Northwest Florida Fishing Report

In this week's Northwest Florida Fishing Report, host Joe Baya looks back at some of the best recent conversations from across the Gulf Coast, including Capt. King Marchand of Capt. Mike's Deep Sea Fishing, Capt. Branden Collier of Capt Collier Charters, Tanner Deas of Dauphin Island Fishing Charters, Dylan Kiene aka Dr. Doormat, Brandon Barton of Emerald Waters Kayak Charters, Capt. Harris Scruggs of Triple B Fishing Charters, Capt. Justin Leake of Panama City Inshore, and Capt. John Ward of Sea Tow Destin. Capt. King breaks down the live-bait and live-chumming tactics that produced a 209-pound yellowfin tuna, including the small circle hooks that have improved his landing percentage and why bigger tuna may require significantly more live chum to trigger a bite. Joe and Butch also revisit a Panama City grouper trip with Branden, Tanner, and Dylan, where patience, tough live baits, slack-line presentations, and learning how fish relate to low-relief natural bottom made the difference. Justin explains how live chum, light fluorocarbon, and moving water can produce oversized fall Spanish mackerel, while Brandon discusses the challenges of fighting big snapper and grouper from a kayak, including drag settings, rod length, leader length, and keeping fish out of structure. Harris covers an early-fall wahoo bite around Panama City, with fish caught surprisingly close to shore while trolling over productive water and natural bottom. The episode also revisits Capt. John Ward's breakdown of what an unexpected boat tow can actually cost and the difference a towing membership can make. To close things out, Brandon shares an unusual triple-tail encounter, and Justin explains how kite fishing with live bait can turn windy fall conditions into opportunities for sailfish, mahi, kings, and other pelagics. Sponsors: Pike Consulting EMS Endeck PVC Decking Dixie Supply and Baker Metal Admiral Shellfish Coastal Connection EXP Realty - Abaco Orange Beach SlipSki Solutions Deep South Cranes KillerDock Hilton's Realtime Navigator

In this week's Northwest Florida Fishing Report, host Joe Baya talks with Brandon Barton of Emerald Waters Kayak Charters, Capt. Harris Scruggs of Triple B Fishing Charters, and Capt. Justin Leake of Panama City Inshore about an outstanding early-fall push of blue water, bait, and pelagic fish from Pensacola to Panama City. Sailfish, mahi, blackfin tuna, king mackerel, and even wahoo are showing up close to shore, while red snapper, gag grouper, and triggerfish round out the bottom-fishing opportunities. Brandon breaks down the Pensacola kayak bite, where crystal-clear water and huge concentrations of bait are creating excellent opportunities for sailfish, mahi, kings, and blackfin tuna. He explains how he catches cigar minnows and other live bait on small fluorocarbon Sabiki rigs, why live bait gets the nod when sailfish are around, and the tradeoff between trolling fluorocarbon for better sailfish hookups and wire when kings, Spanish mackerel, and a possible wahoo are in the mix. He also discusses trolling one live bait alongside a deep-diving lure and why sometimes the best answer to triggerfish overwhelming a bottom spot is simply to move. Capt. Harris reports wahoo, blackfin tuna, and sailfish moving closer to Panama City, including wahoo caught in just 85 and 125 feet of water. He explains trolling around 80 to 120 feet over natural bottom and structure, using deep-diving plugs, skirted baits, and a combination of heavy mono and wire leaders. Harris also covers how to set a trolling spread based on speed, sea conditions, prop wash, and lure action, along with why anglers without satellite imagery can start by working around major public structures holding herring, hardtails, and cigar minnows. Capt. Justin explains why Panama City is already showing the signs of a strong October, with exceptional amounts of pilchards, pogies, pinfish, Spanish sardines, threadfin herring, and cigar minnows supporting redfish, trout, mangrove snapper, Spanish mackerel, jacks, mahi, and other pelagics. Mahi have been especially impressive in state waters, with fish holding around buoys and occasionally large floating debris. When fall northeast winds make running-and-gunning difficult, Justin switches to kite fishing, drifting live baits through productive water for sailfish, mahi, kings, and other pelagics. He breaks down drift speed, bait placement, kite spacing, trolling-motor control, and why getting the presentation right can turn a windy fall day into some of the most exciting fishing of the season. Sponsors: Pike Consulting EMS Endeck PVC Decking Dixie Supply and Baker Metal Admiral Shellfish Coastal Connection EXP Realty - Abaco Orange Beach SlipSki Solutions Deep South Cranes KillerDock Hilton's Realtime Navigator

