the-weekly-fishing-report-11/25/2013

PANAMA CITY BEACH OFFSHORE

Grouper fishing has been pretty dependable, heavy weights to get past the Red snapper and larger live baits are the key to success for Gag grouper. Red grouper and Scamp won’t take larger baits so you have to size down accordingly. I say live baits because they seem to produce a strike from fish that are becoming a little lazy as the water cools down. Then again sometimes it takes fresh cut bait to turn them on so it’s always a good strategy to have both available. Flounder, Black sea bass, Bee liners and White snapper round out what you can expect from dragging bottom. It’s definitely worth planning a trip to one of the wrecks or reefs in State waters when weather permits. This coming week does not look good though, a lot of wind in our forecast. If you get a chance to go and you are just going out after Flounder, bring along both your lighter tackle and some heavier stuff too because you may hang into a school of jacks while trying for Flounder. There have been plenty of Amberjack and Trigger fish around, and they have been in places you wouldn’t normally find them like over a low lying wreck in seventy feet of water. Most of them are short but they can be fun for a little while, and you may even luck into a keeper. Not many if any Kings around, a few reports of some Black fin tuna out in Federal waters but not much else.

SURF

Fishing the surf has been pretty good lately. Pompano, Whiting, Redfish, Flounder, and even a few surprise Sheep head have all been seen coming up and over local beach walks. With the winds coming from a more northerly and or easterly direction, the surf has been flat for the most part. Cooler water temperatures have pretty much run Spanish and Blues off and with the weather we have coming you can figure they are headed south for warmer waters.

ST ANDREWS BAY SYSTEM

Cooler weather is just beginning to push the Speckled trout into their winter haunts. And with the weather we have coming that will only be reinforced. Creeks, canals and Bayous will become the places to be. Keep in mind they feed prior to fronts coming in, and get a little finicky after the front has moved through. If you are out there post front bring you’re A game as it will take a little more to elicit a strike than it would otherwise. Bull Reds are all about heading out to spawn offshore so all of the places that concentrate fish on that route are loaded with them like under the bigger bridges and of course in the pass. Your lower slot and “puppy” size Redfish that stay the winter in the bay seem to be moving into a little deeper water lately too, probably following whatever food source they can find. Try docks and grassy areas in eight feet or more. Speaking of bait, it has gotten pretty hard to locate anything to throw a cast net on. Bait traps are still working well though. Also I need to mention some Sheep head were picked up around local bridges along with Mangrove snapper and some hefty Black drum. See you on the water!