# navarre reef



## WAGDP25 (Jan 25, 2014)

hey guys, I frequent navarre a lot for kayak fishing. I do a lot of trolling but just curious if there is a fishing reef or some structure somewhere offshore accessible to kayak and if so about how far offshore? Just wanting to mix in some good bottom fishing for snapper and whatever else may be down there. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

Me and you are in the exact same position! I have watched hundreds of videos, read dozens of articles/forums, and spent countless hours searching and researching GPS coordinates. I've found some potential spots and also got some info from the guy I bought a pair of used hobies from. I've done a good bit of bottom dropping live bait from a center console 15-25 miles out, but I'm very curious to see if the same tactics work two miles out. I would love to get a group together to try to get some pointers. I'm not going to get to go as much as I want this year though cause I got a baby coming first week of May.


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

I'm also curious how much I need to downsize my gear from the center console days. I don't want to go out super over gunned or under gunned.


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

Any reef you find do a YouTube search for it and look for scuba diving videos. That'll give you a good idea of what you're working with down there.


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## andrewsa43 (Mar 1, 2015)

I've been kayak fishing for a year now and want to do a lot of BTB stuff this year. I red snapper from my yak is on my 2015 bucket list. But its all new to me too, so far I've been inshore. Id be game if a group wanted to try some new spots and learn together.


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

That's exactly what I was thinking Andrew. I tell ya what though buddy, if all you've done so far is inshore YOU ARE IN FOR A TREAT just going out front and trolling for kings. Maks were the crack that turned me into a yak addict! Being form Mississippi I didn't even know bottom fishing reefs and wrecks was a kayak option until the end of last summer! Now I'm obsessed with X-ing a kayak red snapper, grouper, or amberjack off my bucket list also! I'd be more than happy to share my very limited knowledge with anyone that wants to join me when I come down in June.


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## andrewsa43 (Mar 1, 2015)

Let's do it Eric. I live in Mobile and know that I can get to offshore stuff a lot easier in FL than here. I caught a jak from my yak last year on a 3000 sized reel and it was a blast. With offshore I won't go out alone so I'm definitely looking for some guys to go with.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

There's a reason you won't find coordinates for the reefs off Navarre. They are small reefs and a few guys can/will fish them out in a season. Best bet if you have some reefs...tell no one! If you want to take some one make sure they leave their GPS and cellphone in the truck because trust me, come the third week of snapper season you won't catch crap. 

I've been reef fishing between Navarre and Pensacola for awhile now from a yak. Guys ask me all of the time why I do well with the Big snapper and they don't. It's because very very few people know my good spots and I spread my trips out over several reefs. The reefs that everyone knows suck now. If you happen to find a good one and you want to keep it good, I suggest keeping it to yourself!

As for the reefs that everyone knows, I rape them the first few days of the season then move to my good stuff because they are going to be cleaned out in a matter of weeks anyway.


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

Wow JD, thanks for letting the wind outa my sail hahaha. I'm more concerned with catching an AJ than a snapper anyway.


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## andrewsa43 (Mar 1, 2015)

I'm not really looking to "rape" anywhere I fish. Just enjoy being on the water and learning new ways and places to fish. We'll find them somewhere!


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

andrewsa43 said:


> I'm not really looking to "rape" anywhere I fish. Just enjoy being on the water and learning new ways and places to fish. We'll find them somewhere!


dido


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## Blake R. (Mar 17, 2009)

Id say head over to Pensacola and fish 3 barges. Always some fish around.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Many new anglers do not understand that these small reefs hold just a few fish. They tell a buddy, than that buddy tells a buddy and so on and so on and before you know it, those fish are gone! Big public stuff holds more fish but get more pressure. Also, in all of the hundred and hundreds of trips I've done off Navarre I've never seen an AJ.


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

JD7.62 said:


> Many new anglers do not understand that these small reefs hold just a few fish. They tell a buddy, than that buddy tells a buddy and so on and so on and before you know it, those fish are gone! Big public stuff holds more fish but get more pressure. Also, in all of the hundred and hundreds of trips I've done off Navarre I've never seen an AJ.


I completely understand that concept.... welcome to lake fishing in small town, usa! I'm far from being a new angler, just new to kayak fishing near shore. Fishing in public is fishing in public no matter if it's freshwater or saltwater. This rings even truer when anglers "rape" descent fishing holes.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

I think you don't get the point I was making. I hit the more known reefs off Navarre hard the first few days, because by the second week or so nothing is left. Then I move to my other, less known reefs and spread out my fishing pressure on them. Because of this, I routinely put very, very nice red snapper in my and my clients coolers unlike the guys that take all of their buddies out to a little 6x6 reef, fish it all season and wonder why they cant catch many big ones...

Good fishing holes don't get "raped" common knowledge ones do and lucky for me I put in hundreds of miles of leg work to find those good holes. I didn't ask for anything, I worked for it and it has paid off BIG time!


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

Ah. I gotcha. I did take it the wrong way.


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## EricVF (Jan 15, 2015)

I also didn't realize you were a guide. If you're making money off of it I really see why you wouldn't wanna give handouts.


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## Cat St3v3ns (Oct 14, 2013)

Jason can you PM me so numbers?


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Josh....since you asked nicely.


