties in huge schools. Try using bubble and straw rigs early into the morning and switch to Gotcha plugs as the day warms up. Most experienced spanish mackerel fishermen will fish a #1 Clark spoon with 3 feet of 50 pound mono behind a 2 ounce casting weight. By letting the spoon fall to the bottom after the cast and rapidly retrieving it back you will catch more than you can eat.October brings a wide variety of species into the piers. Spanish will be caught all day long on bubble and straw rig and Gotcha plugs. Kings will show strong runs early mornings and late afternoons, try fishing live baits caught on the pier pilings with stinger rigs. Flounder will be caught using heavy grubs and live bull minnows fished right along the base of the pilings. The first of the pompano and whiting will also start to show towards the end of the month.The fall run of large wahoo will be here in good numbers in the middle of the month. Try trolling large Yo-Zuri bonita lures in purple or black and orange. Many locals also like pulling locally made Marlin Man heavy head panhandler lures because they have found that they can troll these at a bit faster pace (up to 13 knots) and cover more water this way. Whichever bait you use, be sure to check your drags frequently as the initial strike will be a rod bending, drag- screaming affair.Trout fishermen are finding some nice gator-size fish working the flats hard in the early morning hours. Try throwing floating Mirro-lure plugs for the first few hours of daylight. Big bull reds will be caught around the pass using cut bait and large topwater plugs. On an outgoing tide try the areas just off the points of both jetties. Flounder will also start the migration towards the mouth of the pass to move offshore where they will spawn. Try fishing 1/4 ounce jigheads with root beer colored jig bodies around deepwater point and the kiddie pool.

The king mackerel will be the hottest bite near shore this month. Troll lipped plugs or cigar minnow/duster combos for best results. Find the bait clusters and you will find the kings. Mahi-Mahi dolphin will still be in the area around weed lines and patches. Usually September is the last month you will find them in our inshore waters, as they will migrate to warmer waters for the winter. Usually in September we see the red snapper bite turn on a bit as well.The water temps offshore should still be warm enough this month to still hold plenty of wahoo, dolphin, marlin (white & blue) and swordfish. The offshore bottom fishing generally picks up this month as well.September is typically a very good month to be fishing in the bays. The water is starting to cool off just a bit and you can generally catch nicer fish throughout the day. Live shrimp and finger mullet or small pinfish should be great bait for both the trout and redfish. Spanish mackerel will still be caught in the bay this month, but if you want them, this will likely be the last month of the year you can find them in our waters, as they will begin to migrate out of our area. Speaking of migrating, towards the middle to the end of the month the flounder will begin their fall migration out of the bay and into the gulf to spawn for the winter. This is an excellent time to target them around most sandy areas of the bay using a live bull minnow or plastic grub for bait.

Everything is pretty much in full swing during April. Cobia will be migrating along the beaches. Blue Fish, Lady Fish, Pompano, Whiting, Jack Crevalle, and Spanish mackerel will be roaming the beaches.You can expect to catch beeliners, triggerfish and amberjack over wrecks and reefs. Amberjack will be hanging around the bridge spans and bigger wrecks. Red Snapper will be plentiful for some catch and release fun. King mackerel will make their presence later this month. People will generally slow-troll a lipped lure like a Mann's stretch 30, or a duster/cigar minnow combination for the kings. Another very popular and effective way to catch king mackerel is flat-lining a live cigar minnow. Spanish mackerel will be caught along the sand bars as well.The speckled trout and redfish will return to the grassy flats. As the water gets nice and warm during this month the fish will become more active and start hitting top water baits. Live shrimp is still the preferred bait but top water plugs like Yo-Zuri crystal minnow are lots of fun to use. Generally, the better tide to fish is the high tide and the first few hours of the outgoing tide. Bull redfish can be found in the past between the number 5 buoy and the jetty, again on an outgoing tide. Mangrove snapper will be around most structure in the bay as well as at the jetties. Spanish mackerel will be around all month, and it best to troll with a mackerel tree with a Clark spoon. Early in the month use a size 00 Clark spoon and change to a size 0 mid month as both the Spanish and the baitfish get bigger.

