# How hard is the Pensacola area to fish?



## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

How hard is the Pensacola area to fish compared to other locations?

Let's consider the Pensacola area as all waters from Mobile - Destin.


Over the last several years I have seen post from people who move to this area and have a hard time locating fish. I often wonder why. So I would like to see everyone's input.


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## redfishreaper (Apr 23, 2012)

i grew up in venice LA and if i compare the two it dosent look too good for pensacola. there is outstanding fishing here you just haft to work at it IMO.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

This is how I see it
Red Run
Sheep run
Cobia run 
Spanish run
Kings in the bay
Tarpon in the bay
Red Snapper seanson
Striper/hybrid season
Flounder run
Fall = sail fish on the beach along with blk fin tuna


Specks, Reds are always around! 
I grew up in Cali and compared to our surf and bay.... this place is 100x easier. With 100x the amount of fish
Always something to do

Can it have you scratching your head yes but thats fishin


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## BrakeTurnAccelerate (Jul 1, 2012)

I grew up in South Florida, and fished it extensively. The fishery here is pathetic in comparison, very scarce and hard to work.


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## Yo-Zuri (May 31, 2015)

Come next month, not very.


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## boomyak (Mar 21, 2014)

redfishreaper said:


> i grew up in venice LA and if i compare the two it dosent look too good for pensacola. there is outstanding fishing here you just haft to work at it IMO.


Some of the guys I work with bemoan the pathetic speck fishery we have here compared to LA speck fishing, but they fish over here in the Choctawhatchee and don't have any winter spots dialed in unlike guys fishing Blackwater and Escambia who can slay 'em year round.


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## Slqfisher (Nov 8, 2007)

It's no good, your better off staying home


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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

Slqfisher said:


> It's no good, your better off staying home



Ha!


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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

boomyak said:


> Some of the guys I work with bemoan the pathetic speck fishery we have here compared to LA speck fishing, but they fish over here in the Choctawhatchee and don't have any winter spots dialed in unlike guys fishing Blackwater and Escambia who can slay 'em year round.



Choctawhatchee has plenty of winter Trout holes. Sounds like they are not putting in the time. 

In my opinion, the biggest factor in BW is tides. 

LA is hands down a better fishery. There's no question. 


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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

BrakeTurnAccelerate said:


> I grew up in South Florida, and fished it extensively. The fishery here is pathetic in comparison, very scarce and hard to work.



Exactly, but why? South Florida has much more water movement, do you think this makes a difference?


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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> This is how I see it
> Red Run
> Sheep run
> Cobia run
> ...


We do have several different "runs." However, every place has those runs lol Several of those species migrate from the East. Flounder migrate to nearshore waters all along the coast.

I wouldn't compare California to here. That's way to far away and there are no species to compare. 

I assumed someone would bring up our tidal situations, grass, or who knows.


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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

redfishreaper said:


> i grew up in venice LA and if i compare the two it dosent look too good for pensacola. there is outstanding fishing here you just haft to work at it IMO.


I think you have to work at it everywhere. This area may or may not require more effort.

Thanks for the input.


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## 49913 (Apr 18, 2014)

I also grew up in Louisiana, but you can't compare the Saltmarsh over there to anyplace, much less Pensacola. I fish Lafitte a couple times a year, in basically a 30 x 50 mile box. That's 1500 sq. miles of shallow water, lagoons, bays and bayous, full of Redfish and plenty of Trout. Pensacola doesn't have that, and in comparison, it's difficult, but still a very good fishery. There's for sure a tough learning curve, but I don't feel deprived fishing here, not at all.


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Nick;

There's a scientific reason La, S. TX, S. Fl. are all better fisheries than ours.

It's cause "latitude sets the attitude".

Those areas are further south than us, warmer waters, higher salinity in the water and so on. I'm speaking from a speckled trout standpoint, Reds can be caught anywhere anytime.


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

I grew up bass fishing in highly pressured areas in North Alabama. By comparison, inshore fishing here is a piece of cake.


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

dabutcher said:


> I grew up bass fishing in highly pressured areas in North Alabama. By comparison, inshore fishing here is a piece of cake.


 David, I agree. It is easy vs. bass fishing in general.
Bass fishing is much more challenging.


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## Yakavelli (Mar 17, 2010)

I've never fished Louisiana, but I have no issues with the Pensacola area being difficult to fish. I consider myself quite blessed to be able to catch fish year-round. We have some outstanding fishing around here and if anyone says it's difficult to catch fish, they aren't putting enough effort into it. It's a very likely possibility that this area produces better fishermen due to the fact that we aren't surrounded by the numbers of fish like the guys in LA. I'd compare it to someone who primarily catches bull reds by the dozens fishing the 3 mile bridge at night thinking he's a damn fine red-fisherman. No...you're not. You're just surrounded by hungry redfish that eat anything you put within striking range.


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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

barefoot said:


> Nick;
> 
> There's a scientific reason La, S. TX, S. Fl. are all better fisheries than ours.
> 
> ...



I have consider these reasons and I appreciate your input. 

Trout were the main reason for the question and I should have been more specific. 




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## NLytle (May 13, 2014)

I assumed the input would come from guys that have spent years fishing our water ways. We are familiar with the challenges and have learned to piece the puzzle together. 

We can agree that a new guy has his hands full the day he arrives? 


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## Frank D (Jun 14, 2015)

*Fishing*

Lim-it-out, you posted a list of fish runs, any chance you can add which months for the runs as I'm fairly new to the area. Thanks


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## BrakeTurnAccelerate (Jul 1, 2012)

NLytle said:


> Exactly, but why? South Florida has much more water movement, do you think this makes a difference?
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Cleaner water, the Gulfstream, and higher temps that stay a little more consistent. 

What those things above lead to, is coral reefs, better seagrass beds, mangroves and mangrove swamps. This provides habitat for fish to flourish in. If you ever dive Pensacola or Mobile bay, they're both barren. Basically a bunch of mud with some very limited hard bottom. The Gulf itself isn't much better.

The edge is also only a few miles out, which brings open water fish closer in, as well.


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## testoner (Oct 18, 2014)

LIM-IT-OUT said:


> This is how I see it
> Red Run
> Sheep run
> Cobia run
> ...


I would offer that it depends on where in California. San Diego, LA, Monterey Bay, and the north are all different environments. I never once went out while in Monterey where I didn't catch fish. It was almost too easy depending on what you where targeting. San Diego and LA were tougher as you had to work for it. Up north was hot or cold. Not much in between.

But, I digress...


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