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polo

Beach Comber
Jul 15, 2008
34
5
Anyone wetting a line and catching anything these days? If so, what and where? :D
 

John

Beach Fanatic
Dec 3, 2005
397
91
SoWal
It's On

Can't wait. Will be there next week John Farmer @ Yellowfin- Got Bait?
Yes, we have good size live shrimp and of course all kinds of frozen bait. Next week we'll have some live eels for cobia fishing. Things are heating up faster this year. Our customers are mostly catching bull reds and pompano. It's a little early for the big spring pompano migration. The ones being caught in the last few days are big and likely year-round residents here. Spanish mackeral have shown up, and a few cobia have been caught. Again, it's still early but fish are being caught on the beach.

In the bay, the trout and redfish bite have been strong. We're also seeing some sheepshead.

Be sure to note our new location at 30 Herons Watch Way, near the Old Florida Fish House and the Eastern Lake bridge. We look forward to seeing you.
 

CampCreekLou

Beach Lover
Feb 25, 2005
214
33
Yes, we have good size live shrimp and of course all kinds of frozen bait. Next week we'll have some live eels for cobia fishing. Things are heating up faster this year. Our customers are mostly catching bull reds and pompano. .....

John,

What is a 'bull red' (as opposed to a redfish\red drum) ?
 

John

Beach Fanatic
Dec 3, 2005
397
91
SoWal
What is a "bull" red?

John,

What is a 'bull red' (as opposed to a redfish\red drum) ?

When they speak of a "bull" red, it's a reference to a redfish\red drum well over the legal limit of 27-inches. It is common to catch redfish from the surf that measure over a yardstick in length. These fish are the breeding stock for the species, and some are well over 20-years old. That's why we're required to release them. Of course, we all have seen folks unlawfully keep this big fish for consumption. The irony is that the meat from these giants is very fatty and coarse, and often full of parasites. For eating, most people agree that the best size is around 22-inches or so. The current limit is one per angler per day, so for a lot of people this is a catch-and-release species.

Redfish are not historically known as a delicacy. However, this once "trash fish" was suddenly in high demand in the 1980's. The "blackened redfish" craze created such a demand for redfish that they were almost harvested to extinction. Thankfully, with good management practices, the redfish population is now on the rebound.
 

John

Beach Fanatic
Dec 3, 2005
397
91
SoWal
Current regulations for keeping a redfish:
Minimum 18-iches
Maximum 27-inches
One per angler per day

There is a possibility that the FWC will change the rules to allow the harvest of two-fish per day. Keep up with the latest regulations at www. myfwc.com
 

John

Beach Fanatic
Dec 3, 2005
397
91
SoWal
Update: Saturday's catch

They're here. The water temp rose today to over 70-degrees, and the fish were on at the beach. Pompano, big redfish, and spanish mackerel were the big news today.

Check out this chart from NOAA. We have a link to this data on our website.
 

polo

Beach Comber
Jul 15, 2008
34
5
Spanish Mackerel

Caught my first-ever Spanish mackerel yesterday which fulfils my dream to catch both a pompano and a Spanish mackerel, two fish my dad never caught when I lived in this area as a kid. OK, I also caught my my first redfish (red drum), too, but dad never kept any if he ever caught them because in those days the red drum was considered a trash fish.

All that said, I have a few more questions:
1. What are folks using to catch Spanish mackerel off the beach?
2. I've only heard of Spanish mackerel being caught in Choctawhatchee Bay off the Shalimar bridge. That's a long drive for me since I live near the east end of the bay. Can anyone tell me where else Spanish mackerel can be found in the bay without the need for a boat?
3. Can anyone give us an update on the pompano fishing off the beach in south Walton county?

Thanks in advance.
 

grace

Beach Fanatic
Jul 19, 2007
502
56
here & now
I went out yesterday and caught several trigger, snapper (red, black and mingo), red grouper and scamp. We were looking for cobia. Didn't see a single one though
:sosad:
 
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