Destin Report

[TroutAssassin]

Just got back from a week in Destin. I didnt use a fly rod on this trip so the religious fly fisherman might want to stop here. The fishing was pretty good for the most part. Ended up getting down to the condo last Saturday at about mid afternoon. With all of the unpacking I didnt fish the first day. On Sunday I got a very late start in the surf shortly after lunchtime. Went down Okaloosa Island a ways because the beach in front of the condo was already crowded. I didnt expect to catch much but ended up catching a Dozen or so juvenille Jack Crevalle cruising the surf on a 5/8 ounce gotcha. On Monday the surf was kicked up really bad so I decided to head to the bay. I waded the grass flat next to the coast guard station starting about an hour and a half before low tide and caught 2 small reds on a DOA shrimp. Tuesday rained pretty much all day so I didnt fish. On Wednesday it rained on and off and the surf was still horrible so I went back to the Bay. I got started an hour before low tide and caught a nice 18 inch redfish and a ribbonfish on a 1/4 ounce gold spoon. On Thursday I happen to walk out on the balcony to watch the sunrise and to my suprise ladyfish and blues are busting scaled sardines hard in the wash right in front of the condo. I ended up catching about 30 or so ladyfish and about 10 blues in about 2 hours on a 5/8 ounce gotcha. A few of the ladies were hitting the 3ft mark easy. On Friday the surf was nice so I went down the Island a ways and caught three monster ladies and a lizardfish in a nice deep cut I found in the sandbar. After that I walked a ways and caught a handful of tiny ladies that were schooled up. Caught them all on a 5/8 gotcha as well. Here are just a few pictures of some ladies. I only brought the camera with me when they were busting in the surf so hard on thursday. Didnt get a picture of any of the blues either. You will know why if you have spent a good bit of time trying to get your lure back from those tight lipped guys. Your fed up with them by the time you do get it back:biggrin: . Sorry no pics of the bigger guys, didnt have the camera down from the room to get a shot of them, some old lady that was walking down the beach has a shot of me with one of the bigger 3 ft guys.:biggrin:

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[TroutAssassin]

one more
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[bigpopper]

Nice Job TA! Glad somebody did good down there. Dont know if you read report on PCB/Okaloosa about a month ago, but i didnt do that great. Small pomp hits 1 lady hit my gotcha but threw it,as well. Did get a small Amber Jack on a McShrimp(clouser patt) about a #8 sz. , and 1 small Jack Crevalle. At least you didnt keep catching the catfish. Very nice report! :biggrin:

[TroutAssassin]

Thanks for the compliment Bigpopper. I read your report that you posted up a while back and from what I recall you didnt have the best of weather conditions. Sounds like it was just a bad week for surf fishing when you were there. There is a real art to surf fishing that most people dont understand to be successful. Im going to go back in about two months and try and lay it to some Sheepshead :biggrin: . Thanks for the feedback!

[Panhandle]

I am glad that you had a good trip down this way. I fished last Monday in the bay as well. I waded the beach on the north shore of the bay at Eglin. I caught a couple of puppy drum that were around 14 inches. I fished the same area last Saturday and couldn't get anything but a Lizard fish and a Pinfish. I brought a buddy with me who got completely skunked and he is a **** good fly fisherman. The tides were flat so that there was very little water movement. This is the kiss of death in salt water. There is still no entry in the fly-fish division in the Destin Rodeo. That will have to wait until next week since my ever loving wife and I are going up to your neighborhood to cruise the hills and peep at the leaves. Oh yes, I intend to soak some feathers while we are there. Wish me luck.

[TroutAssassin]

Thanks for the feedback panhandle. Luckily I missed the neap tides. I had a great time. Just another year or so before I can move down to the coast after college:smile:. Looks like you are going to hit the mountains at a good time for leaf looking. When you get here stick to the basic general flies like Elk hair caddis, Parachute adams, and beadhead pheasant tails to try and uncomplicate fly choice when you only have a limited time to fish. Trust me the trout in the mountains are starving and could most of the time care less what is floating over them. Just stay hidden and get a nice drift. A good drift is key to catching fish. You could throw a clown colored fly in the mountains and catch fish if you put a good drift on it :biggrin:. I wish you the best of luck fishing and a good safe trip. Post up how you do when you get back!