# Looking for info on guides for July



## greenhornet (Mar 21, 2012)

We will be in the area for a wedding late July and I was hoping to get some info on the fishing there for this time period. 

Is there any backwater, everglade-type areas near Pennsacola? This would be my preferred type of fishing and tarpon/snook would be preferred species but I don't know if that is realistic there or during that time frame. I also have seen fishing shows from the area sightcasting to Ling or Tarpon on the beachfront. This would be my second preference if the other isn't available. Any info or suggestions on guides for this would be much appreciated, thanks.


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## RU (May 1, 2010)

PM sent.


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

PM sent


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## SolarFlare (Oct 3, 2007)

PM Not Sent!!

This is NOT the spot for Everglades and Tarpon Fishing!!


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

I have been tarpon fishing this area for 36 years and there are plenty of tarpon to catch around here. They even get way up in the shallow waters of Blackwater Bay in August. You want fly fish for them like you do in the everglades but I know plenty of spots where they will show up and I catch them regularly in July and August. I caught four off the gulf piers last year as well.


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## SolarFlare (Oct 3, 2007)

reelthrill said:


> I have been tarpon fishing this area for 36 years and there are plenty of tarpon to catch around here. They even get way up in the shallow waters of Blackwater Bay in August. You want fly fish for them like you do in the everglades but I know plenty of spots where they will show up and I catch them regularly in July and August. I caught four off the gulf piers last year as well.


With all due respect, if anyone thinks this is a great tarpon fishing area, they are mis-informed. i am not saying you can't find a rare Tarpon at the right spot at the right moment, I hooked one once in 2005.......but if you want a good opportunity to catch Tarpon , you need to go further South!!

Don't pull this guys chain!!


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

Bay Pirate said:


> With all due respect, if anyone thinks this is a great tarpon fishing area, they are mis-informed. i am not saying you can't find a rare Tarpon at the right spot at the right moment, I hooked one once in 2005.......but if you want a good opportunity to catch Tarpon , you need to go further South!!
> 
> Don't pull this guys chain!!


Bay Pirate, I only try to make positive informative posts on this forum, but I am not pulling this guys chain. Those that know me on this forum can tell you about my passion for tarpon fishing and how many I catch each year in this area. I have literally tarpon fished in Key West, Naples, Boca Grande, Appalachicola, etcc... and I don't make those trips any more because I catch all the tarpon I can handle right here. Walk out on Navarre Pier in July and watch how many tarpon migrate from east to west daily. Many of those tarpon travel through our passes each year and end up in Bayou Chico, the fenders on the bridges, the bluffs at Fort Pickens, and the shallows of Blackwater Bay, etc...No,this area is not Boca Grande, but there are plenty of tarpon here and a variety of ways and areas to catch them. I actually caught the first tarpon off of one of our local piers last July and received a years pass for it. I took a guy tarpon fishing with me this past july and we hooked 14 tarpon one morning. (yes right here in this "rare" tarpon area)


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## Brant Peacher (Oct 4, 2007)

Not only do tarpon frequent our beaches in July but there are actually several guides in this area that run tarpon trips that time of year. Captain Baz Yelverton comes to mind first. He successfuly targets tarpon on fly with his clients in July. The late Captain Bob Quarles was also a very successful tarpon fisherman and put his clients on a number of fish each year. If you ride the beaches on a calm July morning you will get to cast at as many tarpon as you like. I grew up targeting tarpon in the upper bays and bayous. I have had some really good days in late July and August. Most of the fish are smaller in the 20 to 40lb range but they are still fun! This may not be Boca Grande or the Florida keys but there are still plenty of fish to be caught. 

I will agree with the above post about the piers as well. OIP is the best tarpon pier on the coast, however, there are plenty of tarpon to be hung on all the gulf piers. I hung 9 and caught 2 one morning on Pensacola pier a couple years back. Everyone who was fishing was hooking up!


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## greenhornet (Mar 21, 2012)

Hmmm, well there definitely seems to be a split in opinions on tarpon in the area. I really appreciate all the feedback. Is there possibly a better location within comfortable driving distance for tarpon (hour or two) or still gonna be similar?

Hate to sound picky but we live on N Padre in Texas on the water so I catch plenty of trout, reds, n flounder here. Just wanna do something a little different if it's possible.


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## reelthrill (Oct 3, 2007)

There is no better place within an hour or two. There is some good tarpon fishing in the Appalachicola area, (Indian Pass and West Pass), and Panama City has one good place that I have fished. Send me a pm right before you arrive in July and I will tell you what you need to do. I might even have an opportunity to take you with me.


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## greenhornet (Mar 21, 2012)

Well that is awful nice of you sir! I will do that.


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## KingKevin (Feb 17, 2012)

Bay Pirate said:


> With all due respect, if anyone thinks this is a great tarpon fishing area, they are mis-informed. i am not saying you can't find a rare Tarpon at the right spot at the right moment, I hooked one once in 2005.......but if you want a good opportunity to catch Tarpon , you need to go further South!!
> 
> Don't pull this guys chain!!


You must not have lived here very long. I hooked over 25 this past year. Probably threw at a thousand!


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## Cannon (Feb 28, 2010)

B-pirate, why so angry? Right time of the year tarpon are around. The've even been caught up Moblie Bay above Point Clear in early August.


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

reelthrill said:


> There is no better place within an hour or two. There is some good tarpon fishing in the Appalachicola area, (Indian Pass and West Pass), and Panama City has one good place that I have fished. Send me a pm right before you arrive in July and I will tell you what you need to do. I might even have an opportunity to take you with me.


There are no Tarpon in P.C. or Appalachicola anytime of the year. Nothing over here. Might as well stay west.:whistling: I hear they are avoiding P.C. and swimming offshore to get to Pensacola Bay where there will be millions of tarpon in crystal clear shallow water.....that eat anything!:whistling:


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## MrFish (Aug 21, 2009)

Bay Pirate said:


> With all due respect, if anyone thinks this is a great tarpon fishing area, they are mis-informed. i am not saying you can't find a rare Tarpon at the right spot at the right moment, I hooked one once in 2005.......but if you want a good opportunity to catch Tarpon , you need to go further South!!
> 
> Don't pull this guys chain!!


Maybe rare if he wants to go for them in December, but not July. Now he's outta luck for snook though.


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## Flatspro (Oct 3, 2007)

Wirelessly posted

Plenty of tarpon here in the summer! I like to fish the juveniles up in the river like Brant stated but also like to catch the larger fish on the beach.


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## fsu alex (Aug 3, 2011)

What do y'all use,look for and fish with for tarpon?I just ventured away from bass fishing last year and started fishing inshore. That would be awesome to hook up on a tarpon I never realized people targeted them around here. I caught 3 in the Keys a year and a half ago and had a blast!


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