In this week's Northwest Florida Fishing Report, host Joe Baya joins Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report host Butch Thierry, Capt. Branden Collier of Capt. Collier's Charters, Capt. Tanner Deas of Dauphin Island Fishing Charters, and Dr. Dylan Kiene, aka Dr. Doormat, to recap a wild Panama City grouper trip that produced gag grouper, red grouper, red snapper, triggerfish, and plenty of lessons about fishing natural bottom. Joe and Butch also talk with Tom Hilton of Hilton's Realtime Navigator about using chlorophyll, sea-surface temperature, current, and altimetry imagery to locate productive offshore water and plan more efficient trips. Branden, Tanner, Dylan, and Butch break down what worked while targeting grouper on low-relief natural bottom around Panama City. Live pinfish were the most dependable bait, especially with aggressive triggerfish quickly destroying softer cigar minnows and dead baits. The group found that patience mattered, with some spots requiring 15 to 30 minutes before the grouper bite developed, and many of the best bites coming with baits laid directly on the bottom with slack line. Heavy 60- to 100-pound leaders still resulted in plenty of break-offs when gags reached holes and ledges. Slow-pitch jigging also produced, with JYG and Johnny Jigs getting bites when live bait became difficult to fish. One of the biggest takeaways was using electronics to find productive zones rather than relying on a single waypoint, then drifting and repeatedly working the surrounding natural bottom. Despite trolling-motor problems, engine trouble, a flat tire, and eventually breaking down offshore, the crew still put together a strong box of fish and emphasized the importance of offshore preparation, a hardwired VHF, and having Sea Tow available. Tom Hilton explains how anglers can use Hilton's Realtime Navigator to build a more complete offshore picture when individual chlorophyll images are limited by cloud cover. Three-day chlorophyll views combine actual satellite shots to fill gaps, while sea-surface temperature imagery can be used alongside chlorophyll and altimetry to identify temperature breaks, color changes, current edges, weed lines, and areas likely to concentrate bait and pelagic fish. Hilton also demonstrates the Trip Planner, which allows anglers to map a route, calculate distance and estimated fuel use, save the trip, and compare the same route across different imagery layers. You can watch the full Hilton's Realtime Navigator segment here to see the imagery and trip-planning tools discussed in the episode. With cleaner water and favorable current features pushing into the northern Gulf, the conditions discussed in this episode show why stacking multiple sources of real offshore data can help anglers spend less time searching and more time fishing. Sponsors: Pike Consulting EMS Endeck PVC Decking Dixie Supply and Baker Metal Admiral Shellfish Sea Tow Coastal Connection EXP Realty - Abaco Orange Beach SlipSki Solutions Deep South Cranes KillerDock Hilton's Realtime Navigator

In this week's Northwest Florida Fishing Report, host Joe Baya covers a strong transition into fall fishing from Pensacola to Destin, with redfish, trout, flounder, and mangrove snapper producing inshore while gag grouper, amberjack, red snapper, and other reef species give offshore anglers plenty of options. This episode features Capt. Tyler Massey with Hot Spots Charters and Capt. Adam Schroeder with Ignite The Bite Charters. Joe also joins Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report host Butch Thierry for a special conversation with Capt. King Marchand of Captain Mike's Fishing about a tremendous yellowfin tuna bite, including a 209-pound fish, and the live-chumming tactics being used to consistently draw big tuna to the surface. Capt. Tyler Massey reports that Pensacola anglers have good options both inside the bay and offshore. Inshore, redfish have been the standout, with slot fish and some oversized reds holding around bridges, jetties, the pass, and other structure. Tyler says