# Perdido Bay Fishing



## FHD (May 26, 2013)

New resident on Perdido Bay (still getting relocated) and wanted to find out what you've had success catching there in the bay and what baits you've been using. Also curious if anything will bite an artificial (top water?) lure? I'm on the Florida side toward the southern most portion of the bay and noticed on the depth charts that it doesn't get very deep throughout the entire bay. Still, I hear rumors (at the restaurants I've visited) of some pretty big fish in there. I have a small boat (not yet familiar with FLA boating regs) and a kayak and would love to get some input from the veterans out there on what has worked for you.

Thanks in advance!


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

I have fished the Perdido a "little" caught a few reds, specs, flounder, sting rays and a MILLION catfish. The upper end you can get Bass. Welcome to the area.


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## MGuns (Dec 31, 2007)

In and around Bayou Marcus, 11 Mile Creek and Perdido River I’ve caught bass, reds, trout, flounder, catfish and even pickerel back in the bayou. I usually use a chartreuse spinner bait, a white trick worm or a ¾ oz. silver spoon. There’s fish but sometimes they can be elusive and really make you work for them.


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## FHD (May 26, 2013)

Thanks for the great information guys! I'm assuming tides do not vary much from high to low in the bay and also assuming that (in the bay) incoming or outgoing tides are not a major factor for best fishing times. Any thoughts?


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## MGuns (Dec 31, 2007)

You definitely want moving water and usually dusk and dawn are the better times.


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## FHD (May 26, 2013)

MGuns said:


> ...usually dusk and dawn are the better times.


Thank you my friend! All the better for avoiding a sunburn!


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

during the other times, I have done well in the lower Perdido Bay with cut bait, reds and the like. fun stuff. Post a few reports!! Good luck!


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## FHD (May 26, 2013)

*Follow-up...*

Well, I finally got my wife and I moved in and got the kayak out on Perdido Bay to check out the fishing. I'm launching from the Innerarity Townhomes and have to paddle out several hundred yards just to get past the shallows. 

I have seen a lot of top water feeding and decided to try out two different top water plugs - with no success. (I wanted to try artificial baits before resorting to frozen or live shrimp or cut bait.) I pulled out a gotcha plug to see if there were any Spanish in the bay and was shocked to pull in a large Sail Cat. Since when do catfish hit a lure?!!!!! 

Maybe I'm confusing fresh water catfish with saltwater catfish, or maybe I just don't know as much about catfish as I thought. In three short trips out, I've caught 8 very large Sail Cats on that gotcha plug - and nothing else. I've read a lot of comments about people catching a lot of catfish out on the bay and it makes me wonder if the ecosystem can't support that many bottom feeders, such that they've resorted to chasing their dinner?  

I've got a skiff that needs a bit of work before I can launch it. I'm looking forward to seeing what else is out there when I get that in the water and can increase my range. I'm also thinking about launching my Kayak from one of the state parks to see if I can find a different variety of fish. 

Any thoughts?


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## speckledcroaker (Mar 23, 2012)

Wirelessly posted

sailcat tailmeat is good eatin


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## Gulflady (Jun 19, 2010)

It's been over 10 years ago, but I lived on the Lillian side of the bay. Besides the above already mentioned, some summer nights I could catch enough shrimp in the bait net for dinner. Also ran across a few alligator gars, they aren't edible but be careful with the teeth on those gars.


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## Pinfish Killer (Jun 14, 2010)

As was suggested before, try fishing at sunup or closer to sundown. Also some of those shallows you may be paddling through may contain some grass beds (when I was a kid we used to catch a lot of specks on Stingray grubs on those grass flats but don't know if they are still around). We do a lot of fishing in Soldiers Creek which is right across the bay from you, and we notice that when the tide slackens and the current slows to a crawl, we will begin to catch sail cats also. Keys are to have some moving water and find the bait if you are looking for specks and reds which are around that area. Outside of live bait, we use Gulps and a variety of topwaters. It may not be an option with a kayak but fishing around some of the lighted docks at night will also produce and keep you out of the daytime heat.


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## eym_sirius (Oct 17, 2007)

Sailcats feed in open water on small fish and shrimp. Gotcha plugs will catch just about anything that feeds on flashy minnows, so I'm not surprised to hear that sailcats will strike them. I've done really well on topwater, at night or early morning, with a fingermullet-looking topwater bait. I'd let the ripples settle for a minute, then "walk the dog" back. Sometimes they want a faster retrieve, sometimes a slower one. That works for both redfish and trout.


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