# Escambia



## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

Needed to get out and breathe some fresh air so I went up the escambia this afternoon. Caught 6 bass and some bream. Biggest bass was 2 lbs. Sure was a nice beautiful day. Becks was flooded to the hilt. I have one question for those more familiar with escambia than I. Are there crappie in that river? If yes have you caught them throughout the river lets say between Smiths and Becks? Or just up the river past Becks? I dont need gps coordinates or locations. Just a yes or no on crappie being in that river. Thanks


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## Bbagwell (Mar 10, 2010)

Definitely crappie out there. Dont focus on them to much anymore, however, in years past we used to tear them up in Quintette Lake. Have caught a few in the spring on beetle spin's while bream fishing.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Yes...They are there but unfortunately they are far and between and it takes some real hunting and know how to find them on ol Escambia, iv seen some real nice stringers at some of these fish camp photos on the walls. and i would (assume) the further north you go the more there are..


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## The Barb (Jun 23, 2009)

Yes,Check out the tree tops in the big bends in the rivers,best where the river swirls around in a pocket,bend right after a point,some of the lakes have them,would def. fish up the river in the timber,stay out of the lower grass,mostly shellcrackers and brim down below,Good luck,Take minnows..I have even caught them on a cricket slashing,hunting brim...


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

CatHunter said:


> Yes...They are there but unfortunately they are far and between and it takes some real hunting and know how to find them on ol Escambia, iv seen some real nice stringers at some of these fish camp photos on the walls. and i would (assume) the further north you go the more there are..


 
If you dont mind me asking CatHunter But to just become more knowledgable, Why would you say that the farther north you go the more there might be? Also how far up from Becks is Quintette Lake? I tried going further up the river but it narrowed quite a bit wasnt sure if you could make it in a 18 ft boat.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Sounds like u may have been going up the wrong river and not the main river, there is a slew like branch the heads north from becks, you have to head south to get on to escambia river, The reason i say the further north you go the better they get is the further south you go the higher the salinity gets crappie don't like salt water watch this video maby it will help.. and to answer your question its about 5 miles to Quintette lake


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

That video is awesome, thanks.


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## tips n tails (Mar 2, 2011)

The Barb said:


> Yes,Check out the tree tops in the big bends in the rivers,best where the river swirls around in a pocket,bend right after a point,some of the lakes have them,would def. fish up the river in the timber,stay out of the lower grass,mostly shellcrackers and brim down below,Good luck,Take minnows..I have even caught them on a cricket slashing,hunting brim...


 
Thanks I ll keep all that in mind. When I when out I fished minnows all day in some flooded timber hoping for a bite didnt get nothing. Finally had enough and resorted to bass fishing. It always nice knowing if I cant catch nothing else I can always catch a few bass here and there. Im not too familiar with escambia so those submerged tree tops you talk about do those pop up on your fish finder in slews or main river? reason why I ask is I had alots of fish on my radar fished minnows at various depths without any results. Yes Cathunter your correct when I think back to it I took a left to head up to Becks I do believe. If anybody ever catches some crappie please post some pics so I can see what one looks like. I have a few friends up in Tensaw/delta that catch them on a regular basis was just trying to avoid driving any further than I had too.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Tensaw delta is a great place to fish


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## Bbagwell (Mar 10, 2010)

CatHunter said:


> Tensaw delta is a great place to fish


agreed.....


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## yakfisher (Mar 10, 2011)

was kayaking down the escambia yesterday and was wondering what s the best way to fish for catfish and wanted to know if anyone s ever hooked an alligator gar ???


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

iv caught dozens on escambia river


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## screwballl (Feb 1, 2011)

catfishing just needs stinky bait, usually old stinky chicken livers, gizzard and meat on a treble hook sitting on the bottom. Most places I have seen, the catfish start feeding when the sun hits the top edge of the trees before dusk.

Others have other methods but I found this works well on the lakes.


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

your right for pond channel catfishing, but for trophy bluecats and flatheads its a whole different ball game


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## Fish-n-Fur (Apr 2, 2009)

Cat hunter - great video, thanks!


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## pole squeezer (Oct 29, 2008)

Shrimp has always worked best for me for channels. live bait like bluegills, or shad for flatheads, cut shad for blues.


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## pcolapaddler (Sep 27, 2007)

My former boss used to catch a good number of crappie on Escambia. He's been fishing Escambia for probably 50 years or so. I have seen his cooler full; never so much as laid a hand on one my self.  

I would really like to catch some; I fish from a kayak, so I can't travel huge distances from the launch.


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## pole squeezer (Oct 29, 2008)

pcolapaddler said:


> My former boss used to catch a good number of crappie on Escambia. He's been fishing Escambia for probably 50 years or so. I have seen his cooler full; never so much as laid a hand on one my self.
> 
> I would really like to catch some; I fish from a kayak, so I can't travel huge distances from the launch.


 I wonder what it would be like trying to beat the hell outta a cottonmouth trying to get into a kayak on escambia? Some of those snakes are as big around as an arm.:whistling:


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## pcolapaddler (Sep 27, 2007)

Haven't seen a lot of snakes while in the kayak. Used to bank fish Quintette, Cotton Lake & other areas. Wasn't unusual to see snakes in the brush & grass on the bank. Got to where I would hit the grass in my path with my rod as I walked; might have scared the fish some but never stepped on a snake.


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## pole squeezer (Oct 29, 2008)

pcolapaddler said:


> Haven't seen a lot of snakes while in the kayak. Used to bank fish Quintette, Cotton Lake & other areas. Wasn't unusual to see snakes in the brush & grass on the bank. Got to where I would hit the grass in my path with my rod as I walked; might have scared the fish some but never stepped on a snake.


 Used to do the same thing when I creek fished down there, used to carry a beatin stick (shovel handle) and beat the brush if it was thick. There was one place called muskogee creek in cantonment off of muskogee rd, that was snake heaven, looked like a place in the Amazon with all the snakes, but the big goggle eyes, redbreast, and crappie were worth it. I wonder if that place is still there?


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

Lol speaking of snakes i left escambia river the other day after a good day of fishing when i walked up to get my truck i herd a loud rattling noise coming from the bed of my pick up when i looked back there it was a 4ft long eastern diamondback rattle snake crawling around, kinda gave me the willy s


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## pole squeezer (Oct 29, 2008)

Wow! How'd you get it out? Hope you didn't have to kill it. Did it drop in off a limb? or was it already there, but too cold to rattle in the early morning chill when you left home?


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## CatHunter (Dec 31, 2008)

it was in there when we got back from fishing i would assume it fell in from a tree since i pulled my truck under the trees, i got it out with a stick and let him go..


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