Spring Fishing Catches and Challenges in South Walton

This March has had the weather so back and forth - warm, cold , rough, calm. The profesional weather prognosticators can't seem to keep on top on what is going to happen next. I am sitting on the hill this morning on a gorgeous, sunny, no-wind morning with no way to get off the beach due to a ground swell that has run since the weekend.

After canceling trips 3 days in a row I really thought today was going to be fishable. Four other charter captains showed up at the beach right after I did at daylight this morning and everybody had the same dread and remorse of having to call their charters up and cancel. I don't know who feels worse, us for not getting a paycheck or the fisherfolks for not getting to fish on their vacation.

On a brighter note we had some great trips before this swell and the forecast for the next 4 days is "light winds and 1 to 2 foot seas". We should be able to get a bunch more catches like the ones below. Still Jacks around on a few spots, Triggers on a bunch of places and Pinks and Vermillions scattered out. A bonus Scamp or Red Grouper has been a steady possibility here lately as well.

A Fine Bonus Red Grouper ... on 40# line no less!

The Family with what we kept.....they had just wanted to catch and release but decided to keep a few for dinner..

The perfect early Spring mix...Jacks, Triggers,Scamp, Vermillions, Black, Snapper, a few of everything around.

These Guys LOVE to Jack Fish... and had a blast catching everything else as well.

Three more happy anglers with a "Spring Mix".

these guys caught 10 Scamps off 1 spot but only 1 made the limit...8 of 'em were 1/4" or less short...a limit of Triggers made up for the throwbacks...

It was bouncy this morning so we stayed in close and went for numbers rather than size.. I cleaned 75 fish they caught on a 4 hour!

Some mornings it's worth getting up at 4:30 just for the view at work.

It got bouncy this morning so we had to call the trip short and come in at 3 hours....after catching a pile of fish first!

A calm warm weather pattern is coming. Not only should that let us go fishing more it should also run a whole bunch more fish in to catch!