Tying up some crabs, shrimp, deceivers and clousers. Should I need anything more than that? Mostly going to piddle from the beach an hour or so at a time. If it looks like I’ll have time, I may hire a guide. Looks like there’s a guide in Pensacola who likes to fly fish. This is my first time fishing salt. Any recommendations?
Howdy PigsEye,
Welcome to the FAOL…if your gonna be down by Miami I recommend the BONEFISH Whisperer… just google him and its there.
If not contact me and I’ll get you his number etc., Have fun whatever you decide…just watch out for the gators …seriously.
I grew up in the Perdido Key area. Just go down to the Gulf Islands National Seashore on the eastern end of the island. Drive down the road until you see a good looking area on the inshore side and wade out until you can cast into 3’+ of water and you’ll catch redfish, speckled trout and flounder. Target areas with grass and sand holes. the biggest trout like to lay right outside of a sand hole and ambush unsuspecting prey that wander into the open. I’ve spent countless days fishing this area and there were very few times I did’t catch fish. I’ve even caught a few grouper in the 12 to 16" range along this stretch along with some black (mangrove) snapper. A good starting point is to drive all the way to the end of the road and then walk directly down to the water. There’s a big sandbar there that goes off to the east, and I used to fish the western edge of it all the way out to the end. I was fishing with finger mullet one day and right as I stepped into the water (it gets deep right off the bank if you aren’t on the sandbar.) I pitched one into the hole there and immediatly hooked up with a jack cravalle that peeled 150 yards of line off my reel before I clamped down and broke him off. I’m sure I was headed for a complete spooling. There are also spanish mackeral around this time of year, so expect a couple of cut offs. Have some 17# seven strand handy if they get too aggressive. Use a 6" piece as a bite tippet. You can tie it basically like heavy mono when you use the 12 or 17#. Man I wish I was going with you! I won’t be back down there until Christmas. NO wading by then, but there’ll still be plenty of fish to catch.
Thanks y’all.
used to fish the gulf shores area this time of year. in the evening the spanish and skip jack would heard the bait to the beach, try a surf candy, size 4 or 6 and strip it as fast as you can. if you can find yourself a good school of skip jack you will have a ball, they are like miniture tarpon.
good luck
See if you can get with Tom Springer in Gulf Shores (Pensacola). He’s a friend, guide, and FFF Master-caster.
Springer is also the origionator of the “Springer Spoon”, which Tom developed because he wanted to consitantly catch fish in this area… He’s a great guy!
Bowfin47
PS
Hello Don!
Kyle