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## GAjohn (May 23, 2012)

Keep your bottom machine on and keep an eye on it while trolling around out there. I've stumbled across a handful of spots that way the past couple trips I've gone out.


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

Guys - JD is exactly right for numbers off Navarre and really from Pensacola pier to FWB Pier, they are small and hold only a few good fish, that being said there are two or three locations that consistently hold respectable fish, not too many 15#+ fish but a bunch if 22"-26" fish. Those are public numbers that easy to find and easy to get too from a yak. 

A Great way to cut your teeth on fishing off shore in a kayak. Once you get your first 10-15 red snapper in then you'll get the .. "I wanna big one bug." And then you gotta put the leg work and time in. Just like JD and Blackjeep and Ginzu and others have... it comes fair.

I recommend you have a buddy or two that YOU TRUST to share a couple fishing holes with. If anybody bends that trust you write them off, they ain't worth their salt. 

OK, so off Destin they have two local areas, Sandflea and Urchin, both have about 35 double pyramids in each, there are some army tanks and a tugboat all within 2.5 miles of the beach. 

Here's the starting point: 
_June 21 2005 (Deployed by Okaloosa County)_ *Urchin Reef Depth - 52' to 63'* 10 Foot Prefabricated Concrete Towers  30.21.554N x 86.27.559W
30.21.617N x 86.27.619W
30.21.693N x 86.27.696W
30.21.627N x 86.27.873W
30.21.696N x 86.27.907W
30.21.775N x 86.27.962W
30.21.840N x 86.28.001W
30.21.805N x 86.27.857W
30.21.805N x 86.27.846W
30.21.815N x 86.27.845W
30.21.812N x 86.27.862W
30.22.027N x 86.27.918W
30.22.010N x 86.27.856W
30.21.942N x 86.27.780W
30.21.887N x 86.27.703W
30.21.814N x 86.27.582W
30.21.784N x 86.27.582W
30.21.722N x 86.27.513W
30.21.542N x 86.27.748W
30.21.546N x 86.28.025W
30.21.626N x 86.28.032W
30.21 725N x 86.28.035W
 30.21.856N x 86.27.933W
30.21.648N x 86.27.697W
30.22.013N x 86.27.901W
30.22.014N x 86.27.584W
30.21.937N x 86.27.529W
30.21.816N x 86.27.486W
30.22.028N x 86.27.725W_April 4 2006 (Deployed by City of Niceville & City of Valparaiso)_ *Sand Flea Complex Depth - 60'* "Florida Specials" concrete modules  30.22.039N x 86.26.699W
30.21.980N x 86.26.616W
30.21.984N x 86.26.426W
30.22.038N x 86.26.231W
30.22.004N x 86.26.013W
30.21.946N x 86.25.928W
30.21.815N x 86.25.931W
30.21.697N x 86.25.916W
30.21.644N x 86.26.004W
30.21.558N x 86.25.930W
30.21.478N x 86.26.018W
30.21.425N x 86.25.925W
30.21.408N x 86.26.195W
30.21.570N x 86.26.214W
30.21.468N x 86.26.402W
30.21.403N x 86.26.501W
30.21.394N x 86.26.677W
30.21.486N x 86.26.584W
30.21.564N x 86.26.682W
30.21.642N x 86.26.596W
30.21.633N x 86.26.414W
30.21.817N x 86.26.681W
30.21.810N x 86.26.510W
30.21.818N x 86.26.214W
30.21.816N x 86.26.218W
30.21.831N x 86.26.213W
30.21.831N x 86.26.211W

For fishing off a yak you could go wrong with gear but it's awful hard to go there. I saw where you said not too heavy and not too light.... well when you fish in 65' of water, the structure sits 8' high and your have 40' of line out.... well that 17# sow only needs to get 12' of line/stretch out of you, or pull your yak closer to the structure and game over, slack line.


The best advantage we have is being quiet and getting them up in the column and going light on the weight etc... all stuff you'll figure out. 












Tight Lines and welcome.
Stressless


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Well said Bob, well said. 

IF you put in the time and IF you are very careful, you will get on some good fish!


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## BigRed38 (May 5, 2009)

Some great insight and gentle leading in this thread. Take this and run with it fellas.


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## GAjohn (May 23, 2012)

My first non-guided bottom fishing trip was to the Sandflea complex. Lots of red snapper there and I imagine there is good trolling to be had once the water warms up.


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## Surfgod84 (Feb 1, 2015)

Awesome info guys, just what I've been looking for, this is my first season in the gulf so I wont be going out too far unless i can find some people to go with. I will mostly be launching out of Navarre and primarily trolling although I will be searching for some bottom spots. Hope to see some of you out there.


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Just a tip. In May and late September to mid October stay in 50ft or less. That's where the sails and dolphin like to hang out! You find reefs in 50ft+ from the pier up to two and half miles out and a mile in either direction there are about six reefs and those are the ones that get hit the hardest! You better find them early and fish them in the beginning of the season!


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## Stressless (Oct 2, 2007)

That 40'-50' / 8 Fathom curve he mentioned is where I've picked up 12 out of 13 Black fin tuna... off the Yak. Guess where I troll!

:thumbsup: - Have fun, bring comms for when the unexpected happens and let us know how you do out there, what you did to succeed and when it worked for you. Pass it on.

Best Regards,
Stressless


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