Report for Destin, Florida - Nearshore

The fish are definately here but proving once again that you just can't figure 'em out. I ran a couple of trips this week that were right up to speed. We got our snapper limits and one day I had a local who wanted a grouper bite and got to catch 2 ( one fine one about 16#) after we "snappered". Yesterday I had a Dad and his two sons, the older one ('bout 22) had never been in the Gulf before. The boy is now spoiled for life. The fish were so hot I had to hide the hooks when I baited up I was scared they were going to jump in the boat and eat the bait before it went on the hook! First stop I sent my folks down with live baits for snapper. They didn't get 40 ft. of line off before everybody was on. We had a school of amberjacks up all around the boat in no time.The fish were all an inch or two short (27" to the fork) but a great way to "school up" my anglers and teach them the ropes. When the jacks stopped I flipped a fly pole out for kings and was on before I could get the rod in the holder. We caught our limit of Kings just about as fast as I could get the rod back out The box is looking pretty dang good and we're only an hour into a 4 hour! Back to bottom fishin'. We catch 3 good size reds and a black snapper when all of a sudden my "greenhorn" hooks a sea monster. We went round and round for about half an hour with a huge shark on 50# tackle before the hook finally pulled. We tried to get the snapper going again but they were a little scared with junior having been swimming about. On to the next rock and the snappers are HOT. 3 hours from the truck and we've got 17 snappers and 8 kings and I've still got an hour of fishin'. We went 2 hook fishin' for mingo's and triggers to fill out the day and top off the box! This morning I was fired up after yesterday. Locals fishing with a little experience I think we're going to crush 'em. There I go thinkin' again. Today was tough. After only fishin' 3 spots yesterday I was amazed that I had to hit a dozen today for a catch. We'd pull up and go down, wait 5 minutes and everybody get one good bite. And that was it. Live bait, dead bait it didn't matter. I got on the radio and everybody was singing the blues. The fish just had lockjaw. We ended up with a dozen good snappers and a king, a few trigs and bee liners but we stopped on a couple of spots that the bottom machine said had tons ( as in thousands of lb.s) of fish. Oh well, my folks had a good time and must've thought we did pretty good 'cause they want to go again in two weeks. I just get spoiled by the glory days. The pompano are acting just like the bottom fish, one day it's limits and the the next day skipjack. Remember, you'll never have a great day if don't go. Sign off this machine, get your gear together and GO FISHING! Capt. Larry Pentel