Pensacola Fishing Forum / Inshore Fishing / Surf Fishing / Inshore Fishing - General Q&A

What's up with Gulf Breeze boat ramp fee?

jwebster98 — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:59:21 GMT

I have been very fustrated this summer with Gulf Breeze Boat launches(Shoreline and 3-mile bridge). I really like launching from either of them, but I thought they have always been free to the public. They both say public parks. Sometimes there is someone collecting $10 and sometimes not. Lately I just go to the one that doesnt have anyone collecting. Are there set pay launching hours. I could not find any info on the gulf breeze web site. Anyone else noticed any trends?

muddy water

snakeman14 — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:06:13 GMT

When I'm fishin in muddy water for reds, specks, and flounder I generally use something that seems brighter and more flashy from what I use in clear water. Also, when I use live bait I try to always use the most lively baits I can. Both of these tactics seem to work but the bite never is as good as that of clear water. Is there anything else I can do to try and get more bites in a situation where i cant find any clean water?

Fiddler Crabs

Greenjeans — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 23:55:27 GMT

Hello,

I am new to the site and was wondering if anyone has any tips on a good way to catch fiddler crabs that are in the sawgrass along Escambia River. I was thinking of a plastic jug with some bait in it maybe rigged up where they can climb in but cant climb out.

Are they good for bait for anything other than sheepshead?

How are they best hooked?

gulp jerk shad ???

fishn4fun — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:07:22 GMT

has anyone had any success with the 5" gulp jerk shad if so what is the best ways to rig any help greatly appreciated thanks

Coming Down 7/11/08

Gulfwannabe — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 20:38:36 GMT

Bringing the kids for a week. Know about ladyfish and blues in the surf. What about trout? Can they still be caught on the backside of Johnson Beach or by the inlet in GS on an incoming tide (Little Lagoon)? DOA or LIVE? Gotchas in the surf? How about pomps this time of year? Early late mid-day?

7lb 12oz spec

Bay Pirate — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:08:24 GMT

Just got a call from a fishing friend, Capn Jimmy, West of of the pass, he just caught a 30+ inch Spec on a jig, with Elec Chicken, wading just before dark.

Said it weighed 7lb 12oz....When I get pics I'll post,

To Cap'n Jimmy....

:bowdown :bowdown

7 pound 1 ounce speck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stout trout! — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 10:31:46 GMT

cant tell u were cant tell u what with but i can tell u i dove head first on to some rocks to git him !!!!!!!!!! hay yall know everything looks smaller in the pics!

FireCracker Red

Bay Pirate — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 15:09:20 GMT

tried to delete wouldn;t let me, reposted in reports

depth finder

toro — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 13:07:01 GMT

I have a 15' mckee craft and want to update my depth finder and possibly add a gps what is a good DF or DF/GPS combo that won't break the bank. I mainly fish flats or back water and occasional passes but like to see whats around me and I am interested in the gps units that tells you what the depth of areas are.

Specks?

Fishforlife2 — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:49:31 GMT

We're havin a BBQ tommorow and are gonna try to go out in the morning and catch some specks wading any good spots ?please post. Thanks ahead.

Tidal flows for the lower Weeks Bay area

payers — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:14:23 GMT

I am coming down this weekend, and I would like to get an idea about tides for the Weeks Bay area. Anyone have any recommendations? Also, what about fishing the tides....I have heard just about every possible variant ...fish the tide, don't fish the tide, tides don't matter. Anyone have a good stance on why I should fish a particular tide, rising, falling or none at all? I am a novice at saltwater, and I want to give it my best shot?

All information is appreciated.

Shakespeare Tidewater Rod/Reel Combos

jd — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 11:26:14 GMT

Has anyone ever purchased and used one of these rod/reel combos. They are sold at Wal-Mart for about $60. I'm looking for an additional "inexpensive" rod/reel for trolling, bottom, and shark (in the bay). I'll leave it at that and see what you guys think! Thanks.

Any thoughts?

