Northwest Florida Forecast
April 25, 2024
By Capt. Kevin Lanier
Port St. Joe to Keaton Beach Capt. Kevin Lanier of KC Sportfishing covers fishing from Mexico Beach to Steinhatchee, including Apalachicola, St. George Island, Carabelle, St. Marks and Keaton Beach.
Action Spotter Podcast
April 25 Report As April is winding down and the winds of spring come across the Gulf of Mexico the anticipation of the arrival of the Pelagic is increasing everyday. Amberjack season opens May 1st, Trigger fish retention will last through the end of May, Red Snapper season dates should be announced very soon, and so after a long winter it is about to get real.
Now is the time to make sure your boat and tackle are ready. Do not be that guy and show up at the ramp and wonder why your bought will not start or you run 5 miles out and you have bad fuel or a bad battery. If you fish off shore at all look at getting a Sea Tow or Boat US membership. It is the cheapest insurance item you can have.
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This week Pompano are definitely here and running along the beaches. Use a Pompano rig, pyramid weight, a sand spike rod holder, and a cooler full of your favorite beverages. I like to use FishBites to tip my pompano rig. Use a similar but larger rig if you are fishing offshore near the reefs. Squid is my bait of choice. Bee-liners and Porgies are plentiful right now.
Stay tuned for more
Kevin Lanier KCsportfishing.com kcsportfishing@gmail.com
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April 17 Report We are in the full stride of spring here in the Panhandle and the weather is incredible. The water temperature is showing about 65 degrees and seems to be very clear at the moment. Fish are abundant and you just have to decide what species you might want to target.
This Saturday, April 20, is the first annual Pompano Tournament here in the area sponsored by the Lookout Lounge located in St. Joe Beach which is located between Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe. For more information lookup The Lookout Lounge on Facebook or contact me here at kcsportfishing@gmail.com
The Pompano have made a good early showing along the beaches. Use a typical Pompano rig tipped with a piece of Fish Bites shrimp scent. Sand fleas and Ghost shrimp will work as well.
Spanish Mackerel are still in thick and can be caught casting silver or brass colored light spoons from the beach or trolling a Mackerel tree rig trailed by a Silver Horde Coho Killer.
Sheepshead are still here but have slowed a bit. Drifting live shrimp is definitely the way to go. These fish will move on out soon so, get out there.
Offshore if you can get through the Red Snapper there are plenty of other fish to keep. Looks like a stretch of good weather ahead this week.
Kevin Lanier KCsportfishing.com kcsportfishing@gmail.com
April 9 After a couple of weeks off I had the opportunity to spend a few days on the water. Fishing has been off the charts and should continue as we are in a perfect spring time weather pattern.
The sheepshead are thick and so are the Spanish mackerel as well. For those of you wanting to venture out into the deep water it is red snapper heaven or hell depending on how you look at it.
We should be hearing about red snapper season pretty this month. The Gulf council usually has their meetings in April to set the season. Based on what I am seeing now the season should be great. The fish are here now just wait on NOAA and the state.we wait on.
Now is the time to replace that old fishing line. I use Tightlines braid out of Texas. They are one of the only braid companies in the U.S. They make a great product.
Get out on the water and enjoy spring.
Kevin Lanier KCsportfishing.com kcsportfishing@gmail.com
PREVIOUS REPORTS March 18 Things are looking very promising here in Northwest Florida and the eastern end of the Panhandle. I have been saying over the past few weeks the early spring fish should be here any time now. Well, they have now arrived.
Sheepshead are here in mass and covering the shoals closest to the beach. Most are being sought within four miles of the beach offshore. Look in the Bell Shoal area just off Mexico Beach and the shallow rocks off Apalachicola. I like to drift live shrimp through these areas with a 1/4 ounce or less split shot. I use a 1/0 hook on about a four-foot leader. There will be no doubt when they hit. A sheepshead has a very hard mouth, so getting a good hook set is tricky.
Spanish mackerel are thick off the beach. Try trolling chrome or gold spoons about 50 feet behind the boat. I like the Coho Killer from Silver Horde. It catches more fish and holds up better than a Clark spoon. You can cast a Gotcha lure from a boat or shore with good results as well.
Offshore, the red snapper are every where. I still question every time out why we do not have a spring fishery for them. It does not matter what you put down. Please make sure you release these fish carefully. Remember you need a descender on the boat as well. If the bladder is out of their mouths use the descender.
Get out and enjoy the great weather and catch some fish.
Kevin Lanier KCsportfishing.com kcsportfishing@gmail.com
