# Live bait big lagoon



## Shmelton (May 19, 2020)

I’m taking the family down Friday to stay for the week. I bringing my Carolina skiff 178dlv in hopes of putting my 5 yr old on some fish. He’s a trooper, and will fish with you all day. I just need to know what the fish are biting right now. We are staying at the Perdido Key RV resort next to the bridge going from Pensacola to perdido key. I plan on fishing Big Lagoon and Pensacola pass. Does anyone know if there are any good spots in that area for netting some bait fish, or am I better off buying live shrimp?


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## RedneckTarpon (Mar 6, 2019)

Live Shrimp are always solid, if you want updated information and shrimp try going exactly across the intercoastal from where you're staying to GoFishRedfish. Red is a great guy and really knows his stuff. But as far as bait, there are a lot of mullet around and you may have luck on finger mullet at one spot I can think of. After the channel opens up to the lagoon, there should be an island off to your right. Behind that island and in the passes next to the island tend to hold mullet and greenbacks. In front of the island is also good redfish grounds.


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## Shmelton (May 19, 2020)

I know the exact spot. I like shrimp, but also like to have a little variety in the boat. As far as Reds goes, can I dock my boat and go in or do I need to drive over?


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

I have not heard about the bite this year, but typically Spring has bull reds in the Pass. You can always give the kid(s) a little fun catching pinfish using small hooks on a dropper rig (or a sabiki if you want to deal with that) baited with squid bits or pieces of shrimp (or Fish Bites). Palm sized pinfish are great redfish and snapper bait. Just look for the line of boats drifting the pass about a hundred yards out from the jetties and jump into the lineup, lower the pinfish on a bottom rig to about 3 to 5 reel cranks off the bottom and drift along. A sabiki cast along the current rip-line just west of Pickens in the Pass or around the channel bouys can also sometimes yield live cigars or sardines.

Spanish should be around as well, look for birds or boats gathered up in either the Lagoon or in the bay between Pickens and NAS Pensacola, anything silver and minnow-like worked quickly should get bit - Gotcha's or something similar.

My boy has about as much fun hauling in bait as he does catching anything 'real' so there is some fun in the process itself.


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## Shmelton (May 19, 2020)

Thanks for the advise. He’d love catching pin fish.


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