the bridge bite can be extremely tide dependent, with schools remaining around the structure but sometimes feeding aggressively for only a short window. Live scaled sardines, shrimp, and croakers have been producing, and Tyler prefers freelining larger croakers for trout, hooking them near the tail to improve casting distance and allowing an active bait to swim naturally. Mangrove snapper are also holding around bridges, residential docks, and jetties. Offshore, Tyler has been concentrating on deeper natural hard-bottom areas where gag grouper, scamp, red snapper, and amberjack can all be encountered. His best gag bite has been roughly 250 to 290 feet, with many fish running 20 pounds or better, and butterflied Boston mackerel, white snapper, red porgies, and small bonito all making effective baits. King mackerel are beginning to appear around deeper live bottom as well, and Tyler expects cooler water and an eastward push of cleaner water and bait to improve the fall pelagic bite. Joe and Butch talk with Capt. King Marchand of Captain Mike's Fishing about an outstanding run of Gulf yellowfin tuna, including a 209-pound fish and another around 169 pounds. King says many of their biggest tuna in recent years have come on live bait, with small circle hooks helping keep fish hooked securely in the corner of the mouth. His current approach involves marking tuna around offshore rigs, putting out large numbers of live chum baits to fire up bigger fish, and then presenting a hooked bait naturally within the school. King explains that tuna marked above roughly 180 feet are generally much more catchable than fish holding deep in the water column, and he may leave a rig and return later when those deeper fish rise to feed. Joe also references this video showing a deep-water chumming technique that could potentially be adapted to deliver chum directly to tuna holding deeper in the water column. King typically starts with 80-pound fluorocarbon but may scale down as light as 40 pounds when current or fishing pressure makes the presentation difficult. His live-bait setups use Shimano Talica 25 reels with 65- to 80-pound braid, long fluorocarbon leaders connected with an FG knot, and relatively light drag early in the fight before gradually increasing pressure once the tuna settles into its circles beneath the boat. Amberjack fishing has also been strong, although King says having the right size live bait can make a major difference when trying to avoid smaller fish. Capt. Adam Schroeder says the Destin-area inshore bite may be as good as it has been all year, while the offshore bite is producing a wide variety of reef fish. Offshore, Adam has been specifically targeting gag grouper with medium pinfish and butterflied ruby red lips, noting that the butterfly presentation helps target grouper while reducing interference from amberjack. He fishes those baits directly on the bottom with heavy tackle, a Carolina rig, roughly six to eight ounces of lead, and a five- to six-foot leader, stressing that anglers need to be ready to immediately move a gag away from structure after the strike. Amberjack, red snapper, vermilion snapper, and triggerfish are also being caught consistently, with whole live baits often preferred when specifically targeting jacks. Inshore, plentiful bait has helped produce redfish, mangrove snapper, flounder, and trout around bridges, jetties, and deeper docks. Adam uses small Carolina rigs and lighter fluorocarbon for mangroves, while bull redfish around the bridges require much heavier spinning tackle, 65- to 80-pound braid, 40- to 60-pound leaders, and larger live croakers or spot minnows. The outgoing tide has been especially productive for bull reds, and Adam expects that bite to become even more consistent as the fall pattern develops. Sponsors: Pike Consulting EMS Endeck PVC Decking Dixie Supply and Baker Metal Admiral Shellfish Sea Tow Coastal Connection EXP Realty - Abaco Orange Beach SlipSki Solutions Deep South Cranes KillerDock Hilton's Realtime Navigator