Everything is pretty much in full swing during May. A few Cobia will still be around and can be caught along the beaches. Blue Fish, Lady Fish, Pompano, Whiting, Jack Crevalle, and Spanish mackerel will be roaming the beaches.Dan Russell Pier is Open for fishing with the outlying buildings scheduled to open sometime around July 4th Weekend! Great fishing on the Pier right now. Pompano, Whiting, King Mackerel, and Spanish mackerel will be biting all month.As the warmer waters move inshore the tuna, dolphin and marlin become reachable. Watch the satellite temperature charts to see where the warm waters are to save time and money. Wahoo and dolphin will show up first with tuna right behind. Many people will troll high- speed lures, such as the panhandler, to find the fish or tide line then use natural or live bait to really focus on the fish. The grouper bite should be very good in water 150+ feet deep. You can expect to catch beeliners, triggerfish and amberjack over wrecks and reefs. King mackerel will make their presence during this month. People will generally slow-troll a lipped lure like a Mann's stretch 30, or a duster/cigar minnow combination for the kings. Another very popular and effective way to catch king mackerel is flat-lining a live cigar minnow. Spanish mackerel will be caught along the sand bars as well. Amberjack will be hanging around the bridge spans and bigger wrecks.The speckled trout and redfish will return to the grassy flats. As the water gets nice and warm during this month the fish will become more active and start hitting top water baits. Live shrimp is still the preferred bait but top water plugs like Yo-Zuri crystal minnow are lots of fun to use. Generally, the better tide to fish is the high tide and the first few hours of the outgoing tide. Bull redfish can be found in the past between the number 5 buoy and the jetty, again on an outgoing tide. Mangrove snapper will be around most structure in the bay as well as at the jetties. Spanish mackerel will be around all month, and it best to troll with a mackerel tree with a Clark spoon. Early in the month use a size 00 Clark spoon and change to a size 0 mid month as both the Spanish and the baitfish get bigger.

This is one of the best months for pier fishermen. Bonita will be caught on bubble and straw rigs along with Spanish mackerel and a few blue runners. Those targeting Spanish will be throwing a #1 Clark spoon two to three feet behind a one ounce sinker. The big draw at the pier this month will be the kings. The die-hards will be there one hour before sunrise catching live baits, then rigging them on a stinger rig for the kings.Those trolling for kings will find that the bite will usually be much deeper this month than others. The more successful fishermen will be using downriggers with their baits fished around the 40 foot range in 60 to 80 feet of water. In such depths the darker color duster skirts seem to produce better. July also brings those wonderful weed patches that hold all of our mahi-mahi (dolphin). If you run across one of these weed clumps pull to the upwind side and kill the motors. Start chumming with small pieces of squid or cut minnows. Once the feeding frenzy has begun simply hide a small 1/0 hook into pieces of bait. Remember to keep one fished hooked by the boat and in the water at all times to keep the school near.Blue marlin, white marlin, wahoo, swordfish and dolphin can all be caught offshore this month. Fish the areas around the Point or the Squiggles for the pelagics. It is a little further, but if you have the fuel capacity to take you there, the Desoto Canyon is another excellent spot to troll - or set-up for a night drift and a chance to catch some swordfish. Offshore bottom fishing should also be good this month in 200+ feet of water. Keep a flat-line out for Mr. Wahoo when he comes by.Flounder fishermen should have good luck fishing

King mackerel will be the main target for near shore fishermen this month. Slow trolled duster/cigar minnow combos or lipped plugs should catch the fish. Don't be surprised if a wahoo grabs your offering, as this is how a good many wahoo are caught each year. There will also be a good number of chicken dolphin inshore this month around weed patches. The easiest way to catch them is on a light action-spinning rod with a piece of squid or chunk bait on a hook.June is a great month for offshore trolling. You will have the opportunity to catch Wahoo, Dolphin, Marlin and Swordfish. The closest deep water to us is the Squiggles. Most people will start trolling around the point, which draws a lot of bait, then head towards the Squiggles. The red snapper and grouper bite should remain strong this month. Thus far the better snapper bite has been within 20 miles of the pass in about 100' of water. Live and dead baits as well as jigs have been working well and should continue to do so. The better grouper bite should be in deeper water this month. Try fishing the live bottom areas starting in about 150 feet then move out to deeper water out to about 250 feet. Have at least one larger bottom rig (6/0 with 60-80# main line and 100# leader) with a large live bait dropped down for your best chance at a large copper-belly. Amberjack will be over most of the bridge spans and other structure and can be caught on jigs and live baits. Most bottom fishermen will fish a flat-lined cigar minnow for a chance at a wahoo, black-fin tuna or king mackerel.June is usually a very good month for fishing our bays. The flats will be holding plenty of trout, redfish and flounder. The larger trout will be holding in deeper waters such as channels and can be caught on various artificial baits as well as live pinfish, shrimp and LY'S. Flounder should have migrated back into the bays and can be caught on plastic grubs as well as on bull minnows rigged Carolina style. Spanish mackerel will be plentiful in the bay and can be caught trolling mackerel tree rigs and casting Got-Cha plugs.

