Fall 2022 Fishing Report
As summer comes to an end and fall approaches, Pensacola Beach becomes less crowded with visitors and the locals come out of their shells.
While many others focus on weekend football games or upcoming holidays, the locals get to enjoy our favorite time of the year known as “The Local’s Summer”. Many people think fishing in Pensacola Beach is best during the spring or summer, but fall fishing is often overlooked and can be very productive.
What’s the Catch
This is a great time of the year to catch Pompano, Whiting, and Drum casting off of the beach using a two hook style surf rig. You can also access the public piers such as the Bob Sike’s Fishing Bridge, Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier, and Fort Pickens State Park to catch Redfish, Mangrove Snappers, and Sheepshead.These types of fish are generally caught with Carolina rigs, live shrimp, or fiddler crabs.Working our way to the water, the inshore fishing starts to become productive as the weather cools down. You will find lots of Speckled Trout and Redfish in Pensacola Bay and the Santa Rosa Sound around local docks and grass flats using live bait or soft artificial lures. The larger Bull Reds can be caught under the schooling birds or baitfish using larger lures or cut bait.
Getting out into the gulf, we have Red Snapper opening back up on the weekends through November. Triggerfish have been mixed in with Red Snappers on smaller wrecks and reefs. Also, Vermillion Snappers, Amberjacks, and Almaco Jacks have been hanging around the larger public structures. Further offshore, the blue water fishery has clean water and lots of bait. The F.A.D.s are holding Mahi Mahi and Blackfin Tunas while the offshore oil rigs have been holding jumbo sized Yellowfin Tunas and Blue Marlins. There are also Wahoo and King Mackerels showing up around the edge in clean water.
There are local bait and tackle shops around the Pensacola Beach area. Outcast and Gulf Breeze Bait & Tackle are the two most popular shops. You can stop in one of these places and our good friends can get you set up with all your needs for a perfect day on the water. There are also great charter fishing boats and captains to guide you to a great, successful catch.
-Captain Bobby Radcliffe, Bloodline Charters