How long will it take for the water to be good?

[starfish]

Dear Choctawhatchee Bay experts:

So I just hit Ft. Walton Beach yesterday for our annual week long family vacation. I always bring my Ultimate 12 Kayak and 8wt and bay fish (Haven't caught a darn thing in almost 10 years but it doesn't stop me from trying!).

Anyway, Hurricane Nate has of course messed that all up and the ocean is angry.

So when will the seas calm down so I can hit the bay? What's the expectation with a storm like this? In 10 years of coming down here we've never had this kind of weather so I have no idea what to expect. Is this week a complete bust?

Jeff

[caibill]

Jeff,

The bay at Rocky Bayou is up 3-4 feet and is darkly off color. It’s also dangerously full of debris due to docks coming apart from the flooding. I’d be very careful in a boat for awhile.

It could be that fishing would be OK there - haven't been out. Try the grass beds in front of Lulu's Restaurant just east of the Mid-bay Bridge and from there north and straight accross to some grass beds on the north shore just east of the bridge.

Closer to FWB, the water at Garnier's Bayou is not so dirty, but it's up 4-6 inches. Don't have a fishing report from there yet, but I'd try the grass beds in front of the Coast Guard Station, and then in the deep channel just east of Crab Island.

Good Luck!

Regards,

Bill Streitz
Panhandle Flyfishers of Destin

[starfish]

Jeff,

The bay at Rocky Bayou is up 3-4 feet and is darkly off color. It?s also dangerously full of debris due to docks coming apart from the flooding. I?d be very careful in a boat for awhile.

It could be that fishing would be OK there - haven't been out. Try the grass beds in front of Lulu's Restaurant just east of the Mid-bay Bridge and from there north and straight accross to some grass beds on the north shore just east of the bridge.

Closer to FWB, the water at Garnier's Bayou is not so dirty, but it's up 4-6 inches. Don't have a fishing report from there yet, but I'd try the grass beds in front of the Coast Guard Station, and then in the deep channel just east of Crab Island.

Good Luck!

Regards,

Bill Streitz
Panhandle Flyfishers of Destin

Hey Bill, thanks for the insight...

So if you don't care, a couple of questions: I have fished in front of the coast guard station before, so I'll definitely try there - I'm staying on Okaloosa Island so that's close and easy access.

I have always thrown a WF Floating line and had hit or miss results. This year I have a new to me Streamer Express for my 8wt as well that I can use. Should I stick with the floating or should I be using the streamer express to get the fly down? Sorry I'm a freshwater trout guy so this isn't my wheelhouse at all. It seems every year I spend hours blindly casting into grassy areas and getting out of the Kayak and wading in shallow areas. I will occasionally catch a random flounder, but that's really it. One year I went to Little Lagoon in Gulf Shores and got into some sea trout right at dusk, but the catching window was only about 20 minutes long.

Should I be sight fishing and only casting to fish I can see? I have never seen a tailing redfish in Choctawhatchee flats, so I'm not sure if I'm just fishing at the wrong time of day or what (freshwater trout seem to feed all day), and I have no earthly idea how to use a tide chart to my angling advantage either.

That said, I'm fine to just prospect all day long. I'm about the fishing and casting as much as I am the catching, so either way I'm going to have a good time.

I appreciate any perspective you can give.

Jeff

[caibill]

Jeff,

Give me a call - 850-240-6270

Regards, Bill

[starfish]

So, fishing conditions on the gulf today were...

Windy...



I swear the Gulf hates me. The only thing I can apparently catch is the back of my hand.

[caibill]

OUCH!

Will call you tonight.

Regards, Bill