# Pensacola general area fly-fishing?



## gergs

Hi there! I'm down here from northeast ohio for a couple of weeks and will be staying in the Pensacola area for work. Back home I regularly chase Steelhead in steelhead alley; anyone ever heard of it? 

anyways, I'm really looking to get some fishing in and brought with me my 10'6" 6/7wt switch rod with large arbor reel and floating line. 

I saw a post around thanksgiving about fly fishing the beach? can anyone give me any pointers of where to start, what I would be targeting, if the surf is conducive to fly-fishing, and what kind of flies to utilize? 

I'm actually staying on Pensacola Beach but am willing to drive upwards of an hour or so to get into some fish. Any help would be very much appreciated? Also, any fly-shops or general fishing shops that would have some info would be great!!!! THANKS!!

Jeremy


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## a

*beach flyfishing*

Theres a tackle shop back across the bridge next to the waffle house in Gulf Breeze. They have a little bit of flyfishing equipment, and plenty of local info. 
Unfortunatly, the water on the gulf side is getting a little chilly. Id say bull redfish in the 8#-25#range, just off the beach would be your best shot, even if you are undergunned a little. A spoon fly, or any submerged streamer(minnow imitation) will work. 20lb tippet, knotted to 6"-8" of 30lb mono shock tippet will survive the fight with your lighter rod. Its more of a hunting game, look for birds diving on larger schools, with smaller groups and singles migrating west. Id walk downwind with the sun at my back...until i found some. I think your longer rod will be an advantage backcasting over the beach behind you...... take something to drink, and enjoy the walk. Good luck!


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## 60hertz

http://www.gulfbreezeguideservice.com


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## gergs

A, thank you so much for your response. I'll definitely check out that shop. I actually have my breathables with me so being chilly won't be an issue. Do people frown upon us sissies that wear waders and don't wet wade? It sounds like my 6/7 wt will be a bit undergunned but that's ok as I'm just looking to hook into something and don't mind losing it. I'm 100% c&r. 

When fishing the minnow patterns, is it ok that I'll be running floating line? Should I run a longer leader and really let the fly sink to the bottom before stripping?

Again, thanks for the info; I'm new to this ocean fly fishing .

Jeremy


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## testoner

Jeremy,

Definitely wear your waders, the water is in the high 50 to low 60s, so you will be much more comfortable. You will find not many people wading, so you will likely have the water to yourself for shore fishing.

You can hit the ocean side and may get into some Reds and some other fish. The last post had some great info on that. I would also recommend fishing the sound. Your 6/7 will be fine there. You will find the fishing similar to streamer fishing for trout/salmon. There is plenty of access on the Santa Rosa Sound between Pensacola and Navarre on the south side of the sound. There is lots of access on the north side, but you have to know where it is. 

Look for structure, particularly grass beds. You may or may not see Reds in the water, but they will be there cruising for food. Trout will be there as well as the water warms up. For optimal fishing, hit the water when it is flowing. This activates the fish that inhabit the sound. Also, at this time of the year, the best fishing is when the sun has warmed the water in the shallows. Don't be fooled. There are some pretty big fish in that 1 1/2" of water. Even if they aren't big, Red fight well and are fun on a fly rod.

Go with a 12/16lb leader/tippet. The longer the leader in the shallow water, the batter, but you should be good with a 9'. While everyone told me salt water fishing was very different, I've found my trout fishing techniques are fully applicable here in terms of streamer type fishing, particularly at this time of the year. Look for transitions in underwater terrain. Also fish the edges of grass beds and "potholes". These are sand depressions in the grass beds where game fish hold to ambush prey.

This link will help with the tides. Pick the location nearest to you as this is for where I live down the road from Pensacola. There are fish when it doesn't show, but is pretty accurate forecasting the high points.