SHAKESPEARE Tidewater T20L Reel w/6'6" Med/Hvy Rod

[url=http://fishingreelworld.com/pro1204612.html][/url]

Super Inshore Fishing Reel On Sale

Bay Pirate — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:01:19 GMT

Click on link below, My opinion, these reels are head over heels better than the Stradic. I have used 2 for more than a year and just ordered 2 more @ $79.99. They are made by Daiwa for Cabelas, good luck, I use the 2500 series!

great inshore reel for reds and specs.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat20333&id=0053213122486a&navCount=19&podId=0053213&parentId=cat20333&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=8IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20333&hasJS=true

Pensacola Bay, snapper and grouper

fishenwishen — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:46:14 GMT

Just to let you all know, I caught a 22" red snapper trolling a stretch 25 along side 3 mile, and a 16" grouper near the green buoy in front of the lighthouse near the inlet. let the grouper go but ate the snapper. I caught them last weekend and have pictures but cant figure out yet how to get them out of my phone. Have to keep this short laptop battery is dying. I'll try to post pics later. Good luck.

Wolf Bay lights--lot of fun--few fish--6 26 08

BASSTRACKER66 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:07:02 GMT

On the water a little before four AM--nice--calm--and a few fish popping under the lights. Almost no water movement and low tide. I managed to catch +/- 12 Trout--almost all small--but i didnt want any to bring home---just catch them--fun fun. When it got light i ran my crab trap and came home before it got hot. Bath--Big Bowl of Special K and Mississippi Blueberries--Ice Tea--Short Nap. MY Wife is still in Mississippi--hope she comes home soon. BT66
http://groups.msn.com/basstracker66/shoebox.msnw

Crabbing near Perdido Key?

Uncle Pauley — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:54:11 GMT

Hi Guys, new to the forum and am coming down from Texas with the family.

Will definitely try some beach fishing and sound fishing.

I wanted to take my kids crabbing as I went alot when I was younger.

You know, chicken neck tied to a string and then net them.

Any suggestions as to where I might have luck doing this?

By the way, we are staying at Sandy Key condos, any suggestions on fishing around there would be appreciated.

The sound

-- Saints Domination -- — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:20:51 GMT

Hey all, im planning on going out in the kayaks to fish the sound tomorrow. I have never really fished in the sound before, we'll probably put in near the bridge. Is there anything worth catching out there? Reds? What would you guys suggest to target them in the sound, or is it the same gear as used in the bay? Thanks for the advice before hand

Fishing in navarre

fishin time — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 07:09:44 GMT

Hey I am going to navarre this forth of july week and I was wondering if anyone knows some really good locations to fish at? I will only be able to use a boat fishing for one day and the rest will have to be on foot. Am i just looking for big grass flats early in the morning and late at night? I hear live shrimp works well for reds and trout but does anyone reccomand any specific lures? I have some bash topwater lures but I dont know if those will work well.

Thanks for any help.

Who's the best inshore guide?

tnmule — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:43:17 GMT

I know it's been asked before and I have searched the forum. Dad and I are avid bass fishermen here at home, we have no experience fishing in saltwater or for toothy critters. We have been coming to Gulf Shores for years and have always wanted to fish Perdido Bay. We will be there the week of 9/14/2008 and I am going fishing this time. I'm going to use this trip as a learning experience because I have a small son that will be ready to fish in a few years and I'm thinking about bringing the old jon boat with us when he is ready. I would love to learn different techniques and rigging for the different species. A big redfish would be nice too. In your opinion, which guide would fit the bill. Thanks for any info.

Mexico Beach/Port St Joe Area favor

NoMoSurf — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 12:00:01 GMT

I visit my friend in Mexico beach a few times a year for a little fishing. He loves to fish but only fishes when I come down. In the past we always surf or pier fished but last year I got sick of watching people in boats catch fish while we were not... So I bought a 17ft center console. Shortly after, my wife sold her truck and now have no way to pull it. My friend is now driving 7 hours out out of his way to get the boat, so I feel reel obligated to put him on some fish. They dont have to be mosters, just some nice keepers. Spanish or Mangroves would be great, reds and trout would be ok too... Something tasty We are very familiar with the area, but know nothing about anything past the shoreline...

I know about the MBARA site with all of the public #'s, but dont want to waste all day jumping from site to site. There are 100's of them. I'm not great at anchoring over a spot, so the fewer times I have to do it the better.

Also, where are the "Oil Docks"? We have been hearing about them for years, but have no idea where they are. Are they only accessable from the water? I have heard they are a great spot.

Anyway, any help would be much appreciated. Anything not wanted to be listed here can be PM'ed to me. Thanks a great deal for any help guys.

Blazer 240

hard bottom — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:02:33 GMT

I am looking into getting one but would like some input from anyone who has fished this boat.

Thanks,

Trolling motor batteries

SharkSlayer — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:17:02 GMT

What does everyone use in their skiffs for a good trolling motor battery? I use a 50lb optima blue top. It seems to lose a charge after maybe 30 minutes of use and it is a relatively new battery.
I am looking for something light thats lasts for a couple hours of use.

