The COVID-19 virus is having a profound affect on our community. Fortunately, both the City and County piers remain open with one big change. Only fishermen are permitted. No spectators are being allowed. Fishermen are required to keep 6 feet separation. The state Park is closed along with all beaches in Bay County. Many grocery stores have modified their hours so restocking and cleaning can be completed more efficiently. Food establishments are only allowed to offer “Take-out” meals, no inside dinning. One positive is we actually have plentiful parking. There have been tons of rumors that more closures and a “shelter in place” order is on the horizon but I have no information to that effect (yet).
Things beside the water temperature are heating up. The first Cobia and Kings hit the deck the past week. The water is still green Bay water but the Mackerel and Cobia didn’t seem to mind. A few Pompano and Red Drum also hit the deck. Sheepshead are MIA and we are still waiting on Cigar Minnows and other bait to school around the pier. The only bait has been Pin fish, passing schools of Ballyhoo and Rain minnows.
Thursday afternoon the Cobia anglers had been straining their eyes for a chance to cast their jigs. Collin made his way out to the end tee late afternoon and spied a fish floating in from the East. A quick cast got him an eat. A short fight later he brought the first Cobia of the year onto the deck. It was 45 inches and just shy of 30 pounds. There were a few more sightings over the weekend but no other fish hit the deck until Tuesday. Two fish, both hooked on the West side of the pier, came in to reward two young anglers with their first pier Cobia. Dillon and Jackson made catches two and three for the season. Congratulations Collin on the first fish of the year and to Dillon and Jackson on your first score from the pier!
The Spanish Mackerel have been plentiful and many daily limits were caught. Gotchas, Mackerel rigs, spoons and big Sabikis were the hot baits for most of the week. Today, the bigger Spanish were eating frozen Cigar minnows. Most fish averaged 14 inches but a few were as large as 24 inches. Brenda fishing with Anthony, Will and Jeffrey were on fire and limited quickly. Jessie, Paul and I were lucky enough to get some of the larger ones.
The water temp has risen quickly and hit 77 by early afternoon a couple of days and has stayed above 70 most of the week. We knew the first King would be decked soon. Today was the day as Casey W. was drifting a frozen Cigar minnow off the Southeast corner of the Tee when a 17 pound King inhaled his bait. He made quick work to bring it to gaff. A short time later, Ron “Black Cloud” was drifting a Pin fish off the back SE corner of the Tee when he got slammed. At just over 80 years old, and a Winter guest not accustomed to King fishing, he landed his first ever King that tipped the scale at 14 ¾ pounds. WTG Casey and Ron!
The Pompano bite has been slow along with Red Drum. However a few fish did make their way onto the deck. Slick and I scored but did not load the cooler.
Water temperature: 76-77
MM | DD | TIME
(EDT) | WDIR | WSPD
kts | GST
kts | WVHT
ft | DPD
sec | APD
sec | MWD | PRES
in | PTDY
in | ATMP
°F | WTMP
°F | DEWP
°F | SAL
psu | VIS
nmi | TIDE
ft |
03 | 25 | 8:42 pm | WSW | 14.0 | 15.9 | - | - | - | - | 29.91 | - | 74.7 | 76.3 | - | - | - | - |
03 | 25 | 8:36 pm | WSW | 12.0 | 15.0 | - | - | - | - | 29.91 | - | 74.7 | 77.2 | - | - | - | - |
03 | 25 | 8:30 pm | WSW | 13.0 | 15.0 | - | - | - | - | 29.91 | - | 74.7 | 77.4 | - | - | - | - |
03 | 25 | 8:24 pm | WSW | 13.0 | 15.0 | - | - | - | - | 29.91 | - | 74.5 | 77.2 | - | - | - | - |
03 | 25 | 8:18 pm | WSW | 14.0 | 15.9 | - | - | - | - | 29.91 | - | 74.5 | 77.2 | - | - | - | - |
03 | 25 | 8:12 pm | WSW | 14.0 | 15.9 | - | - | - | - | 29.91 | - | 74.5 | 77.4 | - | - | - | - |
https://tides4fishing.com/us/florida-west-coast/panama-city
Tides for the week: Full Moon Tuesday Apr. 07, 2020 - New Moon Wednesday Apr. 22, 2020
Sunrise: 6:38am Sunset: 6:58pm
Thursday 26th. 4:54am Low 0.5 1:49am High 0.5
8:03pm Low 0.1 11:55am High 0.8
Friday 9:17pm Low 0.1 11:57am High 1.0
Saturday 10:34pm Low 0.0 12:24pm High 1.1
Sunday 11:58pm Low -0.1 1:00pm High 1.2
Monday 1:44pm High 1.3
Tuesday 1:33am Low -0.2 2:34pm High 1.3
Wednesday 01st. 2:49am Low -0.3 3:35pm High 1.4
Sunrise:6:30am Sunset: 7:03pm
The Marine forecast for the next several days is:
THURSDAY
North winds 5 to 10 knots becoming south 5 to 10 knots
in the afternoon. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Dominant period 4 seconds.
Protected waters mostly smooth.
THURSDAY NIGHT
South winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Protected waters mostly smooth.
FRIDAY
South winds 5 to 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Dominant
period 4 seconds. Protected waters a light chop.
FRIDAY NIGHT
South winds 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Dominant period 3 seconds. Protected waters a light chop.
SATURDAY
South winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Protected waters a light chop.
SATURDAY NIGHT
South winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet.
Protected waters a light chop.
SUNDAY
Southwest winds 10 knots. Seas 2 to 4 feet.
Protected waters a light chop.
SUNDAY NIGHT
West winds 5 to 10 knots becoming north 10
knots after midnight. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Protected waters a
light chop.
MONDAY
Northeast winds 10 to 15 knots becoming east 5 to
10 knots late in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Protected
waters a light chop.
(local forecast)
THURSDAY (78/68 rain 10% wind SSE-09)
FRIRDAY (79/69 rain 10% wind SSW-10)
SATURDAY (80/72 rain 20% wind S-13)
SUNDAY (81/66 rain 20% wind SW-10)
MONDAY (82/69 rain 0% wind ESE-10)
TUESDAY (79/67 rain 50% wind S-15)
WEDNESDAY(75/58 rain 40% wind W-15)
Tight lines and screaming drags,
Sam
