Power Wagon

Forum virgin - first time posting. Working in Pensacola area for the past year or so and got another 6 months to go. Predominately fish freshwater, but have been fishing for redfish lately in the upper end of Escambia Bay. Small ones haven't been too difficult to find but having trouble catching a slot red. Haven't had any luck with the specs so far either. Notexpecting to get any "honey hole" locations, but sure would appreciate any advice I could get on general locations, bait tips, etc.

Only have a 16' bass tracker so I am limited on where I can go unless the wind is fairly calm.

I would appreciate any help that anyone could provide.

lobsterman

Welcome to the forum and someone over that way will hook you up I'm sure.

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Power Wagon

Thanks for the welcome. As I stated -Forum virgin. Looking back at it now I should have posted this in another section - one geared more towards "inshore fishing".

Just trying to figure out how to catch some of the bigger red's and specs. The upper Escambia bay estuary area is a beautiful place to fish and listening to the local bait shops others are catching them. Being a rookie at this type of fishing I don't think I am giving artificial baits a fair shake. Throw a few times and drop back to dead shrimp when I don't get a hit pretty quick.

If someone could give me some pointers I would be most appreciative. Hope everyone has a great day.

Tyler Windham

Welcome to the forum!! Fishing upper Escambia Bay has been tricky lately due to the lack of water clarity. I Normally leave swamp house andstart at the mouth and fish each of the points heading east toward Jims fish camp. Pick up some 3" Berkley Gulp shrimp in the New Penny color.I like to use the white/ chartreuse jerk shads to combat muddy water. Throwing topwaters like the Rapala SkitterWalk or the Mirror lure Top Dog jr. work well. I fish a modified redfish majic spinnerbait with great relsuts also. The original works fine but I like to change it up and try new things.

Using dead shrimp is okay for some people,but, You just cant cover enough ground as you can when fishing artificials. Plus, You become a better fisherman by experimenting with different baits and finding one that works for you the best for the area.

Goodluck and tight liines!!

TCGrimsley

Hello, welcome to the forum. I am new to the area also, but I grew up on the big bend. For Reds, which apparently is the only thing I am good at catching, I always do a two pronged approach: Rig one pole with a 18-24" 20 lb red colored mono leader, a swivel,and a 1/0-2/0 "j" hook, with a 1/2 oz to 1/4 oz egg sinker above the swivel so it will drag your bait down, but keep your bait up above the grass, and just enough weight to keep it from dragging your bait under the grass. I have used this setup for reds for years now, I am only 24, but i have fished literally all of my life. catch some decent sized pinfish with your shrimp, and use them for cut bait, and fillet them with skin still on, and use big chunks, that will take alot of your pinfish and catfish woes out of the equation, not saying they still won't steal your bait, but it will take alot of it out. Now, the second step I use is I will setup a top-water rod with a nice and shiny topwater lure, my fav is a heddon zara super spook jr, in the mullet colors, or i will use a more suspended approach, with a popping cork and a gulp shrimp or pogy, in either of the two colors: nuclear chiken or new penny. I love this setup and it works. Now for trout, I can catch them all day long over on the grass beds where I grew up in the Carabelle area, but apparently here I am trout retarded, because I ain't caught S*%t!!! :banghead The best thing I can tell you is trial and error, and its a whole lot of that out here, it is not as easy as over where I grew up. Also in the same boat as you, I have a '79 15 footer that you will get wet in if the waves are over 6"!!!!! If you can, try the sound, it is really easy to navigate with a small boat and has alot of potential for some monster fishes. I really hope this will be very helpful. Oh yeah, I forgot, if you can anchor around docks, and sunken shallow structure. You will not spook them with the noise of your trolling motor, and it will give you the opportunity to try all sorts of things. I am telling you now, that is a huge body of water, and just because your not getting bites right now, doesn't mean he isn't there!!!!! He just might not like what you have offered him. And i have found out that alot of your 20"ers are still schooling, which makes for a fun day if you find a good school! and try to find a grass bed that starts out in 1'-2', and has a fast drop off, they absolutely love them grassy shoals!!! Not finding them in over 7' this time of year, so stay shallow, the shallower the better in alot of cases. also try a high to low tide, prefferably in the early am or late pm. fish go nuts during those times. GOOD LUCK!!!:letsdrink

Power Wagon

Thanks Tyler and TC. Sounds like a lot of good advice and I am fired up about trying it out this weekend. The sad part is that I already have most of what ya'll mentioned to try in my tackle box. Most of it still in the wrapper because I haven't had the confidence to use it for more than a few cast at a time. I guess it is also goodin the fact that I don't have to run to the store.

Probably my biggest problem is that the last time I did this type of fishing was when Iwasabout 8- 10 years old,fishing with my great uncles and my dad on the Mississippi Gulf coast some 40+ years ago.Most of the artificials weren't invented then.We used dead shrimp and possibly some live ones and caught the heck out of specs and I think a few reds. It has been hard for me to get away from those memories - so I naturally gravitate towards hooking on the shrimp.

Thanks once again for the pointers. Will let you know how it goes. Good luck to you guys!

Tyler Windham

Cant wait to hear from you later to give us a fishing report! I'm getting my Carbs cleaned out today so I wont be able to make it back to the water until Monday.

Snatch it

Hey Tyler it don't matter if your carbs are clean or not you aren't gonna catch anything anyways!! :moon

Power Wagon

Confidence boosted thanks to you guys!Started out throwing a Gulp 5"Jerk Shad in white and chartreuse and immediately started catching fish. Still looking for a slot red, but had a blast catching the ones just under. Picked up a spec (which was more than I had been catching) and enough flounder to have something for the table. Much more exciting than drowning a dead shrimp. The big ones are out there - gonna keep after 'em until I get 'em figured out.

Thanks for the help! Good luck.