Spinning tackle does the job for throwing lures, while some anglers use conventional reels for bait fishing. (Photo courtesy of Byron Chamberlin)
February 26, 2026
By Florida Sportsman
Perdido Key to Cape San Blas Fishing from Perdido Key to Cape San Blas, including Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, Panama City and Port St. Joe
Feb. 26-March 1, 2026 FS staff
There should be a pretty good weekend for fishing with a brief couple of hours when another weak cold front comes across the Panhandle. The best fishing opportunities include pompano on ghost shrimp or sand fleas along the beaches. There will be some whiting as well in the same zones. If you plan to fish any of the bays, you can probably find plenty of sheepshead and black drum around the bridges and docks. Speckled trout fishing should be pretty robust on topwater plugs as the water is warming up. Try throwing a Rapala Skitterwalk or a Yo-Zuri Hydro-pencil. In freshwater, this a great time to find bass spawning. Cast lipless crank baits or shallow spinnerbaits to find reactions strikes.
The marine weather forecast for the Panhandle is:
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Friday: Southwest winds around 10 knots, becoming east late. Seas 3 to 4 feet. Protected waters a light chop. A slight chance of thunderstorms. A chance of showers late this morning and early afternoon, then showers likely late.
Saturday: Northeast winds 5 to 10 knots. Waves 1 foot or less. Protected waters a light chop. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the morning.
Sunday: East winds 5 to 10 knots. Waves 1 foot or less. Protected waters a light chop.
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Previous reports Feb. 12-15, 2026 By Capt. Gabrielle Barnes
Spring is approaching, but before we get there we must get through February, quite possibly the quietest month of the year in the Panhandle region. Winter limits the species that are willing participants. The few willing to brave the cold do have options. The key factor to success is to pay attention to weather patterns and be flexible around them.
Inshore
I’ll stick to bridges and jetties for sheepshead, black drum and redfish. Loading up on a variety of bait will always help your catch rate but especially this time of year. For instance, if my main target is sheepshead and black drum, I’m going to stock up on oysters and ghost shrimp.
On those bluebird sunny sky days when there isn’t a lick of wind, I’ll head to the Gulf to sight fish big bull reds on the beach. I’ll follow that up with some nearshore flounder fishing for the dinner table. As always, a live cigar minnow or croaker on a free line is the best method.
The transition from flounder fishing will happen soon so I’m taking advantage of this last month to get into a good bite. At this point in the season, I’ll have a few guaranteed spots locked in that are holding the big ones. If not, I’d start by fishing those artificial reefs big and small anywhere from 1 to 3 miles off the beach with live bull minnows on a Carolina rig. Many have a different preference on tackle for flounder fishing, there is no right or wrong, but I like a short 18-inch 20-pound test leader rigged with a 2-ounce weight and a 2/0 Khale hook. In my experience, circle hooks work fine, but the flounder will spit them right at the boat from time to time.
Capt. Gabrielle Barnes
www.ladyluckadventures.com
407-818-3141
Previous reports Jan. 30, 2026 It's likely to be cold this weekend, but it will warm back up fairly nicely by mid-week. If you have to fish, here are the marine weather forecast for the weekend for this area:
Today: Northwest winds 15 to 20 knots, becoming north 20 to 25 knots after midnight. Waves 1 foot or less, then 3 to 5 feet, occasionally to 6 feet after midnight. Protected waters rough. Isolated showers.
Saturday: Northwest winds 25 to 30 knots, increasing to 30 to 40 knots in the afternoon. Seas 5 to 8 feet, occasionally to 10 feet, building to 8 to 11 feet, occasionally to 14 feet in the afternoon. Protected waters extremely rough. Isolated showers in the morning, then scattered showers in the afternoon. Small craft advisory is likely.
Sunday: North winds 25 to 30 knots, becoming northwest 15 to 20 knots in the afternoon. Seas 6 to 9 feet, occasionally to 11 feet, subsiding to 4 to 6 feet, occasionally to 8 feet in the afternoon. Protected waters very rough. Small craft adivsory is likely.
Monday: Northwest winds 10 to 15 knots. Seas around 3 feet in the morning, then 1 foot or less. Protected waters a moderate chop.
Daily temperatures: Friday Hi 60, Lo 32 Saturday Hi 37, Lo 23 Sunday Hi 43, Lo 22 Monday Hi 54, Lo 30 Pensacola, Fla. caught snow for the second time in two years earlier in 2026. If you must fish, look for crappie and bass which are always game this time of year, or saltwater fish like flounder, bluefish, croaker, sheepshead and black drum are ready to go. If you do find weird fish or wildlife problems, call Florida Sportsman magaing editor Ed Killer at ed.killer@outdorsg.com . Good luck!
