Cool and Windy—Groupers and Redfish   

The fishing report is short and sweet this month.  Inshore the hot ticket is redfish.  Offshore the best bets are gag groupers and mangrove snappers on reefs and wrecks. 

The best baits are fresh frozen cigar minnows, fresh frozen white squid and frozen Lys.  Live baits like pinfish and pigfish may be taken with sabiki rigs in at least 70 feet of water.  As the water cools, the pinfish tend to move farther offshore seeking more comfortable water temps.  Finding live bait in winter is an inexact science to say the least.  The one caveat is mullet inshore.  Commercial anglers are still finding mullet and throwing their castnets on them.  Most are eating size and too large for inshore species like flounder, trout and reds.  But smaller mullet will work for anything that swims including big groupers and snappers.  On your way running offshore, keep a sharp eye out for schools of mullet.  Have a good mullet net at the ready and know how to throw it.   

If you can buy live shrimp, they are the bait of choice for most inshore target species.  Trout, reds, flounder, black drum and others will eat a live shrimp when they will not take any other baits.  If you can trap small pinfish, they are another excellent inshore bait choice.  Try the BP in Carrabelle for live pins.  Sometimes they have them available at a reasonable price, when other tackle shops have none.  Phone (850) 697-5111.  These are very friendly folks who are plugged into what’s biting and where.  Leave your number for a call back if necessary.  Frozen pins will work as a last resort.  For offshore target species like amberjacks, grouper and snappers try other frozen baits like Boston mackerel, tinker mackerel, ladyfish, croakers and catfish.  Cut the spines off the cats to make them more appetizing. 

The Government Cut is a good place to start your inshore trip.  You may find redfish in big numbers willing to eat your baits.  Frozen shrimp works well at times, fished slowly on bottom.  Live pinfish are one of the very best baits for reds in the Cut.  Try just inside the west jetties.  Remember to do unto other boats in the Cut, as you would have them do unto you.  Wakes are a definite no no!  Please stay clear of other anglers casting from the jetties.  They are limited as to where they can fish, whereas you can go anywhere with your boat.  Be the courteous and ethical angler. 

Offshore, try any wrecks on your chart that are less than 100 feet deep.  The Angela is a good starting point.  It is only about ten miles south of the Cut.  Another productive winter wreck is the Empire Mica about 25 miles out to the southwest from the Cut.  Big amberjacks and snappers like to hang on the Empire Mica.  Heavy tackle is necessary due to all the sharp steel and AJ’s ability to pull you down there.  Sixty pound class gear is not too heavy.     

Inshore try the mouths of any creeks that flow into the Apalachicola River.  Reds like to lie in wait to ambush any bait that is washing out into the river.  Let your offering wash out with the current for a more natural presentation.  Eight pound class tackle is about right for slot sized redfish. 

Flounder like to hang around bridge pilings.  They feed on small crustaceans and can  swim into the lea of the current behind the pilings to rest.  Sheepshead will be feeding in these areas soon.  Stay tuned to my reports regarding the sheepshead bite.  Black drum will be in these same areas when the water turns colder.  Live bull minnows are a good choice of baits for flounder and red/black drum.  You can trap you own or buy them at reasonable prices at tackle stores.  Try the bridge pilings at the SGI bridge and the bridge that goes from Apalach to East Point.      

One species I overlooked is the fabulous eating black sea bass. You will find these tasty critters in the same places as groupers.  Coral reefs are great spots to try.  Good quality squid is the best sea bass bait.  These little cousins of the grouper family may arguably be the best eating of all saltwater fish species.  Name one that is superior.  Maybe lane snapper or snook, but it is surely a competition.

As an integral part of your pretrip planning, take a hard look at several different weather models.  If it is forecast to blow 15 knots or more, reschedule your trip to a better time.  Remember the basic mission, catch fish and have fun.  Eating saltwater and bouncing over five footers is not much fun!  Be very careful in winter with cold water and wind.  Always respect the winter elements.  Be safe and fish another day. 

Till next tide, tight lines and solid hookups,

Captain Alex Crawford

(850) 697-8946

www.topknots.com

                                                 GROUPERS, SNAPPERS, TROUT AND REDS     

This report title pretty much sums up the offshore and inshore species that are biting right now.  That’s not to suggest that you could not catch a nice blackfin tuna in the Gulf or a nice flounder in the Apalachicola Bay.  Let’s briefly discuss the where, how and when of targeting these good eating species.

First, the inshore bite is wide open for trout, including white trout.  The slot-sized redfish are dispersed  throughout the bay and are in their “fatten up for cold winter mode now.” 

