Fast and Fun Fishing in South Walton

Another blowy spring day at the beach so I'm able to sit at the desk and type up a fishing report. The weatherman had predicted winds at 5 to 10 and seas at 1 to 2 this morning. Of course this is from the same group (NOAA) that says there are no Red Snappers-- at least they predicted that it would be dark last night right....
 
While we have returned to a more normal weather pattern for Spring the past 2 weeks after a long run of calm we still get the great days in between the blustery ones. I have had the pleasure of taking locals and visitors out for some really fun days. Yesterday morning turned into just as pretty a time to be on the water as you would want and the couple I took had a blast, catching and releasing some great Snappers and Black Groupers and coming to the beach with a few pretty big keepers as well.

Big Fish for once a year anglers!
 
Having some Kings around sure makes my life a lot easier. It sure is nice to be able to get a couple big bites right of the bat just a couple miles from the truck.

A full board and big smiles.
 
These folks braved a an almost sure chance of getting rained on for a fantastic morning of fishing. We were able to stay just out of the rain to fill the box. It didn't come down till I had to clean fish and the boat!

Fish Fry's for months!
 
These guys made a 3 hr afternoon trip into a great photo opp-

A pair of 20# Kings will make anybody smile
 

Hard not to have fun when the fish bite !
 

The cobia are still sparse but the Pompano have been doing pretty good for the shorebound angler. My client yesterday morning asked me to clean one he had caught off the beach the day before, commenting that he fished all day and only had the one. I said sure, I'll just do it with your other fish-- he then pulls out a 19" Pomp well over 4# ! A tournament winner for sure and well worth being the "only fish of the day". Ya gotta be entered in the tournament to weigh 'em in though........
 

The trout and Redfish are doing well on the flats also. I went out with a neighbor kayak fishing in the bayou last week on a "surf" day and we had a big time. I got my 2 redfish at 21 & 24" and a Speck that was 28". Biggest Trout I have caught from Choctawhatchee Bay in years. He had a Red that was not only fat but at 27 3/4" was as big a fish as you can keep to show off !
 
It's Spring, the waters warming, the fish are biting, just find a spot out of the wind and go catch something!