Previous reports Jan. 16, 2026 Score Some Sheepshead With the holidays behind us, we are in a true winter pattern. In the Panhandle region, it seems like every three months we have a seasonal species to target that you can’t consistently catch throughout the year. If the Gulf is nice this time of year, you will find me a couple miles offshore with light tackle catching flounder, if it’s rough, you can bet I’ll be under a bridge looking for sheepshead.
The weather is going to be the biggest factor to pay attention to. Every fall, flounder make their way offshore to spawn. When they do, they remain there about 4 months before they head back into the bays. This gives us a great opportunity to have our fill. In years past, we would start fishing for them in November, largely because there wasn’t a ton of other species to target.
Female flounder are batch spawners, meaning they release eggs multiple times during a single spawning season, typically every 3-5 days, their spawning peaks October through December, hence the closure period. While I’ve heard some push back about the month-long closure, this is a huge step in the right direction to rebuild this fishery to keep it healthy for years to come. There will be plenty of flounder in January and February and now you can harvest them knowing the babies have left the nest. Speaking of harvesting, they aren’t a difficult fish to catch once you find them. They will be in large schools along the beaches anywhere up to 5 miles out, using structure that holds bait as their temporary home. The ideal spot is down current of any structure. In a scenario where there isn’t much current, I would suggest using your sonar to check any sandy areas on the back side of structure. Once you find one, typically you’ve found hundreds. A live bull minnow on a Carolina rig with a short leader is my go-to, I prefer a Khale hook, but a circle hook works just fine too.
Inshore , you can find the trout pushed back into the rivers and bayous looking for a warm hole to hide in, a slow presentation on the bottom is best this time of year whether using artificial or live bait. Remember that presently, Gulf regulations prohibit harvest of spotted seatrout in February in the Western Panhandle, so they’ll be catch-and-release only.
Smaller redfish can be found back in bayous as well, but the larger ones aren’t affected as much by the cold temperatures. They are perfectly fine catching the sun on a shallow sand flat after a good cold front. They will have different behavior patterns this time compared to the warmer months as they are trying to conserve energy to keep warm. If you are sight-fishing them, a small bait, tossed right in front of them is the best route to take, you won’t find many fish fired up and chasing a spoon at high speeds like you will in the summer.
Offshore , water temperatures of 70 and above are few and far between, if any. Chances of getting in a great pelagic bite are slim, but I would keep an eye on Hiltons just in case a current pushes some of that warm water in. One offshore fish that is worth your effort is swordfish; you can absolutely get on a good bite this time of year if the weather holds out long enough to get out and target them. Just make sure you have some good fresh bonito or squid strips rigged and ready to go.
Freshwater fishing across the panhandle is steady this time of year. Bass are deep and slow, holding tight to structure and waiting for a midday warm-up to move shallow. Jigs and soft plastics fished slow along ledges or stumps can pay off, especially in the rivers and backwater creeks that hold slightly warmer water.
BEST BET Flounder are hands down my best bet, do yourself a favor and search for public coordinates of wrecks for your region, circle the wrecks 1-3 miles off the beach and go see if they’re holding. Live bull minnows are the favorite but always pack a smaller Sabiki rig in your box. If you see a cloud of bait on the wreck your fishing, shoot that rig down to see what it is, this time of year you’ll find clouds of small cigar minnow that the flounder are actively feeding on.
Previous reports Jan. 5 Report Florida Sportsman magazine’s Panhandle Action Spotter Gabrielle Barnes (Lady Luck Adventures , Destin) writes in the December 2025 issue:
Redfish and black drum are the most consistent fish to bet on this time of year. Big black drum and redfish will be happily cruising the beaches picking up any sandflea or ghost shrimp in their path. A winter beach walk is great because you largely have it to yourself. You won’t need a huge surf rod if you are sightfishing, but I would recommend some waders in case you need to dip your feet in to get the right cast; I love mine and primarily use them for wintertime beach fishing. If you’re not a fan of the beach, bridges and jetties will be holding them too, oysters and sandfleas seem to work best in these scenarios for the black drum and bigger shrimp for redfish.
