# Visiting Sandestin for a few days, could use some advice? Hogtown Bayou?



## wizardfishin (May 7, 2014)

Hey guys, Thanks for all the reports and info you share on here. Its been helpful to read in preparation for my trip. Me and my buddy are coming down from sunday the 11th til wednesday or thursday. We're thinking about doing some surf fishing for pompano or reds, kayak fishing in the bay for some trout, or hitting the okaloosa island pier for the same fish plus some spanish or kings. 

My friend and I are both pretty inexperienced when it comes to saltwater fishing. What do yall think would be the most productive for some relative beginners?

We will be staying close to hogtown bayou and i'm thinking about putting the yak in there and fishing around some of the docks one morning or evening. Any advice for me? 

Thanks


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## Salt Lines (Apr 4, 2013)

I live near there. Surf fishing can be pretty relaxed and not too involved, bay fishing is more involved. For surf fishing put pieces (1/2-1 medium sized) of shrimp on a double dropper rig (a leader with two hooks and a clip at the bottom, they sell them as pompano rigs at any bait store). Clip on a 2-3 oz pyramid weight. Cast this into the deep area between the sandbars, you can tell the deep area b/c the water is darker in color. You will need a rod holder, use a piece of pvc pipe. Then you just let your rod sit. This will catch pompano, reds, black drum, hardtails... You can also use live sandfleas, but catching them requires a rake. I like to have a casting rod with a spoon on it so if i see commotion or baitfish I can cast, catch lots of spanish that way

For bay fishing, look at google earth images to find the flats. The one I usually steer people toward is in destin, at the southern end of the mid bay bridge. To the east there is a large flat and channel where a small bayou cuts in. Wade or kayak fish this area. You park behind legendary marine (the big whaling wall). 
Hogtown bayou holds fish, i just dont know where to put in right near there. 
If you really want to catch some fish, go to the jetties in destin (the pier is also good), everything is around there. From that parking area (just west of destin bridge) you can paddle under the destin bridge and access crab islans and the flats to the west. There are pompano and sheepshead and reds by the bridge pilings. Reds and trout on the flats. Spanish can be any of those places.


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## wizardfishin (May 7, 2014)

Thanks for all the info, it is very helpful. I see the spot you are referring to near the bridge on Google Maps, that does look very promising.

What kind and sizes of spoons do you like to use in the surf or in the bay?

I keep seeing Crab Island mentioned, where exactly is this island?

Do the trout and reds hold along the edge of the grass on the flats this time of year, or on the edge of the flats themselves? Thanks


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## Bayfisher (Jun 7, 2013)

I'll throw my 2 cents in, crab island isn't really an island per se just where it gets really shallow before the destin bridge. I'm not sure if the trout are up on the flats by the coast guard station as I haven't gone out there yet, but the pompano on the beach are running. Use sand fleas before shrimp and if you use shrimp peel them a little. For Spanish off the jetties or pier use a silver gotcha, will produce toothy critters. Also cut lady fish work great for big bull reds.


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## tailfisher1979 (Jan 24, 2012)

The ramp at Hogtown you want to use is called Cessna Landing on Hwy 393 in Santa Rosa Beach. The problem is that the east end of the bay is almost completely fresh which will hurt the speck fishing but not the reds. If you want trout I would go further west in the bay, closer to the pass where there is more tide. Crab island can be a boat show sometimes so be careful around there.


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## wizardfishin (May 7, 2014)

Thanks for the help folks. I'm looking forward to trying to catch some pompano, i've never caught one in the surf before. We didn't plan to come down during the full moon but I sure am glad we are. 
Would you say that i'd stand a better chance of catching any kind of fish in the east bay area, or on the western side around the pass or bridge? 
What kind of rigs do you guys normally use to target trout and reds? I was planning on fishing live shrimp under a popping cork, and gulp shrimp on a jighead.


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