Anyone ever fish the jettys in Destin FL?

[DonC]

I just got back from Destin. I caught flounder and redfish, with a few lizard fish, wading in the bay on the Fort Walton side after crossing the Destin bridge. We drove from Destin over the bridge till the bay was very close to the road and parked with the driver's side tires still on the road. I caught the Reds and Flounder on 3 inch Berkley Power Grubs, mainly pumpkin colored heads with chartreuse tails. Take a lot since you will get bite off plenty. Chartreuse also has produced in the past. I also caught fish with 3.5 inch tender tubes. The flounder was mainly caught on the bottom. One seatrout was caught only. Fish the weed beds and the dark areas which are 3-5 feet deep near shore. I use 1/8 ounce lead heads for the grubs and 1/4 ounce tender tube jig heads for the tubes on 8 pound test line with a 15 pound 12 inch flourocarbon leader tied with a barrel swivel.

We caught Bluefish and Ladyfish on the canal going in to the gulf with the above mentioned lures, but that was last September. Last year I did use a 50 LB. flourocarbon leader due to ladyfish and bluefish bite offs.

Yesterday morning around 7 AM, there were on the beach large schools of baitfish being busted within casting distance from shore along the entire beach as far as I could see. Alas, we were packing up to return home.

Good luck,

Don

[skeeter11008]

I just got back from Gulf Shores, Al which is just down from Destin. The Gotcha's are the real deal. We also fished the surf with shrimp and the most effective way I found was a small #2 circle hook with a #3 splitshot about 12" up the 12 lb. line. Cast it out and reel it in real slow. Caught several Pompano (Delicious), Bluefish (Delicious) and Ladyfish (Use for cutbait for sharks or in crabtraps). I also bought a crabtrap fom Walmart and caught several Blue Crab and we had a crab boil feast. People also use a Gulf Rig, but I was getting to much seaweed for it to be effective. I broiled the Pompano and it is the best fish you will ever eat. The fishing and crabbing was so good we only ate out dinner twice .