# Vacationing in Perdido Key, Florida



## Speck Tackler (May 12, 2010)

Wondering if any of y?all could offer any suggestions on fishing out of Perdido Key, Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> We are going to be staying for a few days and plan on bringing my yak along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> On Google it appears that I can launch by the cut where Bayou Saint John goes into the gulf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Not sure about the boat traffic in this area though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> I mainly fish with artificial lures but am not opposed to using BAIT if that is what is in order to catch fish. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">I have never fished out of my yak in Florida so am definitely looking forward to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> We will be down there the second week of June.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Thanks in advance.


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## ScullsMcNasty (Oct 4, 2007)

go to the bait store and get some frozen cigar minnows. get a spanish leader with a stinger and drift or troll early in the morning and you should catch some kings and spanish. bring a light tackle rod with a sibiki rig to catch some live bait if you see em while youre trolling. you can also bring another light tackle rod with a gotcha plug to catch some spanish if you see em bustin bait.. hope this helps. you could launch your yak at any public beach


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## whome (Oct 2, 2007)

I would go to Grande Lagoon State Park and Launch from there and fish the grass flats. Lots of Speckled Trout and Redfish in that area...Good Luck


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## Speck Tackler (May 12, 2010)

Catching a spanish mack does sound interesting.Actually it sounds down right fun. In order to get one to bite I am assuming you have to be moving (easy paddle). Do you have any preferred bait shops in the perdido key/orange beach that you can reccomend. I have a cast net but will look into buying a rig. May also buy me a small pump set up to set up a live well. Typically I usually just hand the bait bucket off the side of the yak in the water and pick it up when I am moving. 

Fishing the grass flats sounds much like we do back home although I am usually after reds. In the marsh around here I use a 1/4 oz Johnson weedless gold spoon for 99% of my reds. Soft plastic H&H sparkle beetles on a 1/4 oz lead head. Usually in advacodo or electric chicken. What type of bait would you reccomend for fishing the grass flats? 

Also do y'all use stringers when fishing off the beach. I typically do but am thinking it might not be such a keen idea when fishing in the clearer water of your area.


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## Pourman1 (Oct 4, 2007)

Inshore - I would Fish the sound side of Johnson's Beach , there is a public launch with plenty of Bait and grass beds / Oyster beds to drift over :letsparty ... always have a Gold Spoon for the Reds feeding on Bait schools , and I use a Popping Cork with live Shrimp for Trout primarily 

Offshore - get some King rigs (or make them) and use Cigar Minnows for bait ... get a Sabiki rig to catch live Cigs , and a light tackle rod with some Gotcha lures on it ... you can Fish all up and down the Beaches just past the 2nd sandbar for Kings and Spaniards ... wouldn't hurt to cast some Pompano jigs back into the "Cut" just inside the 2 sandbars too ... :toast


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## WhereYak? (Jun 25, 2009)

Johnson Beach has easy access to either the Gulf or the Intracoastal. The Gulf is wide open for kings, spanish, sharks, reds, pompano and many other species. A dead cigar minnow either slowly trolled or drifted under a float (I use baloons) will produce. A wire rig with a stinger hook will help with cutoffs.

If the Gulf is too rough or you want an inshore change of pace, the Intracoastal side has lots of flats and grass beds for trout, reds and some jacks. Topwater early and live shrimp under a popping cork are good producers for trout and reds. Reds will also readily take spoons.

There is a small charge to enter Johnson Beach, but it's worth it. One bad point is that Johnson Beach has a gate and doesn't open too early. If you're not concerned with being there at the crack of dawn then it's not a problem.

I don't use a stringer-too many toothy creatures to attract. I use a cooler bag for Gulf fishing and an ice chest for inshore.

Nearby in Perdido Key is Gray's Tackle. Well stocked, lots of advice and also sells live and dead bait.

If you have any specific questions, just let me know.

Good luck!


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## Speck Tackler (May 12, 2010)

Thanks for all the advice. I will definitely give Johnson Beach a try. Also will have to bring my bait bucket and give a call to Gray's Tackle. Never tried trolling but it sounds like it is the thing to do. Will be there for a week so I am definitely looking forward to wetting a hook in the mornings...............Tight Lines


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## ScullsMcNasty (Oct 4, 2007)

> *Speck Tackler (12/05/2010)*Catching a spanish mack does sound interesting.Actually it sounds down right fun. *In order to get one to bite I am assuming you have to be moving (easy paddle).* Do you have any preferred bait shops in the perdido key/orange beach that you can reccomend. I have a cast net but will look into buying a rig. May also buy me a small pump set up to set up a live well. Typically I usually just hand the bait bucket off the side of the yak in the water and pick it up when I am moving.
> 
> Fishing the grass flats sounds much like we do back home although I am usually after reds. In the marsh around here I use a 1/4 oz Johnson weedless gold spoon for 99% of my reds. Soft plastic H&H sparkle beetles on a 1/4 oz lead head. Usually in advacodo or electric chicken. What type of bait would you reccomend for fishing the grass flats?
> 
> Also do y'all use stringers when fishing off the beach. I typically do but am thinking it might not be such a keen idea when fishing in the clearer water of your area.


we caught this guy on saturday while drifting.. we just cut the motor off and cast out some dead cigs and let the wind/ current move us..










i was on a boat rather than a yak but i was easily within paddle distance to the beach..


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## Speck Tackler (May 12, 2010)

I think you could get a heck of a sleigh ride from that fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> 

Just mounted my depth finder and in need of mounting two flush rod holders behind my seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> 

<a href="http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/servlet/the-135/Flush-Mount-Rod-Holder/Detail">http://www.kayakfishingsupplies.com/servlet/the-135/Flush-Mount-Rod-Holder/Detail</a>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> Also will need to outfit a small icechest and build me a small cart to help move the yak around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">


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