For those of you that have not discovered the fishing report with Captain Jeff on Channel 3, Forgotten Coast TV, this is a valuable show with really good info about where to fish for your favorite species and what to use to entice them into eating your offering.  You can contact Forgotten Coast TV for a schedule of Capt. Jeff’s show.  He does a great job of communicating the latest fishing info in a simple, direct format.  Good luck and good fishing!  Another excellent source of fishing info is Fisherman’s Choice Bait and Tackle in East Point next to the Napa Auto Parts store on Hwy. 98.  Ask for Charles or Rex, they are very friendly and are always plugged into what is biting and where.  They have everything an angler could need for a good day of fishing in fresh or salt water.  

Offshore, Captain David Giddens has been successful with gag groupers and mangrove snappers.  He has been using pinfish that he catches in about 70 feet of water, as they move further offshore with colder water.  On your nautical chart, look for shallow water wrecks, less than 100 feet that will hold groupers.  Anchor on your favorite wreck and send down some frisky pins.  If Mr. Grouper is hungry, hold on for a strong pull.  Also, chunk and chum a little and look out for mangrove snappers to appear up in the water column.  It is safe now to drift some cigar minnows back with your chunk baits, since the kings have gone south for winter.  Look for schools of snappers holding just above the wreck and send your baits to that depth.  There are still many species of snapper that you can keep to eat, like mangroves, lanes, vermilions and red snapper that must be released until the season returns.  This may happen in this lifetime if we are fortunate.

If you fishing plans are to fish out west of Apalach, try Half Hitch Tackle in Port Saint Joe for all your fishing needs.  Ask for Frank who always knows what’s up in his area.  No matter where you go, plan a trip soon to enjoy all of our spectacular autumn weather on the Forgotten Coast.  Catch ‘em up and have fun!  Don’t  forget to dress in warm layers and bring good, toasty boots.  Don’t ever forget the number one mission—HAVE FUN!

Till next tide, tight lines and solid hookups,

Captain Alex Crawford

www.topknots.com 

email:  captainalex@fairpoint.net

                                     FORGET THE ECONOMIC WOES, GO FISHING  

Want to forget the bad news on the economy for a while?  Grab your favorite fishing pole and get out on the water for a few hours and catch a few fish.  With all the natural beauty of the Forgotten Coast, no one could sit in a fishing boat and fret over money issues.  No way!  Plus, it is wonderFALL and the very best time to be outdoors with idyllic weather and the fish all biting. 

Inshore try the old SGI bridge pilings in the bay for redfish, flounder, drum, whiting and trout.  Offshore try any of the close to shore wrecks for Gulf grouper and snappers.  Fresh dead baits like cigar minnows will catch dinner for a large family.  Remember you will need to rig non- stainless circle hooks, no J hooks for reef species.  Dress warm for early morning runs offshore.  It is getting down in the 50’s now and a wind breaker is a critical piece of equipment for angler comfort.  Your rain suit may be the perfect weight if it is not too cold.  Just don’t forget and leave it onboard the boat, you will need it soon for the duck blind and deer stand. 

Hunting and fishing is the perfect escape from all of the negative news these days.  Get outside and get a new positive attitude.  I promise it will work everytime! 

The most current reports from the best inshore guides tell of giant trout being caught off the Saint Vincent dry bar.  Also try the grass flats just inside of Cape Saint George Island.  L&S Mirrorlures on the surface early in the morning is a proven winner.  Live shrimp when you can find them is probably the most consistent trout bait.  Try Bird Island outside the West Pass for redfish on a slack tide—again shrimp is the ticket.  The trout and reds will just get better over the next month with cooling water temps.  Eight pound class tackle is appropriate it most situations for redfish and trout.  However, it will not be long now with bull reds in their pre-spawn mode stacked like cord wood in the Government Cut. 

Another fun, but sometimes overlooked species is the striped bass.  In early winter the stripers swim down from Lake Seminole looking to fatten up before colder weather arrives.  The railroad tressels a short run up the Apalachicola River is a good spot to begin you hunt for stripers in December.  Christmas/New Years is the best time frame to try for big striped bass.  The state record fish is growing as we speak and will be ready for your live shrimp by the end of the year.  Go for it!  Fifty pounds would be a helluva nice fish and bragging rights would be awesome.   

Don’t forget about the hard fighting, good eating sheepshead.  This willing and abundant species never fails to please as we move into winter months.  Try small strips of clams on a number one hook.  Set the hook hard when he just breathes on it.  Get the fish away from the barnacle-encrusted pilings fast.  They will cut your line or leader like a razor.  Also consider bringing a flat blade shovel to chum the barnacles off the pilings. 

What else can I say to get you stoked about fishing at this time of year.  Just get off the sofa and git ‘er done!  That football game will be rerun tonight or tomorrow anyway.  Football, especially the pros, seems to get old fast or is it just me?  Be a participant sports addict, not a spectator always. 

