# Escambia Bay 8/15



## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

I launched the boat at about 1:00 pm and fished until about 3:30. I caught 4 reds that measured 25 to 26 inches each and one smaller fish that measured about 22 inches. All fish were caught in about 2 feet of water on a Slayer SSB in the golden brim color.


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## Mac1528 (Mar 24, 2012)

Some nice looking reds there. Thanks for sharing!


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## 60hertz (Oct 1, 2007)

Slobs!


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Very well done! How do you fish those slayers? I bought a few but just haven't had any luck. Thanks


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## Cory S. (Jun 26, 2015)

Nice! Not a terrible haul for a couple hours in the middle of the day.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Nice reds! First one is definitely stuffed. Thanks for the report, haven't been hearing much from that area. How was the water clarity?


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

chaps said:


> Very well done! How do you fish those slayers? I bought a few but just haven't had any luck. Thanks


twitch twitch stop - twitch twitch twitch stop - twitch stop

I vary the retrieve and I keep my rod tip down. This time of year I don't work it much differently than a mirrodine.


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

Jeffbro999 said:


> Nice reds! First one is definitely stuffed. Thanks for the report, haven't been hearing much from that area. How was the water clarity?



Water clarity is very good for this time of year. There are definitely better places to fish right now than Escambia, but the Glover ramp is only 5 minutes from my house.


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

Fished the falling tide, good results.
Those are some good tourney fish...what was the wt?


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## Desert Eagle (Apr 25, 2012)

Nice fish and nice Escambia Bay report.


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

barefoot said:


> Fished the falling tide, good results.
> Those are some good tourney fish...what was the wt?


I didn't weigh any of them but my guess is that all four of the upper slots would have weighed over 6 lbs and a couple of the fatter ones may have pushed 7lbs.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

dabutcher said:


> Water clarity is very good for this time of year. There are definitely better places to fish right now than Escambia, but the Glover ramp is only 5 minutes from my house.


Thanks for the response. Those reds are so lightly colored, figured it was pretty clear. Nothing wrong with Escambia bay, especially with fish like those. Used to have the same dilemma when I lived out there. Better fishing elsewhere, but Glover and the little ramp off Montecito were so close.


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## LIM-IT-OUT (Aug 26, 2014)

Your past 5 or so reports all have a trend, slayer ssb golden brim. Interesting, MR. Butch Mirrodine17 has a new fav. lure I pressume. Darn fine fish Butch its nice seeing you catch again. Tip my hat to you sir*


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

Jeffbro999 said:


> Thanks for the response. Those reds are so lightly colored, figured it was pretty clear. Nothing wrong with Escambia bay, especially with fish like those. Used to have the same dilemma when I lived out there. Better fishing elsewhere, but Glover and the little ramp off Montecito were so close.



Each of the last 3 summers Escambia has gotten a little worse. The redfish bite has held up but the trout bite has been terrible. You can still put some trout in the boat but it's not near as easy as it was a few years ago. 

Frankly, I just don't think there are many trout in Escambia north of Garcon Point right now. Prior to the Summer of 2013 I thought Escambia had more fish than any other local body of water. Catching thirty 2 to 4 lb trout in a morning was not uncommon. These things are usually cyclical and hopefully Escambia has some better summer trout bites in its future.


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## Desert Eagle (Apr 25, 2012)

I think many will agree that the same issues apply to BW Bay as well. And it seems that the fishery started to suffer about 3 years ago during early Spring with all the rain we had that year. There was a time that I only kept 18-20" Specs and released the 15-17"ers because the fish were so plentiful all the up to north of Pond Creek/Oyster Pile ramp. BW started to get hot this year at the on-set of Spring - but then, the showers came and the Specs left. I could still bring home a Red but that seems to be getting a bit difficult now. The Sail Cat continue to be plentiful and the Lady Fish still school in these warm waters. And I did witness a large school of HUGE Jack Cravelle feeding on baitfish this past Thursday morning. I miss my Specs...


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

chaps said:


> Very well done! How do you fish those slayers? I bought a few but just haven't had any luck. Thanks


I think the SSBs perform best on a stand-up jighead.


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## BlueWaterWarrior (May 28, 2015)

Great report and good tip on the 'stand up' jighead. 

I've missed seeing your reports. It's been so long, I thought you had quit fishing and taken up underwater basket weaving.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

dabutcher said:


> Each of the last 3 summers Escambia has gotten a little worse. The redfish bite has held up but the trout bite has been terrible. You can still put some trout in the boat but it's not near as easy as it was a few years ago.
> 
> Frankly, I just don't think there are many trout in Escambia north of Garcon Point right now. Prior to the Summer of 2013 I thought Escambia had more fish than any other local body of water. Catching thirty 2 to 4 lb trout in a morning was not uncommon. These things are usually cyclical and hopefully Escambia has some better summer trout bites in its future.


Thanks for the info, I know you have a lot of experience in that area. That trend is disturbing but as you said, hopefully it will rebound soon. At least the winter trout fishery is still really good all over the bay and rivers.


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

I went today for a couple hours after the rain stopped. I caught two that were in the 22-23 inch range and this pig. Hooked another really good fish that pulled loose.


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## billyb (Aug 22, 2012)

This report makes me want to switch back to inshore for a while instead of freshwater. I agree with Desert Eagle about Blackwater. It was 3 years ago when the mullet started to decline. Before that you could go and snatch 50 in a few hours and now it is tough to get a mess. I got 6 yesterday afternoon.


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## chaps (Aug 31, 2009)

Very nice catch again! I Went today with the 5 yo. The bay was pretty tore up when went around 4.


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

What are you doing to those redfish?
Blowing them up with air?

His head looks tiny compared to his shoulders n body.


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

The reds in Escambia are definitely eating well but the bites don't come easily. The few trout that I've caught lately in Escambia have been very fat as well.


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## Jeffbro999#2 (Feb 17, 2014)

Another nice trip. Good job Butcher. You are definitely on some fat ones.


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## fsu alex (Aug 3, 2011)

Did you happen to see or catch any big mullet? When and Where?


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

fsu alex said:


> Did you happen to see or catch any big mullet? When and Where?


Alex, you know I don't give up information on big mullet. However, I will share that I did hook one gigantic mullet yesterday. It ate a menhaden that I was floating under a balloon. I got two jumps out of the beast before it spit the hook.


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## fsu alex (Aug 3, 2011)

dabutcher said:


> Alex, you know I don't give up information on big mullet. However, I will share that I did hook one gigantic mullet yesterday. It ate a menhaden that I was floating under a balloon. I got two jumps out of the beast before it spit the hook.


Thanks, that's very useful! I always love your mullet reports!


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## barefoot (Nov 3, 2011)

dabutcher said:


> Alex, you know I don't give up information on big mullet. However, I will share that I did hook one gigantic mullet yesterday. It ate a menhaden that I was floating under a balloon. I got two jumps out of the beast before it spit the hook.


 Ok, I'm going to have to jump in here.

I've never had a mullet eat a menhaden under a balloon...they only eat LY's under balloons. You trying to lead us astray? :whistling:


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## dabutcher (Apr 19, 2008)

barefoot said:


> Ok, I'm going to have to jump in here.
> 
> I've never had a mullet eat a menhaden under a balloon...they only eat LY's under balloons. You trying to lead us astray? :whistling:



LY's will get you plenty of lower slot mullet. If you want to catch the giants (like the ones I've seen rolling at 3mb lately), then you will need to use a bigger bait.


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