After fishing the last six days in a row, I can tell you for sure, the BIG female Speckled Trout are on the move. With the Gulf being cranked up from all the southwest winds, I’ve had to rely on old faithful to deal her hand at paying the bills. The inshore fishing is off the hook; let me run down the different species of fish that I’ve caught in Santa Rosa Sound and Pensacola Bay; lots of Speckled Trout (over 100 in the last six days with eight over five pounds), lots of slot sized Red Fish (not 100 but probably close), Flounder, Spanish Mackerel, Red Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Gag Grouper, Sharks, Jack Crevalle, Sheepshead, Ladyfish (AKA, Skipjack) and several Stingrays and more that I’m sure I’ve forgotten about, but I think that’s the most of them. Man what a mixed bag of fish, and they are all fun to catch on light tackle. I had Kim and Jeremy from Murfreesboro Tenn. last Thursday; they drove over from Miramar Beach for their first experience at saltwater fishing. Let me tell you, they didn’t go home disappointed. I get the biggest thrill out of taking first timers saltwater fishing, we had a blast!! Then yesterday I had my pastor Rev. Byron Brown and his family for their first experience at saltwater fishing, and an experience it was!! The Speckled Trout fishing was off a little but the Red Fishing was on! We caught over twenty slot sized fish and on the light ten pound outfits, well I wish I had my video camera; I had one of my best trips ever!! The Speckled Trout are still not on the artificial baits yet so don’t waste much time trying, a few fish were caught early in the morning on top water plugs but 99% were caught on live shrimp and all the Red Fish were caught on live shrimp. So what does that tell you, GET SOME LIVE SHRIMP! The shrimp hatch is strong right now and that’s their main diet, so feed them what they are eating and you’ll be much more successful.
The bait is plentiful around Pensacola Pass now and the King Mackerel are here, the Red Snapper bite in state waters is as strong as it gets. The weather for the first part of next week looks very conducive and I can’t wait to get out there and catch some of those fish.
I still have a few days left in May and June is starting to book up, so now’s the time to make your plans to get the day you want. I’m looking forward to a great summer of fishing and getting to see my guest having a fishing experience that last a life time!
Wishing you, the most important persons in all our lives, our mothers; Happy Mother’s Day!!!
Next to prayer, fishing is the most personal relationship of man!