Where to go fishing by foot in pensacola area?

jmd25 — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:58:52 GMT

I hiked out to ft. pickens with a friend and he landed a 22 inch red but i cant hike out there everyday. I dont have a boat. i live in east hill. I cant fish off the railroad tracks because the water is polluted. Someone told me to try behind joe patties but its a pretty long walk and walking back at night over the rocks isnt that great plus its not the cleanist place either. Is that any way to get out near the pass or into some deeper water during these hot sunny days with out hiking out to ft. pickens.

Jerkshad Camo

angryaccntnt — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:36:31 GMT

I've read a lot of posts about fishermen having success using camo jerkshads in this area. Where can I find these?

I have tried these locations, with no success:

Walmart on creighton

Walmart on hwy 29

Reel Fun

Gulf Breeze Bait and Tackle

Academy Sports

Sports Authority

"chug" type top water vs. "walk the dog" type top water

DukeDevil91 — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 14:47:01 GMT

What are the advantages of each of them? Which ones do you prefer and why? Do different situations permit different styles?

can someone tell me where you can find where the mullet is runnin at in the mornin

mikey — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:09:55 GMT

where do you get to see where the fish are runnin at like the mullet

Tarpon in Perdido Bay???

LibertyCall — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 23:07:47 GMT

Would a tarpon find its way into the lower bay (north of Innerarity)? My 7 year old was fishing off the dock with live pinfish and hooked up on a roughly 24 inch fish. It nearly spooled him on the first run. About the time I got to him and helped him tighten the drag down, the fish started going vertical. Bret kept the line tight through the airshow, then worked him to within 20 feet of the dock. The fish should have been worn slam out, the boy was pretty close, too. But as soon as I got a glimpse of the fish he bolted again, running the drag like it wasn't even on. He went vertical again and the line went loose...when he hit the water he was free. He looked for all the world like a tarpon to me...do they around here?

Hell of an evening for a kid who was playing with hardhead cats hoping for a trout!

leader ?

fishn4fun — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 16:26:37 GMT

what size leader is the best for trout i like to fish with 8-10# main line i was using 12 today but lost several fish just wondering how much bigger i can go without losing the bite or should i use floro thanks for any help

Lures???

bigruss — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 02:30:56 GMT

I want to try using some lures to target reds and specs. I just wanted to get some input on you favorite lures/colors. I use DOAS and the gulp mostly. I also use some top water mirror lures. I appreciate any advice. Thanks

Redfish in Esambia Bay?

angryaccntnt — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:47:57 GMT

I've been wade fishing in Escambia Bay. Today I caught a dozen catfish, five specs, and a lady fish. I saw baby redfish so I know they are out there.

What do I use to get these guys to bite?

I've been using a cork w/ natural color Gulp! shrimp. I tried numerous spoons, lures, and frozen shrimp but got no bites (except catfish from frozen shrimp.)

Jim's Fish Camp area...

joe bag o donuts — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:42:11 GMT

I might get the opportunity to go out with a friend in his boat in the next couple days. He's mainly a freshwater guy and I've never really fished this area. I've had some success with topwater early in the morning. Anyway, we're planning on launching in the morning and trying for specks, bass, redfish, or whatever will bite.

Any and all help would be appreciated so we don't waste time and burn fuel for no reason. General locations would be great. I know getting info out of the 'seasoned Escambia fishermen' is like prying open an oyster, but I figured it was worth a shot. :poke

Thanks a ton...

ID of "jumping fish"

SemperFi-sh — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 18:23:02 GMT

went fishing today off of HWY 90 in the Escambia River/Bay. There were tons of fish jumping clean out of the water. I was working a topwater bait and got a few strikes but never hooked up. What kind of fish are these jumping out of the water? Also, is it worth my time to try to fish for redfish in the grass that is around the area (from the bank). I tried fishing some Gulp shrimp under a popping cork, near the grass, but NOTHING. I've gotten skunked the past three times I've gone, I'm starting to get angry! haha. all advice welcome...

what are these things?

3of5 — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:31:47 GMT

just got in from a week of vacation and while i was there i went trout fishing out of orange beach. when i started getting the fish ready to put in freezer bags i noticed that every one of the fillets had little white balls in them. they came out with a little squeeze and didn't tear the meat up and seemed to have a little string attached. also, in one fillet was a hard bloody brown lump that fell out of the inside of the meat. what are either of these things and do they affect the meat? kinda nasty lookin...especially the little brown ball....

