A unique website dedicated to fishing information from Florida's Northern Big Bend. This includes the area from the Econfina River west to the Apalachicola River
A week is a long time. Is no one fishing / catching?
My latest trip wasn't really post worthy but since there's been no reports in almost a week..
I managed two red fish, (one over and one under slot), 67 trout (2 legal biggest 18") and I think half a million ladyfish and baby croakers a couple days ago in Panama City. The over slot red fish was a strange catch for me... caught on about a 6" trout I had hooked and was planing back to the boat on top of the water when the red jumped completely out of the water and engulfed the trout. Never had that happen before. The water over here is still the color of dark coffee and it's hotter than you know where but it beats sitting on the couch.
I went out yesterday, inshore was a total bust. Nothing but catfish and ladyfish hitting baits. However, the water was calm, and managed to grab 2 Spanish out near Dog Ballard as they were chasing schools of bait. Lots of porpoises around though, and the bottom fishing seemed to be non-existent. I'm assuming the porpoise scared everything back into their crevices.
My guess is the few people that are finding fish are not willing to give up such valuable information right now. I will say that water quality is still pretty much terrible from yates creek all the way up to the Aucilla river (Don't get much west of there so i can't speak for St. Marks). Tough fishing within a few hundred yards of the grass line. I don't spend much time drifting the deeper water so i can't speak to that. I do know that if you can find some cleaner water you will find fish more consistently right now. I've been fishing out of Keaton Beach the last month and been pretty successful.
Saturday story for another day, but to sum it up, no fish and lost the plug out of my boat. Fortunately I was still stubbornly fishing the Rock Garden so not too much harm. Cant believe the hard plastic external screw in plug worked itself loose, but I tightened it as always before leaving home.
On a brighter note, went to the beach at SGI yesterday. The water was crystal clear and no grass, maybe never seen it prettier there. Has to be a hopeful sign.