Everything is pretty much in full swing during May. A few Cobia will still be around and can be caught along the beaches. Blue Fish, Lady Fish, Pompano, Whiting, Jack Crevalle, and Spanish Mackerel will be roaming the beaches.Dan Russell Pier is Open for fishing with the outlying buildings scheduled to open sometime around July 4th Weekend! Great fishing on the Pier right now. Pompano, Whiting, King Mackerel, and Spanish mackerel will be biting all month.As the warmer waters move inshore the tuna, dolphin and marlin become reachable. Watch the satellite temperature charts to see where the warm waters are to save time and money. Wahoo and dolphin will show up first with tuna right behind. Many people will troll high- speed lures, such as the panhandler, to find the fish or tide line then use natural or live bait to really focus on the fish. The grouper bite should be very good in water 150+ feet deep. You can expect to catch beeliners, triggerfish and amberjack over wrecks and reefs. King mackerel will make their presence during this month. People will generally slow-troll a lipped lure like a Mann's stretch 30, or a duster/cigar minnow combination for the kings. Another very popular and effective way to catch king mackerel is flat-lining a live cigar minnow. Spanish mackerel will be caught along the sand bars as well. Amberjack will be hanging around the bridge spans and bigger wrecks.The speckled trout and redfish will return to the grassy flats. As the water gets nice and warm during this month the fish will become more active and start hitting top water baits. Live shrimp is still the preferred bait but top water plugs like Yo-Zuri crystal minnow are lots of fun to use. Generally, the better tide to fish is the high tide and the first few hours of the outgoing tide. Bull redfish can be found in the past between the number 5 buoy and the jetty, again on an outgoing tide. Mangrove snapper will be around most structure in the bay as well as at the jetties. Spanish mackerel will be around all month, and it best to troll with a mackerel tree with a Clark spoon. Early in the month use a size 00 Clark spoon and change to a size 0 mid month as both the Spanish and the baitfish get bigger.

April is finally here and after a long winter of mediocre fishing, things start to happen in a big way this month. When we talk near shore, we are referring in general the waters within 10 miles of the beach. There should be plenty of beeliners, triggerfish and amberjack on many structures. Also near shore this month, those trolling mackerel tree rigs along the sand bars will catch Spanish mackerel. April is the prime month to target cobia, as they will be migrating through our area. Most people in this area sight fish for them by getting as elevated as they can on their boat and slowly cruising the sand bars. Once a cobia is seen, the angler will pitch either a live eel or their favorite jig to the fish. Another way to target cobia, especially if you don't have a tower on your boat, is to anchor-up and start a chum line. This will generally bring the fish to you.The offshore grouper bite should be good this month. Live baits, cut bait and jigs should all produce fish. This is also the month folks start dragging high-speeders in the search for wahoo that should start to make their way into our waters starting this month. Towards the end of the month the dolphin should also show up and can be caught trolling surface lures. King mackerel will start to show-up in our offshore waters this month as well. Don't forget that red snapper season is closed until June 1st 2009.The bays are alive with activity in April. The trout will be over the flats and will start to hit top-waters, such as Mirro-Lures and Yozuri baits, as well as live shrimp and LY's. Redfish will be sharing the same waters and will hit the same baits, as well as a gold spoon. Flounder will be migrating back in the bays and can be caught on live bull minnows and plastic grubs. Spanish mackerel will be thick throughout the bays and can be caught trolling mackerel tree rigs or casting Got-Cha plugs. A sure way to locate the Spanish mackerel is to look for the birds to be diving on bait - the Spanish won't be far. Don't be too surprised if, while you are trout fishing around Redfish point or behind Shell Island a cobia shows up around your boat. Every year there is cobia caught or sighted in these areas.

