# Blackwater Bay vs. Escambia?



## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

Let me preface by saying I don't fish the area very much, just a few times of year when my wife and I get down there to visit her parents. She is from Pensacola but we live in North Carolina now, and I now understand why she misses home so much (she says it's a testament to how much she loves me that she was willing to move inland for me). We just got a boat this year so I'm quite new to the fishing down there, and trying to learn each time I come down.

We'll be down there again in a couple of weeks around Dec 20th through the 30th or so, and of course I'm hauling the boat (18ft Sea Pro cc)!

I see a lot of posts about Escambia Bay, but none about Blackwater... looking at a satellite map, and being a n00b on trout and reds, is Blackwater Bay also good for those species or is there something about Escambia that makes it better?

Where would we be expecting to look in general toward the end of this month for specks and reds? Bays and mouths of rivers? How far up into the river mouths can one fish with a saltwater license as opposed to fresh?

Just curious. Thanks all, I have enjoyed lurking the site when I'm not down there, and really looking forward to getting back on the water down in the P'cola area... so beautiful down there.

Sam


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## timeflies (Oct 3, 2007)

A lot of the redfish reports this time of year that get people excited are bulls, and they are mostly in pensacola bay. For trout and redfish in the upper bays, escambia and blackwater are both good. Especially up at the river mouths. The trout this time of year (although it is unseasonably warm right now) like the deeper channels in the rivers and canals. Good luck on your trip down. Hope this helps!


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## timeflies (Oct 3, 2007)

and there is no geographical cut off that I know of for fresh and salt licenses. If you are targeting fresh water species, you need a fresh license and vice-versa. Regs are at myfwc.com though, and I always encourage people to check there before taking some advice off of the internet from someone like me.


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

I appreciate the advice. I have been to the website, but I have not yet found the answer to my specific question. I may just email them and ask I guess. The targeted species makes more sense than the geographic location; if that's the case it will make things much simpler.

Thanks for the reply!


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Freshwater species= freshwater license 
Saltwater species= saltwater license 
Simple as that BW and Esc. Both have salt and freshwater species, I'd recommend both... Cya


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## FishWalton (Jul 22, 2010)

On the license issue previous posts are correct about which license and the kind of fish, etc. Last winter I contacted FWC in Panama City with a similar question for a snowbird friend from Kansas. We were fishing lower Choctawhatchee River for primarily crappie and bass. Specks and reds were hitting the same lures. He caught several. FWC said that's OK so long as he did not keep specks and reds. Only had freshwater license. 

This year he will get both so he's covered no matter what.


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## in the boat (Mar 5, 2010)

I would go along with what tips, and fishwalton said on the license issue. As far as good spots to fish, you've already looked at a satellite map to give you a heads up on any channels to fish in. I've caught bass using the same lures I've caught reds and specks with. In the end it's all about preference when it comes to lures.


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## grumpy old man (Dec 20, 2009)

both systems are great, just fish slow retrieve. i won the harry ordon speckled trout tournament in 1968, with a seven pounder i caught about five miles above the bridge over blackwater in milton, green stingray grub fished sloooow.


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## SurfRidr (Apr 24, 2012)

Sounds good. Thanks for the advice and the clarification. I am a bass fisherman from way way back, so I like the idea of potential for a few largemouth thrown in to the day. I don't keep bass anyway, so keeping isn't an issue there.

I checked and I actually bought a combo license back in April when we were down there for Spring, but my wife's license was salt only. I guess if we are targeting specks and reds, and we're not keeping any freshwater fish anyway, we'd be covered. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a geographical distinction so that if I push up into the river a little I don't have to worry about crossing some line. 

I'll keep trolling the boards to see what they're doing a little closer to our trip; really looking forward to it. Thanks all! :thumbup:


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