SoWal Fishing Report - Weekend Red Rallies

 The weather has gone into a more normal pattern for this time of year but the days of calm on the beach and clear high skies seem to be coinciding perfectly with the weekends. Right along with when we can keep those Red Snappers.

A hard north wind puts the gulf slick calm and crystal clear right on the beach but rough as a cobb a few miles offshore.

It aslo has a tendency to turn the King Mackeral switch to the ON position this time of year. This past weekend we a had a couple days where we stayed up in close early catching Kings and then falling a little offshore as the wind diminished to get our Snappers. The Chamber of Commerce couldn't have ordered a better set up for fishin'.

The calm of that afternoon had the Kings shut down but the chance to run further out for other critters.

Saturday we had a great trip in the morning and came in at mid day to building surf and increasing wind. I convinced my afternoon trip we should go Sunday afternoon instead. We guesed right.

What a way to spend Saturday morning - that middle King is 30 pounds.

Sunday morning my folks had a 5 hour trip so we went and spent some time looking for big grouper bites. We were fortunate to not only get some bites but to land 4 of the critters.

A full rack with more still in the box!

Sunday afternoon was slick calm and way nicer than 24 hours earlier. My Father and Son fishin' team not only made the right call putting off their 2 hour trip to the better weather but also gotto catch a glory fish.

Four Fine Snappers! The one on the end is 20 pounds.

With three more weekends in this year's Red Snapper season it looks like there will be more great catches still to come. The increasing cold fronts and the accompaning drop in gulf water temp will also push more of the big "Smoker" Kings up in close for us to target. If all runs true to form the Flounders should start to stack up on the close in wrecks about the time (Thanksgiving weekend) that Snappers are closed.

So many fish - so little time to chase 'em all. I am going to try to get over to Indian Pass next week 'tween Snappers trips to scout out the trout and Redfish. I have some trips over there the following week and need to get 'em located . Not only that, but I'm way behind on my oyster intake for the year!