I know it is Winter but this dry spell seems unusual. However, when compared to previous years, it is not that different. The Squid began to show about the same time in 2018 and 2019. Last year we had a few Sheepshead, Red and Black Drum caught but 2018 was slow like this year. Our water clarity got blown out with the last front and is slowly clearing just in time for the next front tomorrow. At least March is only a couple of weeks away.
Last Wednesday afternoon, We had had our bait soaking for a while so we started checking each line to be sure we were not “fishing on credit”. To our surprise, there was a small Flounder on one of the rigs. It barely made the cut at 12.5” but Paul had a nice dinner. (see:Paul-8818)
For the next 6 days, we would soak bait all day with almost no result. There were a couple of Reds hooked and a couple more decked, Monday, the 10th, Paul and I finally had some success. We had had 5 lines soaking with Squid, Shrimp and blanched Sand Flea as bait. I had put the Sand Flea on our light rig hoping for Pompano. It was spooled with 08# test mono. As luck would have it, both fish we hooked were on the light rig. A 33” Red with wind and current on 8# line is a challenge. I got lucky and decked the Red for a quick picture before releasing it. A few minutes later the same rig got hit again. This Red was not as big but had an attitude. Paul fought it for about 15 minutes hoping the light line would hold. What a happy angler when we stretched the tape on his fish and it showed 26 ¾”. No doubt Paul had more than one meal on that one.
Tuesday was slow with only catfish biting. Mikel caught the only Red. It was a heartbreaker as the pinched tail pushed it to 28”. Heavy fog held all day and about 4:30 we started to get a few Squid.
Species caught: Red Drum and a small Flounder. Bait: Bring your own.
Water temperature: 63
MM | DD | TIME
(EST) | 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 |
02 | 12 | 8:36 am | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 30.03 | - | 65.7 | 63.1 | - | - | - | - |
02 | 12 | 8:30 am | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 30.04 | - | 65.3 | 63.1 | - | - | - | - |
02 | 12 | 8:24 am | ESE | 12.0 | 15.0 | - | - | - | - | 30.04 | - | 65.3 | 63.1 | - | - | - | - |
02 | 12 | 8:18 am | ESE | 14.0 | 15.0 | - | - | - | - | 30.03 | - | 65.7 | 63.1 | - | - | - | - |
02 | 12 | 8:12 am | ESE | 14.0 | 15.0 | - | - | - | - | 30.03 | - | 65.7 | 63.1 | - | - | - | - |
https://tides4fishing.com/us/florida-west-coast/panama-city
Tides for the week: New Moon Sunday Feb. 23, 2020 Full Moon Monday Mar. 09, 2020.
Sunrise: 6:24am Sunset: 5:30pm
Thursday 13th. 7:49am Low 0.1 1:42pm High 0.5
9:27pm Low 0.1 2:28pm High 0.4
Friday 5:57am Low 0.1 3:35am High 0.2
2:36pm High 0.6
Saturday 1:33am Low -0.2 2:35pm High 0.8
Sunday 2:40am Low -0.4 3:21pm High 1.0
Monday 3:32am Low -0.6 4:35pm High 1.1
Tuesday 4:20am Low -0.7 5:54pm High 1.1
Wednesday 19th. 5:06am Low -0.7 6:59pm High 1.1
Sunrise:6:19am Sunset: 5:34pm
The Marine forecast for the next several days is:
DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY
TODAY
Southeast winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Protected waters a light chop. Areas
of fog in the morning, then patchy fog in the afternoon.
TONIGHT
South winds 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Dominant
period 4 seconds. Protected waters a moderate chop. Patchy fog
through the night. Slight chance of showers after midnight.
THURSDAY
Southwest winds 15 knots becoming west 10 to
15 knots late in the afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Dominant period
4 seconds. Protected waters a moderate chop. Showers and slight
chance of thunderstorms.
THURSDAY NIGHT
North winds 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Dominant period 4 seconds. Protected waters a moderate chop.
Chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms.
FRIDAY
North winds 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Dominant
period 4 seconds. Protected waters a moderate chop. Slight chance
of showers in the morning.
FRIDAY NIGHT
Northeast winds 15 to 20 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet.
Protected waters a moderate chop.
SATURDAY
East winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas 2 to 3 feet. Protected
waters a moderate chop.
SATURDAY NIGHT
East winds 10 knots. Seas 1 to 2 feet.
Protected waters a light chop. Slight chance of showers
after midnight.
SUNDAY
East winds 5 to 10 knots becoming southwest 5 to 10 knots
late in the afternoon. Seas 1 to 2 feet. Protected waters mostly
smooth. Chance of showers and slight chance of
thunderstorms.
(local forecast)
THURSDAY (69/48 rain 80% wind WNW-13)
FRIRDAY (62/41 rain 10% wind NNE-12)
SATURDAY (63/50 rain 0% wind ENE-11)
SUNDAY (66/58 rain 30% wind ESE-07)
MONDAY (70/63 rain 20% wind SE-10)
TUESDAY (73/61 rain 20% wind SSE-13)
WEDNESDAY(69/51 rain 20% wind NE-09)
Tight lines and screaming drags,
Sam