Nov. 14 Report Florida Sportsman magazine’s Panhandle Action Spotter Gabrielle Barnes (Lady Luck Adventures , Destin) writes in the November 2025 issue:
PANHANDLE BEST BET Once again, redfish are going to be the best bet this month. From surface action in the bay to sight fishing slots on light tackle, anglers will find redfish of all sizes actively feeding and enjoying the cooler weather. If you are looking for the bulls on top, find the menhaden. The cooler temperatures make these huge bait schools lethargic, and they become an easy meal. Find them and you likely find the schools of reds, too.
Aug. 21 Report
Florida Sportsman magazine’s Panhandle Action Spotter Gabrielle Barnes (Lady Luck Adventures , Destin) writes in the August-September 2025 issue:
PANHANDLE BEST BET Even though amberjack won’t open until Sept. 1, I would say they are the best bet right now. One of the few fish that isn’t heavily affected by the high temperatures or water quality, they are looking for food. Do not go target these fish without making sure you are confident in your bait. Yes, they will wreck a bait with their eyes closed on most occasions, but it still must be the right bait. Hardtails or blue runners are by far the best bait but anything big and lively will work. Big threadfin herring and pinfish usually do the trick, too. Once you hook one over a high-relief wreck, don’t be afraid to put the boat in gear to help pull him off the wreck so your angler can land that fish.
PREVIOUS REPORTS October 13 - 15 Editors Note: Signatures Needed! The "Right to Clean and Healthy Waters" petition needs 900,000 signatures by November 30 to get on the 2024 ballot. Learn more here: http://www.floridarighttocleanwater.org/
Well, it’s officially fall. These cool fronts have actually been cool and the water is adjusting accordingly. I’ve been in bibs and a jacket most mornings on my ride across the bay.
As most of you know, October in our area hosts the Destin Fishing Rodeo, so every fish caught could be worth prizes, money and fame. There’s nothing more fun to me than pulling up to the weigh-in dock with some kids and some fish that they earned!
But on to the fishing…
Inshore
Finally some good numbers of redfish in the bay. The last few months have provided plenty of bait—perfect-sized pogies and great finger mullet on the flats. Lately, they’ve been a bit harder to find for me—not on the surface as much and a lot of what I catch in the net has been almost big enough to eat instead! I think now is a good time to switch to shrimp, if you can find it, and the pinfish don’t tear it up. I’m looking forward to the next few weeks and maybe those sheepshead will start biting more! I’ve been thinking about them since last winter. I tend to notice that bite pick-up when the armies of pinfish go away.
Offshore
Plenty of fish to keep. Red snapper is still open on weekends through November. I’ve actually found a better bite on frozen bait than live bait, which is interesting. The best depths for me are either in 50’, right off the beach, or in the 100+ range. The water is pretty dirty right now—not the beautiful Gulf water we’re used to. Grouper will be open until Oct 19, so get them while you can. Triggerfish and mingos are also plentiful in most locations. Make sure you have enough bait to pick through the small ones. I’ve found the bigger ones are up higher in the water or have a tendency to come up and get food. I feel like once you get in the small ones, you’re stuck! I don’t like dealing with squid too much, and we love catching bonito on my boat, so I have been using chunked bonito for my keepers or chumming them up similar to how they yellowtail fish down south. Make sure you always have a flat line out, too. I’ve had a great king bite lately doing that, and also around high relief structure. Seems like they weren’t around much at all this summer and then all of a sudden they showed up! Mahi has slowed down since that tropical storm came through. Much like the spring, I’m still catching some, but the bite is more like 2 or 3 larger fish as opposed to those summer days of 20 chickens. I’ll take it! Most have been found on similar high-relief structure areas, or if you’re lucky floating debris. We found a whole trash can offshore one day and kept 8 in the 5-10lb range. Perfect size fish, and a lot of fun on jigs. Blackfin tuna have shown up, much better this year than in years past. I think more have been weighed into the Rodeo this year already in the first week than all of last year combined, most of them larger than 25 pounds. These panhandle blackfin are thick! Fish them the same way you would for kings. I’d probably even go to the same places, just start with fluorocarbon leader. If you start losing hooks, switch to wire and hold on.
As always, just keep what you need. The more I fish, the less I care about “limits” and killing fish for a picture. If you have a decent box, try dropping a jig or catching something on topwater or fly—there’s nothing cooler than seeing a king skyrocket after a topwater. If you find yourself throwing away fish or finding it in the freezer, you’re keeping too much. Let me know if you catch anything good and feel free to reach out with any questions!
Capt. Mark Hotza Destin Fishing Captain of the Year 2020 www.30alighttackle.com www.instagram.com/30alighttackle/
