Fishing in Pensacola

[jwebster412]

I am in A pool down here and it looks like that wait is going to be even longer than was expected. While I was at OCS, Master Guns told me about this golf course in P-cola that allows people to fish in its lake. Trouble is, I haven't been able to find said golf course. Does anyone on here know which course MG was referring to? Or can anyone point me in the direction of some decent freshwater fishing within an hour of P-cola?

 

[Mumbles]

It's probably a little far for you..but Lakes Talquin, Jackson, and Seminole are world class bass, crappie, striper fisheries....They are east on I-10 about 2 hours away. There are plenty of decent little creeks off the Blackwater river up by Bagdad/Milton Florida which are close to you. You can catch a mess of shellcrackers and mullet out of there. When I was in P-cola, I pretty much gave up on the freshwater variety and stuck to the pier on the beach....(caught some nice mackeral and snapper off that) as well as Escambia bay for the trout and reds..

 

[Pugs]

Used to fish a lake right after you go across the bridge onto Perdido Key. It was a dirt road on the right. Usually packed a .22 revolver with snake shot as there were a ton of them.

Did a lot of casting for reds and trout inside Perdido park, it was all about two feet deep and often did quite well. On the ocean side did well on Pompano using sand fleas.

The REAL fun on the beach was in the winter when the schools of Ladyfish would come through and tear into bait pods. Casting Mann Stingray grubs with a short wire leader and following the fish up and down the beach was a ton of fun. They would often toss the jig in their tarpon-like jumps and another one would grab it a soon as it hit the water. These were the biggest ladyfish of the year so getting them to five lbs was not unusual. Not good to eat but a ton of fun to catch.

A kayak would open up a ton of good fishing for flounder and such on the intercoastal.

You have the huge advantage of Google earth to search and there's certainly enough water around that you don't need to use two hours of gas to get to decent fishing.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Dude....forget about the "golf course" cause I'm pretty sure thats just a stream at NAS....

1) Rent a 24 ft pontoon boat from the MWR
2) Make your weird sober friend drive
3) Go out on the bay
4) Pack cold beers and lots of squid for bait cause shrimp doesn't work very well
5) Catch mad catfish and drum which are both delicious for breakfast, and enjoy your time off

 

[Bolter]

Why must you find a lake that "allows" you to fish in it?! Just find a lake, cast out, and then act like you found the wrong lake once you get compromised. Or just go out and buy yourself a big ass center console with all of that sweet flight pay (all $126 worth) that you have coming your way.

 

[jwebster412]

Thanks for the input. I wouldnt really care so much about some golf course pond if master guns hadnt said that this was a really great place to fish. All those freshwater places you mentioned, those are great if you have a boat and the time to use it. And I would have to buy all new gear to do any salt water fishing. What a dilemma.

 

[Pugs]

And I would have to buy all new gear to do any salt water fishing. What a dilemma.

If you have bass gear you've covered 99% of inshore saltwater. A few plastic jigs and mirrolures and you're in business. No need for a boat, just wade the grass flats casting topwaters for trout on an incoming tide or work the edge of the channel with a jig tipped with shrimp for reds or drift a pinfish under a popping cork.
.

 

[MIDNJAC]

I forgot to add to my previous:
6) bring the womens

 

[picklesuit]

I had a 17' flatbottom that i used in the Chico Bayou. I would fish for Reds and Specks along the shore by all of the docks that people owned, caught some pretty big reds. I would also tool out to the channel that ran along the north side of the base, past the golf course out to Escambia bay. There is a spot where the channel is right next to the rock jetty on the northeastern most point of the base. I would anchor in the 4' water accross the channel from that point and cast across the channel. Lots of ladyfish, reds, cats, and the occasional junk fish (some ugly ass thing looked like it almost had legs and those puffer fish)

I bought the scented 3" new penny fake shrimp (Gulp brand) and they worked really well.

That is most of my Pensacola secrets (most)

If you get a boat you can put in for free off of Sunset Dr. (out the front gate of NAS)

(27" red caught 10' from shore with above mentioned bait)

 

[Mumbles]

^That's a nice red..... on light tackle, you can't beat that kind of fishing.

 

[picklesuit]

^That's a nice red..... on light tackle, you can't beat that kind of fishing.

6' rod, 10# test, 4/0 hook, he ran most of my drag out twice before I got him in (I wasn't really expecting that big of a fish that day)

 

[Mumbles]

so did you serve him blackened....or fried???

 

[PropAddict]

In P'Cola, spearfishing is the way to go. If you have a boat, you can hit any of the reefs/wrecks/rockpiles in the gulf. Or even the bay (if you like fighting sharks).

Without a boat, you can wade in near the Navarre pier and shoot as many Tautog and Cobia as you want. The rocks near Fort Morgan are pretty good, as well.

I didn't realize how good P'Cola fishing was until I came to Corpus. . .

 

[picklesuit]

so did you serve him blackened....or fried???

blackened...wrapped in onions, garlic, lemon, pepper, lettuce leaves, then tin foil on the grill...more than 2 of us could eat!

 

[Mumbles]

This is the blackened redfish recipe popularized by Paul Prudhomme, (owner of K-Pauls in Nawlins and the chef that looks like Dom Deluise) during the 80's. In fact, the blackened redfish craze that took over the gulf coast almost eradicated the stocks of redfish until a commercial moratorium took effect about 15 years ago....and the population has exploded again.

http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=Paul prudhomme's blackened redfish

http://www.amazon.com/Prudhommes-Magic-Seasoning-Blends-Blackened/dp/B0000CDBRK

you can get his seasoning at the NEX or commisarry....the bbq rub is pretty grande as well.

BTW....as a caveat to the blackening process....make sure you do it outsideor have a commercial restaraunt ventilation hood, otherwise your smoke alarms will go off!!