Fishing off Scenic Hwy... Good?

angryaccntnt — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:31:13 GMT

I'm new to this area. I did some scouting the other day and stopped by a park on Scenic Hwy (Scenic Bluffs). I parked and walked across some railroad tracks. It looks like a great spot to wade fish.

Is anyone familiar with this area along scenic hwy? What kind of fish are out there? What's the best bait?

Also, in Pensacola, how long do the Reds typically run?

white trout?

fishyg — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 14:18:48 GMT

white trout are very similiar to weakfish in thier looks. Is a white trout actually a weakfish?

catching live bait... WHAT A MESS!

Immyz — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:48:58 GMT

Well I don't exactly know what im doing wrong.. Hell I went out to the pass the the bait fish looked so thick like you could walk on them...

Im throwing an 8foot net, I dont know how much weight/foot it is, but it dosent feel very heavy...

I would throw the net over the top of a school and they would scramble and leave me coming up empty..

the mullet are so boat shy we coulden't get close to them in the boat and they are staying just far enough off the beach to where I can't net them wading..

my pinfish trap produced zero results in the grass beds and then it was stolen so who knows, maybe it did produce..

I find im wasting entirly to much time searching for live bait the morning of a trip, if anyone can give me suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.:banghead:banghead:banghead

Shimano Teramar

polebenda — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:10:23 GMT

Does anyone have these inshore rods? Any opinions on this rod. I am thinking about picking one up I heard they were pretty good but I just wanted to hear some opinions on it. Thanks

Inshore Rod

SemperFi-sh — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 17:12:00 GMT

First of all, thanks for all the great advice I have gotten so far. But, I need yalls help again. I've got a good surf/pier rod set up, a lightweight set up (shimano stradic 2500 on a 6'6" rod with spools in 6 and 8lbs test), and a few other cheap rod/reel combos. However, I'm looking for a rod and reel set up that I can work medium sized topwater lures, jigs, spoons, etc. (think Reds, Specks, etc). Should I stick with a spinning reel? I'm proficient with spinning and baitcasters so the type of reel really doesnt matter, I just know that some baitcasters have a better retrieve ratio. Any recommendations on a reel type? Also, anyone know of any good medium action rods that can be had for <$100. I'm a big fan of All-Star rods, but they can be pricey. I'm looking to spend less than $200 total here, and I'm up for searching around for good used gear...

Dave

Inshore bay fishing help

jaceboat — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:33:20 GMT

im new to inshore fishing in the bay. the reason im starting is due to the fact that im not old enough to drive myself places and the price of gas for my parents to take me to the pier everyday is way to much. so i have to fish in the gulf breeze/ pensacola area. i dont really have any idea on what to use. im going to use a ugly stik i have and not sure on the reel yet but something in the 12lb class (if thats alright do i need to go smaller or bigger?). my main targets are redfish and trout and maybe a few flounder.

i dont really know about baits and lures or rigs or setups. i can easily get pinfish. but what about other baits? i have heard good things about doa shrimp, gulp, krocodiles spoons, and popping cork rigs. can someone please explain or post a picture of a popping cork rig? plus i need places to fish. i live right next to the bluffs but i dont know if thats any good fishing. also what about shoreline park, octagon pier, and wayside park?

thanks. any help will be appreciated.

-jace

Orange Beach and Ft. Morgan Area

sagehead — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:59:21 GMT

Hi All,

I am heading down to Orange Beach from Georgia next week with the family (like we have done ever year for the past 12 years), and I am interested in how the inshore and surf fishing has been. I do not have a boat and mainly stick to the Pass in the morning and sometimes will ride out to Ft. Morgan and fish the surf and sometimes the bay at some of the pull offs. I usually try to throw my 8 wt flyrod the most but also carry a good spinning rod and some gulp baits.

I would like to see how the fishing in those areas have been?? I do a lot of wading so what in teh jelly situation right now?? Also, if there are any extremely kind folks that would like to turn me on to some other good wading spots that would be great. Send me a PM and I will trade some good Georgia Trout fishing locaitons. Or if anyone would like to hook up and do some fishing one day that would be enven better.

I greatly appreicate any help. I know the area pretty good but like I said I mainly hit the pass in the morning with the flyrod chasing ladyfish and blue runners. So I change would be nice.

Thanks again for any help

Tight Lines

Brian