In this week's Northwest Florida Fishing Report, host Joe Baya covers a wide-open September offshore season around Panama City, with amberjack, triggerfish, red snapper, and gag grouper all available, while nearshore sailfish, mahi, blackfin tuna, and king mackerel begin following huge concentrations of bait toward the beach. This episode features Capt. Harris Scruggs with Triple B Fishing Charters and Brandon Barton with Emerald Waters Kayak Charters. Joe also joins Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report host Butch Thierry for a special conversation with Capt. John Ward of Sea Tow Destin about the true cost of getting towed, what towing memberships actually cover, the difference between towing and salvage, and simple steps boaters can take to avoid becoming stranded. Capt. Harris Scruggs reports excellent bait concentrations around Panama City, with herring, cigar minnows, and hardtails giving offshore anglers plenty of options while several popular bottom-fishing seasons overlap. Harris likes to target amberjack early on larger wrecks before transitioning into general bottom fishing for gag grouper, red snapper, triggerfish, vermilion snapper, and other reef species. For amberjack on pressured public wrecks, he recommends long leaders of roughly 15 to 20 feet with around 80-pound mono and a hook matched to the size of the bait. Gag grouper are being caught from shallower state-water structure out to roughly 120 to 300 feet, although the better catches have generally been coming from deeper water. Harris fishes a three-way setup with a bank sinker as well as knocker rigs, adjusting leader strength from roughly 40 to 100 pounds depending on bait size and the fish he expects to encounter. Triggerfish have been somewhat inconsistent, but around 150 feet has been a productive depth for larger fish. He also expects September's large bait concentrations to pull more sailfish, blackfin tuna, king mackerel, and other pelagics close to shore as water temperatures begin to fall. Joe and Butch talk with Capt. John Ward of Sea Tow Destin about what boaters should understand before they ever need assistance on the water. John explains that non-member towing costs are based on the total time required from when the towboat leaves until it returns, not simply the distance the disabled boat is actually towed. At Sea Tow Destin, he says daytime service for non-members is $400 per hour with a two-hour minimum, meaning even a relatively simple battery jump or short tow can become expensive. The conversation covers priority service for Sea Tow members, long-distance offshore towing, insurance towing limits, and the important distinction between a routine tow and a salvage situation involving a vessel in peril. John also shares some of the most common reasons boaters call for help, including running out of fuel, electronic steering failures, blown fuses, and simple launch-day mistakes. His preventative advice includes carrying spare fuses, making sure inspection plates are secured before leaving the dock, putting enough fuel in the boat rather than relying completely on the gauge, and checking basics such as the neutral position and kill switch before assuming there is a major mechanical problem. Brandon Barton says September is one of his favorite months for kayak fishing because enormous schools of bait can bring sailfish, mahi, blackfin tuna, and king mackerel within a mile of Northwest Florida's beaches. Brandon calls it "September sails" because of the consistent nearshore sailfish opportunity and says recent trips have been loaded with cigar minnows, sardines, and other bait. His approach is to catch live bait with a Sabiki rig and troll one live bait alongside an X-Rap or similar diving lure, using deeper-running plugs on bright, calm days and shallower presentations during low-light, overcast, or choppy conditions. Mahi have already been showing consistently, with blackfin tuna and sailfish also being hooked in the region. Around nearshore reefs, Brandon is finding red snapper, mangrove snapper, amberjack, and gag grouper, and recommends larger live baits dropped close to structure when specifically targeting gags. From a kayak, he generally starts around 50-pound tackle and prefers three- to four-foot leaders and shorter jigging-style rods that allow anglers to quickly pump powerful fish away from structure. Brandon closes with an important safety reminder: watch wind direction and changing conditions, continually check radar, wear a PFD, leave a float plan, carry a reliable means of communication, and do not push offshore when the forecast looks questionable. Sponsors: Pike Consulting EMS Endeck PVC Decking Dixie Supply and Baker Metal Admiral Shellfish Sea Tow Coastal Connection EXP Realty - Abaco Orange Beach SlipSki Solutions Deep South Cranes KillerDock Hilton's Realtime Navigator