# Help! Need somewhere to fish!!



## Brenbrist12 (Jul 13, 2021)

First time down here in Pensacola and first time fly fishing the salt! Looking to catch a few fish during my stay and take some knowledge home with me. I have been trying my luck in the surf and haven’t had any hits or really seen anything! Looking for some calmer water and tight lines, any suggestions near Pensacola Beach?


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

Walk the grass flats on the sound side.
If you fish the surf, find the washout, aka rip tide areas.


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## Brenbrist12 (Jul 13, 2021)

BananaTom said:


> Walk the grass flats on the sound side.
> If you fish the surf, find the washout, aka rip tide areas.


Are the grass flats out by Ft Pickens? Sorry, not super familiar with the area. Where I’m staying I didn’t see any washouts, might need to walk down the beach.


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## Brenbrist12 (Jul 13, 2021)

Brenbrist12 said:


> Are the grass flats out by Ft Pickens? Sorry, not super familiar with the area. Where I’m staying I didn’t see any washouts, might need to walk down the beach.


Surf side or sound side of the beach? Thanks again!


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

The grass flats can be found every place. 
Go to Park West, the last parking lot before Pickens, park on the northside and wade out and walk west, and cast towards the deeper water.
The washouts are constantly moving on the GOM side


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## Kayakpicker (Jun 27, 2021)

Another area with nice grass flats is Gulf Island National Seashore/Naval Live Oaks. Several entrances, but you might use the main visitor center entrance, park there, take the path to the sound from there.


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## murfpcola (Aug 28, 2012)

I was going to suggest Naval Live Oaks also. I am not much of an inshore fisherman but I know folks fish there. Also I would assume it would be less crowded that somewhere on the beach.


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Pull up Google Earth and zoom down to the bay side of the island.









Those dark splotchy areas out in the water are grass beds. Over them you will catch speckled trout and redfish which are edible. You can also catch Ladyfish which are like miniature tarpon they put up a good fight and are good to use as cut bait.


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## BananaTom (Feb 16, 2008)

This what a washout looks like, for surf fishing


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## Fishing Dad (Jan 4, 2014)

I am always impressed at how helpful everyone is on ths forum


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## Kayakpicker (Jun 27, 2021)

@Play'N Hooky Too - thx for posting. I'm hitting Pensacola to fish with my Father-in-law next week. We usually hit NAS/Sherman's Cove and Live Oak (as I mentioned), but I'd like to give the bay area of the island you posted a shot. 

My concern is that in other parts of FL I go to, sometimes there are pretty strict rules on crossing sand/dunes outside of marked areas. Do you know whether there are any such restrictions (nesting areas, sea oats, dune rebuilds, etc.) within Fort Pickens which you highlighted or east of the populated beach areas on 399 that prevent you from parking in a gulf side lot, then heading across 399 and the island itself to get to the bay side and the grass beds? Any additional info/guidance you can provide is much appreciated.

Thank you.


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Within the Gulf Islands National Seashore you are pretty limited on where you can park. They have the nest areas roped off with signs telling you "Do Not Enter". In most cases, you can park on the Gulf side in the designated lots and walk across over to the sound side without encountering any nesting areas. If there are any, they usually have a corridor designated through the nesting areas, across from the lots for sound side access, although I haven't been out there in a while to confirm that they still do this. Once you are on the sound side you can roam up and down freely as long as you stay below the high tide line.


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## Kayakpicker (Jun 27, 2021)

Thank you very much - I appreciate you sharing your knowledge.


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Good luck.

Wear a cap/ hat. When you get close to the nesting areas the birds go into "Alfred Hitchcock" mode and have been known to pluck a few hairs.


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## 60hertz (Oct 1, 2007)

Here’s another recommendation-wade fish early in the AM from the jet ski ramp up to The Grand Marlin.

Consider wearing wade boots and definitely do the “sting ray shuffle.” 

I fished that area last week from the paddle board and had some success using a pink and chartreuse Clouser tied on a #2 long shank hook - caught several nice trout, then used a brown gurgler for a bit and missed a bull red.


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## Brenbrist12 (Jul 13, 2021)

60hertz said:


> Here’s another recommendation-wade fish early in the AM from the jet ski ramp up to The Grand Marlin.
> 
> Consider wearing wade boots and definitely do the “sting ray shuffle.”
> 
> ...


I’ll give that a shot tomorrow or this evening. Walked the grass beds around Ft Pickens this morning ( I think I got out there a little late ) and didn’t have any luck. Saw a few fish jumping and plenty of stingrays haha!


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Pay attention to the tides. The bite is usually best when the tide is moving in or out.









Tide times and charts for Warrington (2 Miles South Of), Florida (West Coast) and weather forecast for fishing in Warrington (2 Miles South Of) in 2023


Tide tables and solunar charts for Warrington (2 Miles South Of): high tides and low tides, surf reports, sun and moon rising and setting times, lunar phase, fish activity and weather conditions in Warrington (2 Miles South Of).




tides4fishing.com





It's the stingrays that you don't see that are the problem. Just move slow and drag your feet a little, they'll scoot out of your way.


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## Brenbrist12 (Jul 13, 2021)

Brenbrist12 said:


> First time down here in Pensacola and first time fly fishing the salt! Looking to catch a few fish during my stay and take some knowledge home with me. I have been trying my luck in the surf and haven’t had any hits or really seen anything! Looking for some calmer water and tight lines, any suggestions near Pensacola Beach?


Ended up getting on a school of lady fish this morning and landed my first ever saltwater fish on the fly! It was awesome! I’m used to Texas bass fishing but this was a whole new experience. Going to keep at it until the trip is over. Cannot thank you all for the helpful tips and insight. (Ever got them to take one of my hand tied flies as well)


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## Play'N Hooky Too (Sep 29, 2007)

Brenbrist12 said:


> Ended up getting on a school of lady fish this morning and landed my first ever saltwater fish on the fly! It was awesome! I’m used to Texas bass fishing but this was a whole new experience. Going to keep at it until the trip is over. Cannot thank you all for the helpful tips and insight. (Ever got them to take one of my hand tied flies as well)


 

You might want to also try it at night over the grass beds by the go-cart and wave-runner rental places on the east side just south of the toll booths .


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## Kayakpicker (Jun 27, 2021)

Got some a couple hours with my Father-in-law today on a grass flat that he says doesn’t get much pressure. Saw some redfish, some bait, no no takers of any kind on soft plastics. Heard some surface boils behind me, switched to a suspending twitchbait. It worked, my PB trout just under “23.









Couple puppy drum followed and 2 decent mangroves- first ones I’ve caught, they hit way bigger than their size. All on the twitch. Bite left with the water movement, breeze left and the noseeums came in so we called it.

Oh, And forgive the white Costas, my Smiths broke, hadda where something!


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## Flyfisher59 (Jan 14, 2019)

BananaTom said:


> Walk the grass flats on the sound side.
> If you fish the surf, find the washout, aka rip tide areas.


Do it at daybreak


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

well, damn. after 3 months we thought you had this down-pat. let us know.
jack


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