http://www.tides4fishing.com/us/florida-west-coast/navarre-beach


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## gergs

*today's lack of action...*

Hi guys; thanks so much for your response, I really appreciate it. After stopping at the Gulf Breeze tackle shop this morning next to the waffle house and picking up some clouser minnow patters, I proceeded to check out Fort Pickens. I drove all the way out to the point where the gulf meets the bay. I fished this area, primarily on the bay side away from the surf for approximately 3 hours... no luck. The surf was just a little too rough to try wading out and fly fishing. There were quite a few fisherman casting from shore, mostly on the bay side, and I didn't really see anything caught with the exception of a couple of small stingrays. Additionally, I know this method of fishing is almost more of a 'hunt' and cast situation... but I just didn't see any pelicans or any surface disturbances indicating the presence of fish at all. Maybe this was an off day and there just weren't any fish to be had? I tried 'blind casting' as far as I could reach from shore into the deeper dark water that started approximately 15 ft from the beach. Boy that drops off quick!! I also tried an area further to the east from the point from the main fishing pier at Fort Pickens... this area was more of a 'flat' type area where I could walk out over 100' and the water was still below my waist. Saw lots of grass type beds surrounded by sand and lots of jellys! are they dangerous? anyways, no fish seen here, no birds, no nothing. I was thinking of trying this area again in the morning. 

Do you guys think I would have better luck trying to get through the surf? or fishing the bay side? I don't care what I hook into, I'd just like to hook into something. 

I saw a flats boat with a couple of guys fly fishing from it as I drove through the gate to get to Fort Pickens so I felt like I was in a decent spot...just couldn't find any fish.


Jeremy


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## testoner

I would say to try the bay side. We will have a bit more wind today, but the Reds will be turned on due to the cold front that just passed. Tides are good. Sunday afternoon should be optimal in terms of water conditions. The winds will be a challenge today. Last I saw they were forecast to be at 10-15mph from the NE.


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## gergs

Well guys it finally came together!!! Hooked and landed my first red. She measured in at just under 28". No idea on the weight, does anyone have a guess? 

Due to the wind out of the northeast I was forced to fish the ocean side of fort Pickens today. The bay was just too rough and there was no casting into that wind. I suppose I could have tried the north side of the bay and fishing with the wind at my back but I don't know any access points. 

Anyways, the birds were feeding today and seine fisherman were out in full force! Any idea what they could have been after? 

after a few hours I finally identified some fish through the water. Three reds!! They were only about 30' away and never saw me. They weren't necessarily swimming in the same direction so I had to single one out and lead it with the streamer. No dice. I thought I missed my chance for the day. 

About 5 mins later, I saw a school of about ten swimming together! I threw the fly ahead of them and it seemed like as soon as it hit the water it was eaten; I didn't even have a chance to strip it once!! All I can say is WOW!! What a ride on my 6/7 wt. By far it was the biggest fish and longest fight of my life at around 20 minutes! It's definitely a fish that I'll never forget. I was very worried that she was going to snap my rod. I was running a 30lb leader with a 20lb tippet. She took me into my backing 5 different times.

Met some very nice surf fisherman today who helped me get a picture. They also ended up catching 3 really nice reds. And another gentleman from Illinois caught a monster! I've also included that pic.

Anyways I just wanted to thank everyone for their input and help! What a great site! Back to work in mobile tomorrow but I'll be back here on Friday to get back at it!!

Jeremy


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## wtbfishin

Very cool Jeremy ALLRIGHT:thumbsup: That is an awesome a fish :yes:!!!


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## gergs

is this a common skin disease for the reds that appears on my fish? We see this a lot back home on our walleye and perch. They are entirely safe to eat but it's just some kind of fungus or something.


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## wtbfishin

gergs said:


> is this a common skin disease for the reds that appears on my fish? We see this a lot back home on our walleye and perch. They are entirely safe to eat but it's just some kind of fungus or something.


Maybe someone will know, I have not seen it before, but today on the beach a young man I talked w/had caught a Red on a jig which I only saw from a distance. I got talking w/him and he said he'd caught a several nice Reds in the bay last week and they looked so much healthier than this fish today which he describe as looking beat-up hmm must of looked like this one.

Looks like the other fish caught on the surf rod is fine though?


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## Flyman1

Very nice...ocean side, north wind with a 6-7wt...I've had some of my favorite fishing right off the beach...you will get addicted to seeing the backing....way to go!


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## gergs

thanks guys! yeah, a couple of the other reds that the two other guys caught today also had some skin lesions on them. But this guys big boy looked clean as can be!!


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## gergs

thanks guys! yeah, a couple of the other reds that the two other guys caught today also had some skin lesions on them. But this guys big boy looked clean as can be!!


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## a

no doubt a battle on the 6 wt.....well done:thumbsup:


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