# First time fishing NW Florida



## flyfish201 (Nov 24, 2015)

I'm new to this forum and have appreciated insights gained from others' posts. I will be camping at Gulf Shores late March-early April. I will have a 14' canoe with electric motor and 8 wt. rods. Tied some flies based on ideas gained here and on the web. Any suggestions about where to fish, how to fish, etc. in the Pensacola Bay area would be much appreciated. Thanks.


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## flydoc (Dec 14, 2012)

Perfect setup for Little Lagoon at nite -- Hit the dock lites either side of the cut southshore. Small white streamers cast outside the lites and stripper thru for reds and big trouts.

Keep movin from lite to lite lookin for surface pops. Use stealth cause they'll spook in the shallow water and ease the anchor down. GL


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## Dunt (Aug 14, 2015)

flydoc said:


> Perfect setup for Little Lagoon at nite -- Hit the dock lites either side of the cut southshore. Small white streamers cast outside the lites and stripper thru for reds and big trouts.
> 
> Keep movin from lite to lite lookin for surface pops. Use stealth cause they'll spook in the shallow water and ease the anchor down. GL


Don't cast directly into the light if you are searching for big mommas. They tend to hang outside the "ring" in the dark. Once you've hooked one or two, let that light rest and move on to the next one.


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## flyfisher (May 31, 2008)

That's good advice.

Here's some other things to think about. Moving water is almost always an advantage. If you have two lights...one with tide moving and the other without it...take the one with the current.

Also, sometimes you see trout (and reds) cruising under the light and busting bait. Those are easy. However, just because you don't see fish that doesn't mean there's none there. It might just be they are deeper. Slow down your retrieve, go to a sinking fly or to a sink-tip etc. depending on the current so you can fish deeper in the water column.

Don't be afraid to spend a little extra for flouro for your tippet. It can make a difference in heavily fished lights.

When you know there are fish there but you're not getting strikes, I always go a little smaller (and more sparsely tied) fly. My experience is it's better to go down a size if you're getting refusals.

Hope this helps.


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## flyfish201 (Nov 24, 2015)

Thanks gents for the advice. Can anyone suggest similar places closer to Fort Pickens? My Google Earth searches suggest there are piers in that area, but don't know about lights. Any reason to think that long stretch of water from Gulf Breeze (Santa Rosa Sound) and Destin would be good fishing from a canoe?


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## flyfish201 (Nov 24, 2015)

Hi Flyfisher, Thanks for sharing so much information. If you would be willing, I have a couple more questions. Can you offer any guidance about fishing between Gulf Breeze and Santa Rosa Sound down towards Destin? We are camping at Fort Pickens, so spots in that area would be most convenient. My search suggested Little Lagoon is perhaps actually in Alabama. Night fishing around lights seems to be popular. Does that apply to most any pier or structure with nearby lights? I fish for stripers here in Maine and current and structure are bywords here as well. Any comments will be much appreciated. Thanks.


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## flyfisher (May 31, 2008)

I wish I knew more about that area over there. We're actually in Fairhope, AL so that Destin area is a couple of hours for me. We have fish under the lights here in Mobile Bay and in the rivers that flow into Weeks Bay (Magnolia and Fish). Further east, you can find them at Ono Island and there are lights just west of Grand Lagoon on the IC. PM me and I can help you with ramps.

I can tell you there are trout over near Destin under the lights. I used to travel that area for business. I usually stayed at a place that was on the water (forget the name now) and had a dock with lights. I'd take my 7wt and catch trout at night...sure was more fun than sitting in the room. I hooked a couple that I never stopped. They ran up under the pier and there wasn't much I could do w/o a boat.

Anyway, I don't know those lights over by Destin but I do know there's at least one with fish under it.


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## testoner (Oct 18, 2014)

flyfish201 said:


> Hi Flyfisher, Thanks for sharing so much information. If you would be willing, I have a couple more questions. Can you offer any guidance about fishing between Gulf Breeze and Santa Rosa Sound down towards Destin? We are camping at Fort Pickens, so spots in that area would be most convenient. My search suggested Little Lagoon is perhaps actually in Alabama. Night fishing around lights seems to be popular. Does that apply to most any pier or structure with nearby lights? I fish for stripers here in Maine and current and structure are bywords here as well. Any comments will be much appreciated. Thanks.


What are your dates that you will be here? I live in Navarre, in between Fort Walton/Destin and Pensacola. I would be happy to go out with you while you are here on the Santa Rosa Sound.


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## flyfish201 (Nov 24, 2015)

We arrive 3/24. Testoner - I sent you a private message.


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