Forgotten Coast Fishing Report

Well folks, if you were able to get offshore between those bouts of high winds and rough seas, you’d have found the fishing, unlike the weather, has remained steady. In what seems like a repeat of last week, we’ve continued to see excellent hauls of vermillion snapper along with those big red grouper. Look for the red grouper at a depth of 100 to 115 feet, and be sure not to harvest them greater than 120 feet. The vermillion will be anywhere from 100 to 200 feet. We’ve started to see some nice black snapper showing up as well; look for them over wrecks at about 80 feet deep.

Another interesting thing going on in that 80 to 90-foot depth is folks catching nice doormat flounder; that must be where they are because I haven’t seen any monsters getting hooked in the bay recently. We hope you can get out there and get some good ones, but first and foremost be careful! NOAA has been showing seas 2 to 3 feet up to a whopping 6 to 8 feet.

I wish I could say inshore fishing has been spectacular. but every day can’t be a banner day. Have you ever asked someone a question over text messaging, and they reply, “meh?” That’s how I feel fishing has been. I feel like we’re in some sort of purgatory, just waiting for the good fish to be delivered to us. Don’t get me wrong, there are fish out there to catch, but you have to work for them. Walking the docks when the guide boats come in, I see a few heading to the cleaning tables while I also hear things like, “wish we could’ve got you folks some more fish.” That’s just the way it’s been. The water temperature is still just a bit too low. If we see it rise a few more degrees, then I think the better bait will come in followed by the better fish. I walked the sandbar under the bridge on one of these big low tides we’ve been having and just didn’t see any good bait. It’s coming though; don’t give up! In the meantime get down to the marina wall and get you some of those Spanish mackerel that came in. 

In freshwater, get out there and get some of the good crappie, as in the drawing, that have continued to bite the last few weeks. If there was ever a time to go for them it’s now. Bluewater Outriggers has live crappie minnows. You can stay a little more protected from this wind we’ve been having and get your freshwater on while you’re waiting for the bay to come back alive. 

Jeremiah Payne