Choctawhatchee Bay Report 09/25/2013

[InshoreFishingDestin]

How's it going guys?  Here's the latest inshore report from the Ships Chandler Guide Service.

The inshore bite has really turned on in the last couple weeks and should continue to get better and better as the cooler weather approaches.  This is by far our favorite time of the year for all types of fishing, especially inshore for reds and trout. 

The redfish bite has been very good as of late.  You can find the bigger bull reds stacked up around the jetties and local bridges.  The bite has been much better on an outgoing tide.  The biggest thing you can do to help you get more bites is finding the right baits.  Bait is everything when it comes to big redfish.  Right now, big croakers and spot minnows is where it's at.  The 5-8" bait are the ones you want.  The best way to find bait is to cast net around the drop offs in the local bayous or use a sabiki rig tipped with squid.  It may take you a while to find the bait, but you'll get twice the bites, so it's worth it.  The slot fish are starting to show up good around the deeper docks in the bayous and on the grass flats.  Around the docks use finger mullet, shrimp, or menhaden.  With the cooler nights, the grass flats have been good, longer, up in the day.  Try throwing top waters and submersibles, (mirrordines, mirrodine minis, and badonkadonks) in the early morning and late afternoons.  One big tip this time of the year, follow the mullet.  When you see the big schools of mullet, cast towards the back side of the school with jerk baits or a gold spoon.

The trout bite is on fire.  It's been the best couple weeks for BIG trout that we may have ever seen.  There's plenty of fish on the grass flats.  Fish for them the same way you would for redfish, top waters, etc in the mornings and late afternoons.  The lights are still holding fish very good, just not the real big ones.  If you're hunting the real big trout, you need the big bait.  The same big bait you're using for the redfish (croakers, etc), use those.  Try finding sandy pot holes in 4-8ft of water in grass beds and soak some baits there.  You'll be surprised at the size of bait a big trout will eat. 

The flounder are slowly starting to show up.  We've been catching a few around the mouths of the bayous around docks.  It shouldn't be long though before they start to show up good.

With the Destin Fishing Rodeo fastly approaching, we'll start posting more frequent reports.  Good luck fishing!!

[Destinfishing]

Welcome and thank you for the fishing report!  Tight lines,

DFF