Taking my boat to Panama City for salt water fishingears
For the past 4 years, I have taken my bass tracker to Panama City and have fished St Andrews bay with it. We have the best time catching all kinds of fish from red fish, speckled trout, ladyfish, flounder, non edible catfish, ladyfish, Spanish makeral and an occasional king makeral. The bay is huge but surprisingly shallow in most areas. This helps keeps wave levels down. Never have been forced off the bay due to wave height. Rods and tackle are the same as you might fish with here. Light tackle will catch most fish in the bay, and since they fight so much harder, it's a blast. Spoons, are a main lure. Trolling them finds fish then casting in the area is productive. Using a bobber with either live shrimp or a plastic shrimp is one of the best methods to catch red fish or trout. I use saltwater reels after ruining a number of reels over the years, but you don't have to invest in that gear. Just buy something cheap and pitch it when you leave. if you get the bug and fish down there every year you will buy a Penn reel eventually. $150. Caution: Salt water is highly corrosive to boats!! My bass tracker is an older boat, but in good condition. I paid I wash it after every day I use it down there. I run fresh water through the motor everyday. I run fresh water through the live well and rinse the trailer good too. In the last 4 years everything has held up well. I did have an issue with corrosion with the steering arm back by the motor seizing up. Since then, I make sure it has plenty of grease to keep water out of the tub, which has helped. The other issue I just encountered was corrosion on the terminals at the battery. Several broke from the saltwater. I don't spay the batteries with water. That was an easy fix. Anyway, if you have a basstracker or v bottom boat and have always wanted to fish Florida, it is really fun.