March is a good month to catch amberjack, beeliners and triggerfish on some of the inshore wrecks. Grouper season is closed until April 1st and red snapper season is closed until June 1. You can also troll mackerel tree rigs along the beaches to get in on the Spanish mackerel bite. March is also the month people start to get real excited about the cobia run. They should start to show up in small numbers sometime around the 3rd week of the month. I know if I were doing any fishing at all during March, I would have a rod rigged for cobia, because you just never know when one may pop up next to you!Due to the snapper and grouper closures, there isn't much to run offshore for until after April 1st, when grouper season re-opens. At that time, it would be very worthwhile to fill the live-well with pinfish or other live bait and hit some of the structure and natural bottom spots in water over 100' deep. This is where the grouper should be hanging out, and they should be hungry! Amberjack, beeliners, scamp and triggerfish should all be in the same areas as the grouper are hanging out. In addition to the live bait, jigs will also work great on the grouper and amberjack.March will bring warmer water, which will bring bait, which will attract fish. The biggest excitement usually comes with the arrival of the Spanish mackerel. They can be caught by slow trolling mackerel tree rigs with small spoons attached to them, or by casting Got-Cha plugs or straw rigs. This is usually a good time to take the family out and catch some fish because they will be plentiful and are fairly easy to catch. Smaller children love this type of fishing because it keeps them occupied. The current limits on Spanish mackerel is 15 per person per day, and they must be 12" long measured to the fork of the tail. Also in the bay this month, the trout will be moving back onto the flats and they can be caught on everything from live shrimp to artificial bait such as DOA or GULP! Shrimp or mirro-lures. A lot of people like to fish the Steam Plant Canal during the winter months, which it is catch and release only from November 1st until February 28th. This means starting on March 1st, you can keep your catch of legal fish. Redfish will be caught along the mouths of the bayous as well as along the flats. Gold spoons, live shrimp and various soft plastics will entice a redfish bite. Flounder should start to migrate back into the bays from the gulf sometime in March as well. Live bull minnows or soft plastic jigs are great baits for the flounder. Those fishing the jetties and the pass will have the opportunity to get into some fabulous Spanish mackerel fishing as well as a decent redfish bite.

While most people are doing other things such as hunting or working on their honey-do's this month they are missing out on some fabulous near shore fishing this month. The cooler water temperatures bring the grouper and amberjack closer to shore - not to mention all the flounder stacked-up on the inshore wrecks. Fishing on structure, even the public numbers, within 10 miles of the shoreline should provide you with some of the best near shore bottom fishing of the year. Drop a live pinfish, dead cigar minnow or a jig around these wrecks and it shouldn't be too long before you are getting bit by an amberjack or grouper. Drop smaller baits such as strips of squid or cut bait for some great triggerfish and beeliner action. A live bull minnow rigged on a 2/0 Khale style hook and about a 1-2oz egg lead on light (10-15#) spinning tackle should put you in the flounder zone. If you like to fish in the pass or on the jetties you can expect to catch sheepshead, bluefish and bull redfish this month. Try baiting your hook with a fiddler crab or small live shrimp for sheepshead. Redfish will take everything from a 3oz jig to live pinfish or shrimp. Bluefish are not picky and will take just about anything you want to offer them.The Dan Russell Pier is currently open for fishing. There are no outlying buildings constructed at this time.There isn't too much going on offshore in January with the exception of bottom fishing. January is a great month to fish in water around 200' deep with heavy tackle and large baits in search of that "copper-belly" grouper. They too come in from the deep during the winter months and now is a great time to target them. You will also find the larger amberjack hanging over the wrecks offshore as well as plenty of scamp, triggerfish and beeliners.January is typically a very decent month for fishing in our local bay system. You can expect to catch trout, redfish, bluefish, sheepshead and a few flounder. Where you will locate the fish, especially the trout, will depend on the water temperatures. Trout don't take to the real cold water too well so they will generally be where the water is the warmest. This usually means along an area in the bay that has a dark, rather than sandy bottom. You will usually find these areas in the residential canals and in the bayous. Another great place for trout fishing is Warren Bayou, or locally known as the Steam Plant Canal. You will need a boat that is capable of navigating in some pretty shallow water to get there and it is strictly catch & release fishing there this time of year. Redfish are not as intolerable to the cold water temperatures and you will find them along the flats this month. You can also find the redfish in the bayous around oyster beds as well as around boat docks and other structure. Live shrimp or various plastic grubs are great baits to use for both trout and redfish. Bluefish will be in the main part of the bay as well as up in some of the bayous. They will hit just about anything you toss to them, including live shrimp, chunk bait, silver spoons and plastic grubs. Be careful when handling bluefish as they have very sharp teeth and a strong jaw. Sheepshead can be found around most structure throughout the bay this month. They will feed on small live shrimp as well as fiddler crabs. Fishing around boat docks, bridge pilings and oyster beds with 10-15# tackle and a small but strong hook should yield you a nice mess of fish. Most of the flounder have migrated out of the bay and into the Gulf by now, however you can still pick a few up by fishing a live bull minnow or plastic grub in the sandy areas around the pass.