5/16 Okaloosa surf

Escambia - Pensacola - West Pensacola, Santa Rosa - Munson - Bagdad - Oriole Beach, Okaloosa - Destin - Fort Walton Beach, Walton - Paxton - De Funiak Springs - Miramar Beach, Holmes, Washington, Bay - Panama City - Panama City Beach, Jackson, Calhoun, Liberty, Gulf - Port St. Joe, Franklin - Apalachicola - Lanark Village
Post Reply
whiteRhino
Fisher
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:54 am

5/16 Okaloosa surf

Post by whiteRhino »

Fished 5:00am- 10:00am in the surf a couple miles east of the pier. Lightning storm moved through the area the first hour or so but far enough off to not be much of a worry. Waves were mild the first few hours but grew to decent riding size later in the morning. The only other guy fishing didn't have weights bigger than 3oz and was struggling to keep a line out the whole morning.

In total 17 hardheads, 1 puffer, 1 big ray (40+ lbs easy), and a nice 18" pompano, all on fleas. Missed 6 or 7 big strikes that looked like they had hooked themselves but then lost on slack line. Saw the other guy pull a couple of small cats and one skipjack before I left, just as the rain started.

Image

Image

User avatar
fishnfool73
AMBASSADOR to the... BF FORUM
Posts: 8703
Joined: Tue Nov 07, 2006 6:18 am

Re: 5/16 Okaloosa surf

Post by fishnfool73 »

Nice report and your puffer is actually a burfish, same family.
Dreaming the dream that one day I can be as good as some of the boatless pros and catch some 12 inch mangrove snapper.

whiteRhino
Fisher
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Apr 30, 2010 11:54 am

Re: 5/16 Okaloosa surf

Post by whiteRhino »

Thanks for the proper ID. He didn't look particularly harmful but I didn't end up picking him up. I seemed to recall some story from the old salts in Rhode Island when I was a kid about them having similar toxins to catfish spines but haven't been able to verify this on Google. I really wanted to hold it, the spines didn't seem very sharp, but played it safe and shoveled him back into the surf.

Verdict?

Post Reply

Return to “NW Florida all Countys”