Panama City-End of June

[GobyPuck]

Watched guys off the pier throwing plastic jerk baits wearing spainish mackrel out. Any type of shiny/gliterry jerkbait plastic or hard should work imo.
My only personal experience fishing there was about 12 years ago off the jetty in the park. Went to the local tackle store and asked them how to catch some fish and they will tell you everything they know plus set you up (oceans a big body of water lol). I was throwing my bass rods, baitcaster with m/h action rods so they told me to use a inline spinner rigged like a carolina rig. Went at daybreak and saw schools of fish busting on bait (watch for the birds) in casting range and let her go. Guy said reel as fast as you can and he was right, spainish mackrel will rip the pole out of your hand. Also told me to buy these shiny plugs that look like a top water chug bug but they sink and you kind of fish them like a hard jerkbait. I caught 1 large redfish with that bait but that was about it. Bottom line is you need a rod that cast far imo...most used large spinning rods which did get the baits out there but I managed well with my baitcasters.

[Carter1]

Goby, that shiny bait you are talking about sounds like a Gotcha. I have a couple of those. One thing I do when I go to Florida or some other beach area is go to Bass Pro Shop or other sporting goods store and buy some saltwater baits and terminal tackle. Bass Pro usually has a few baits on sale. I am really getting a good saltwater tackle bag filled one trip at a time.

[sweetwater]

Could be a windcheater too.

[GobyPuck]

I forgot what they call it but about a 1/4 of it was glo red and it sunk fairly quick and if I remember right had mono through it or something like that. Anyway I just threw it out and let it sink then would jerk it or even sometimes straight retrieve it I think..but like I said it caught 1 fish which was a solid 8 pound redfish.

[clc]

check out charisma charters at they are located just south of panama. i have used them a couple times.

Charisma Charters - Fish the Gulf of Mexico with Chuck Guilford, Mexico Beach, Florida

[JUSTINHALL]

I 2nd the 1 hr drive to Destin, the fishing is better out of Destin and you don’t have to go as far from Destin. I drag the boat to Destin to fish about every 6-8 weeks and it is amazing. Grouper, red snapper and Amber jack are the most plentiful. The farthest I usually go out is 16 miles which is just loaded with red snapper, I have many spots closer that have more AJs or more grouper but the mother load is at 16 miles. The ledge is about 20 miles from Destin and farther from Panama but like the other guy mentioned if you don’t like reeling 80 ft you really aint going to like reeling 250-275 ft that is a chore. My suggestion to you is don’t pay to go out past the ledge it is brutal. If the weather is bad you can go less than 2 miles and catch good fish out of Destin.
Good days are 85-100 fish of red snapper, grouper and AJs. 15-30+ lbs doing it at 85 feet is one thing doing it in 250’ is not fun at all. Another thing, everyone wants to catch a shark until I hook them up with a shark. It is a lot of work to catch a 6’ shark so unless you are dying to catch one fish for others cause odds are you will get hooked up with one anyways not even trying.
Normal day is catch live bait in the pass which is roughly 75 bait fish with rod in reel on sebiki rig ranging from 6"-10" then head out. We use all live bait and about 50 pieces of cut bait between 2-3 guys and you arms will say I am done about the same time the bait is gone around 1:30-2:00 then head back in. It really is an amazing trip.

I put a few pictures up just now under photo board if you want to see what we catch out of there.

[sweetwater]

[QUOTE=JUSTINHALL;508457]I 2nd the 1 hr drive to Destin, the fishing is better out of Destin and you don’t have to go as far from Destin. I drag the boat to Destin to fish about every 6-8 weeks and it is amazing. Grouper, red snapper and Amber jack are the most plentiful. The farthest I usually go out is 16 miles which is just loaded with red snapper,



You know your Panhandle bottom fishing don't you? I know the place you mention. You can see the high rises of Destin, Ft. Walton and Pensacola from there. The AJ's there are tackle busting arm killers for sure. The only thing I will add is the wonderful triggerfish fishing there too. I won the female triggerfish division in the Destin Fishing Rodeo several years back with a 9+ pounder from that area. Triggers are one of the best eating fish there is, second only to Dolphin (Mahi Mahi) in my book. Have you ever ate at Jim N Nicks Barbeque? If not you gotta try it.

[Carter1]

I caught a triggerfish the time I went out on the headboat (before seasickness set in) but it was maybe three or four pounds. I had no idea they were even edible back then or I would have kept it. So like I said, it pays to be educated on the fishery you are going to.

[JUSTINHALL]

You know your Panhandle bottom fishing don't you? I know the place you mention. You can see the high rises of Destin, Ft. Walton and Pensacola from there. The AJ's there are tackle busting arm killers for sure. The only thing I will add is the wonderful triggerfish fishing there too. I won the female triggerfish division in the Destin Fishing Rodeo several years back with a 9+ pounder from that area. Triggers are one of the best eating fish there is, second only to Dolphin (Mahi Mahi) in my book. Have you ever ate at Jim N Nicks Barbeque? If not you gotta try it.[/QUOTE]

I prefer to use live bait vs cut bait so I have only caught a few trigger fish there but have managed to catch a few. Some days live bait doesnt work so you have to kill the live bait to get bit. Just a dead fish doesnt always cut it though but if you fillet each side of the fish backwards so he (or she) has a flap of skin and meat on each side of spine flaping BAM! you are on. Still too big for trigger fish but grouper love it. The triggers' small mouth needs much smaller cut baits, but yes you are right they are delicious and congrats on your rodeo win. I'm not a fan of mahi mahi I eat it like all fish but its not my favorite, sea bass #1 and snapper a very close 2nd in my book. Not many sea bass out of Destin but another place I go farther south called Cedar Key is loaded with them you can catch as many as you want and there is no size or qty limit so I take kids there don't have to go far and drop it in and reel it up. They are so aggesive even if they are not hooked they hang on to the chunk of meat and wont let it go. 1 out of 3 you pull up they are just hanging on to the meat. Watch the gill plates though them fish know how to work them things for sure, but they are delicious.
Next trip to Destin 1 1/2 weeks away cant wait.

[sweetwater]

"Just a dead fish doesnt always cut it though but if you fillet each side of the fish backwards so he (or she) has a flap of skin and meat on each side of spine flaping BAM! you are on."

We always call that a butterfly. You're right, I works great on the big boys. Sometimes better than liveies. I use a 2 hook dropper rig with 2/0 circle hooks for the triggers with the lead on the bottom of the rig. Triggers won't run with the bait but you'll feel them chewing on it. Start reeling without setting the hook and you've got them. I use 80# mainline with a 6' 80# flouro leader and 8/0 gammy 4x circle live bait hook for the gags and snappers. (fish finding rig) Weight depends on current and depth. Let them run with the rig till your out of slack and reel like the devil. Use the biggest hardtail or pinfish you can get for bait. Good luck on your coming trip.

[Carter1]

Sweetwater, I have questions about Alabama (living there) I would like to ask you but I didn't want to put it all on here. I was going to PM you but apparently that can't be done.

[sweetwater]

Sweetwater, I have questions about Alabama (living there) I would like to ask you but I didn't want to put it all on here. I was going to PM you but apparently that can't be done.

I've kept it turned off. I'm a little leary of some of the messages I could get, if you know what I mean. I've turned the PM on if you'd like to contact me.