Upcoming Florida Panhandle Trip

Started by Wolfram M, July 24, 2022, 07:08:35 PM

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Wolfram M

In 70 days, I will be in Destin Florida from 10/3 to 10/8. I plan to fish every day I'm there as much of the day as I can-and into the night if the bite is still hot!

I'll be mostly fishing from the harbor charter fleets, which if it's just me, means as many charters as I can afford to board and head boat trips if that's what's available. If I can't get a boat, I'll head to the beach or to the jettys, or over to Okaloosa Island pier.

I still consider myself a saltwater novice, but I have good luck, and this is a meat fishing trip for me-I try to bring home as much as I can of as many different species as I can catch, preferably things I can't get locally from the frozen aisle.

Some of my best trips out of Destin harbor have been aboard the Screaming Drag with Brian Kelly, and the 100 Proof, who alternates captains and I only remember Captain Ben.

If there's anyone in the region who wants to go out on a day charter with me, I'm all for it. I plan to start making charter reservations soon. I usually only make one or two reservations and then just show up at the docks with cash the day I want to go out, I've filled the empty slot on a few really great trips that way.

jgp12000

#1
My cousin lives in Destin and I think the rodeo is in Oct sometime?The "Sweet Jody" is the boat we always have done well on,We always limit out on red snapper
(2 ea) in July.Don't catch em' all !

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.destinseafoodfest.com/&ved=2ahUKEwiH5IiRjMX5AhXbpokEHWuFB-4QFnoECAgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw15kp6zeAryoTqrj1YBtsGR

https://destinfishingrodeo.org/



Wolfram M

I've been on the Jody before, and have done "OK". Some of my family have had great days on that boat.

Rodeo is Oct 1 through 31 every year, it's why I used to go the last week of september; but now due to being a teacher I have to go during the fall break from school-we are not allowed to use any vacation time unless it falls during a break...which we aren't working during anyway.

Turns out, my two favorite captains have retired this past year, so I don't know what boats I'll be on for my charter days. We'll see what charters I can catch; I'd love to do an inshore trip but can't afford it. I can't see paying 600$ per person, for a 6hr inshore trip, when it's 180$/person for a 8hr offshore trip. Maybe one day. (but not likely, on a teachers salary!)

Mjg378

I've had good luck on the Sweet Jody. Snapper and Trigger Fish.   Ill look forward hearing who you go out with. 
Mike

Wolfram M

I head out for this tomorrow morning. I'll be on the water this time tomorrow night; plan is to throw some plastic glow shrimp or some fresh-dead shrimp in Choctawatchee bay tomorrow night for some flounder, see what I can come up with.

handi2

I wish I still lived on the Intercoastal Waterway in Gulf Breeze.

I would gladly take you guys out for Wahoo, and Snapper.

The Wahoo bite is really good this time of year.
OCD Reel Service & Repair
Gulf Breeze, FL

Wolfram M

#6
It was not a great trip for fishing. It was a beautiful week for weather, and the beaches were *packed*. I only was able to find one or two stretches of beach to fish on, and they were not at all the "right" place to be fishing.



Caught two fish from the shore the entire week. One 10.75" pompano, against an 11" limit, and a 12" whiting.

Went out Tuesday on the Reel Grace, where we followed the Jody around bottom fishing and limited out on vermillion and white snapper, and limited out on triggerfish. Bait was hard to come by and what few cigar minnows I was able to come up with I used to catch a bunch of too-short scamp grouper and two 32" amberjacks. (against a 34" limit)

Also, it was rough as guts-6 to 8ft every 3 to 5 seconds, with surges to 10ft. It beat my buddy's knees to bits against the rails, but I was a little luckier. We did catch quality fish, so it was a great day fishing.

 

The next day, the bait situation was MUCH better-lots cigar minnows, a few hardtail jacks, and some pinfish and squirrelfish. Unfortunately, the Done Deal locked a turbo shaft up and was smoking like it was on fire, so we had to return to the harbor before even starting to fish. There was not another boat in the harbor that was not in for maintenance so the trip was canceled and refunded. It was about 9AM when we got back on the dock.

Trying to salvage the day, I headed out the Destin east jetty and fished until my arms were falling off, never even got a hit. A few of the others out there caught a few fish, but I couldn't even piss off a jack crevalle enough to take a run at any bait I pitched.



All in all, it was a good week. Just not a great one for fishing.