Fall is an exceptional time on the Forgotten Coast!  Please forgive me for being so preachy.  I just love this time of year.  Can’t help myself.  If you can’t get excited about the great outdoors during the autumn season, seriously consider changing sporting pursuits. 

Till next tide, tight lines and solid hook ups,

Captain Alex Crawford

www.topknots.com

(850) 697-8946

email: captainalex@fairpoint.net 

               The Tropical storms have gone and the fishing is gonna get better again

offshore..  We just need the right winds and seas.  The aftermath of the hurricanes that blew by this past week has given us east and north wind, yuck!  If you can catch fishes on east wind, you are a better angler than me.  East sucks!  Oh well, this sure beats southeast at 100. 

The really great news as of first light this am 7/20 is our first “feel” of fall weather.  It is nice and cool and crisp this morning which hopefully means an end to ninety plus days and super high humidity.  This also hails the start of the fall bite.  King mackerel are chomping southward bound bait at a ravenous pace.  If the bait sticks around, so will the kings.  Grouper will continue to improve right on into winter and beyond.  It is not to early to make some winter hunting plans.   

It is time to double check your hunting gear now that fall is almost here.  Clean your rifles and shotguns and inventory your ammunition.  Is your deer stand in good repair?  How about the duck blind?  Early duck season will be here before you know it.  Man can’t live on fish alone.

Another piece of really good fishing news--  the cooler water temps means vast improvement for inshore fisheries.  The trout, flounder and reds will be really turned on very soon.  If you like these species, plan an inshore trip soon.  The fish are sure to be willing biters.  Live shrimp is the bait of choice in fall.  Break out the camo Gortex and go for it!

The redfish will be stacked up in the Government Cut.  A small frisky croaker fished on a fish finder rig will be hard for that old bull red to pass up.  The gator trout will be cruising the grass flats looking for an easy meal.  Be there at first light throwing your favorite surface mirrorlure or Rapala and score a chunky sea trout.  Mullet patterns are proven winners for trout. 

Try the new Saint George Island bridge pilings for a flounder dinner.  Again live shrimps are the premier bait for flounders.  Fish the bait very slowly and have a good dip net at the ready.  Black drum will be another easy target around the pilings.  Look for the tide that allows for fast current.  Black drum are very strong on medium tackle, just like there cousin the red drum.  And black drum really eat well.  The slot fish are tender, white meat and fillets can be fried to a golden brown. 

If you are willing to follow the water temperature in the Apalachicola River, when it reaches the seventy degree mark, it is likely that striped bass will be in the lower river and looking to eat your lure or bait.  Stripers grow huge in the river and really give a great account of themselves as a sporting challenge.  Traveling in big schools, striped bass can be caught in large numbers once you find the fish.  The railroad bridge a few miles up the river is a good place to start your search.  Park and watch the other boats to help find fish.  Live shrimp is a deadly bait for stripers. 

     Fall on the forgotten coast is arguably the best time of year to fish.  The weather is exceptional and most of our favorite species are here and hungry.  Get out on the water and make it happen!

Till next tide,

Tight lines and solid hook ups,

Captain Alex Crawford

www.topknots.com

(850) 697-8946

captainalex@topknots.com               

                Hanna, Ike and Josephine—UGHHHHHHH!

Currently listed on the Active Tropical Storms and/or Hurricane Advisories are our new friends Hanna, Ike and Josephine.  Am I the only one who really gets tired of constantly tracking tropical weather reports.  The clients read the weather channel or watch it on TV and basically crawl into their shells to wait for fishable weather.  I can’t blame them.  Driving to the Gulf Coast in the teeth of a Class 3 hurricane is borderline insanity.  May, June and July gave us some good fishing weather, but August and September have been disastrous and it just pisses me off no end.  At one point as I follow these storms in my computer weather models, there were 5 storms moving toward the Forgotten Gulf coast.  Gets things stirred up both inshore and offshore and the fishing becomes impossible.  Or maybe I should say, the fishing can not be done comfortably.  And customer comfort on the water is one of the primary missions.  It’s supposed to be FUN! 

The fishing will turn on again when all of this smutz has moved out, but right now the fishing is non-existent.  Sorry to be the bearer of bad fishing news, but the reality is what it is!  As always, Mother Nature wins again.  Just gotta accept the things in life that we can’t change.  We should just shuck a couple dozen on the half shell, pop open an ice-cold long neck and kick back.  Since the alternatives are minimal, come on down and join in the laid-back atmosphere. 

A few of the guides with big boats have caught some fish, but it sure has not been easy.  Pitching and yawing in 4 to 6s is too tough for the average angler.  Patience and discretion is the only way to go in my mind.  There will always be another fishing day.  When we get back to normal, I will report what’s happening immediately, stay tuned. 

Till next tide, tight lines and solid hookups,

Captain Alex Crawford

www.topknots.com

captainalex@fairpoint.net

(850) 697-8946