rubble Posted January 23, 2017 Report Share Posted January 23, 2017 I'll be down in the Gulf Breeze & Santa Rosa Island area during the first of April. Will be there with my family for Spring Break. Son is playing baseball in the area. Trying to decide whether to take the Pathy or not. Hate to be that close to snook and reds to not hook up with any. Don't know the water at all in the area. Did Google Earth and looks like lots of flats on the Sound side of the island(s). The Destin pass looks interesting. See lots of boats. Can't tell if they are fishing or playing. What is the water like? Would it be trouble for a rookie? Any good guides down there? Is there anywhere to fish from land? Anyone down there need a fishing buddy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummer Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 Best guide in the area is Capt. Baz at Gulf Breeze Guide Service. He's the MAN! PS no snook in the area. Water's too cold. Lots off redfish, trout, and many other species. Check out Baz' website: www.gulfbreezeguideservice.com. He has lots of photos of anglers with fish, some even include me. Ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubble Posted January 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 I gathered the Snook issue after reading Baz's www. Looks like an interesting guide but more focused on Fly??? I'd love to try and fly fish but need some lessons. I'm more of light tackle for Reds and Pomps I guess. Are the Reds pretty active that time of year? Sounds like that is when they are schooled up in the area. I could get into a good Red Trip. Think a Half-Day trip would be enough? We'll have games M-F so I don't think I would be able to book a full day. I'd hate to miss my son play. Especially if we are on vaca. While fishing in the salt water is a viable excuse, I don't want to be on that side of the courtroom arguing that case : ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryH Posted January 25, 2017 Report Share Posted January 25, 2017 On 1/23/2017 at 1:43 PM, rubble said: I'll be down in the Gulf Breeze & Santa Rosa Island area during the first of April. Will be there with my family for Spring Break. Son is playing baseball in the area. Trying to decide whether to take the Pathy or not. Hate to be that close to snook and reds to not hook up with any. Don't know the water at all in the area. Did Google Earth and looks like lots of flats on the Sound side of the island(s). The Destin pass looks interesting. See lots of boats. Can't tell if they are fishing or playing. What is the water like? Would it be trouble for a rookie? Any good guides down there? Is there anywhere to fish from land? Anyone down there need a fishing buddy? Leave the Pathy home...You and I will be fishing in April on my new RF18. No snook here. The pass can be excellent fishing. Big reds. I landed my largest ever under the Destin bridge on a live pinfish. Many of the boats in the pass are bait fishing. The big sandbar directly north of the bridge is Crab Island, It's an excellent flat when the booze & boobs crowd is not there. LoL. Good flats in the sound between Destin and P'Cola. The Pompano run usually extends into April. There are deep holes in the pass that are loaded with them. Easy peasy on pink leadheads with feather shirt. And, the weather (wind) can make the Destin Pass a go or a NO! But when it's calm I can get out to the gulf in a small rig and fish the beach and bars. Fast moving Bonita are a blast!! And Spanish are common too. What are your itinerary dates? I'll plan on it and put in for vacation time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubble Posted January 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 19 hours ago, LarryH said: Leave the Pathy home...You and I will be fishing in April on my new RF18. No snook here. The pass can be excellent fishing. Big reds. I landed my largest ever under the Destin bridge on a live pinfish. Many of the boats in the pass are bait fishing. The big sandbar directly north of the bridge is Crab Island, It's an excellent flat when the booze & boobs crowd is not there. LoL. Good flats in the sound between Destin and P'Cola. The Pompano run usually extends into April. There are deep holes in the pass that are loaded with them. Easy peasy on pink leadheads with feather shirt. And, the weather (wind) can make the Destin Pass a go or a NO! But when it's calm I can get out to the gulf in a small rig and fish the beach and bars. Fast moving Bonita are a blast!! And Spanish are common too. What are your itinerary dates? I'll plan on it and put in for vacation time. That's a plan! Will check dates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryH Posted January 26, 2017 Report Share Posted January 26, 2017 4 hours ago, rubble said: That's a plan! Will check dates. PM sent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubble Posted March 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2019 On 1/25/2017 at 6:47 AM, Drummer said: Best guide in the area is Capt. Baz at Gulf Breeze Guide Service. He's the MAN! PS no snook in the area. Water's too cold. Lots off redfish, trout, and many other species. Check out Baz' website: www.gulfbreezeguideservice.com. He has lots of photos of anglers with fish, some even include me. Ha I have a trip booked with Capt Bay in a few weeks. Looking forward to fishing the panhandle waters. Tried it last year with a different guide (Eddins with a Pathfinder) and we got blown off the first spot by a nasty storm. Map showed everything out of the area but they were forming left and right behind the big storm that went through. Put in a good word. This guy has had a Very Stressful first quarter of 2019. Desperate need of Fish Catching Therapy! ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummer Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 20 hours ago, rubble said: I have a trip booked with Capt Bay in a few weeks. Looking forward to fishing the panhandle waters. Tried it last year with a different guide (Eddins with a Pathfinder) and we got blown off the first spot by a nasty storm. Map showed everything out of the area but they were forming left and right behind the big storm that went through. Put in a good word. This guy has had a Very Stressful first quarter of 2019. Desperate need of Fish Catching Therapy! ha I am sure you'll have a great trip. I guide with Baz, so we may end up meeting each other. It's such a beautiful area, with fish all over the place. This is cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubble Posted March 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2019 On 3/23/2019 at 9:04 AM, Drummer said: I am sure you'll have a great trip. I guide with Baz, so we may end up meeting each other. It's such a beautiful area, with fish all over the place. This is cool. I can't wait. I saw where you had posted in another thread in this section. Was thinking you said you all were brothers? Didn't realize you were a guide there or I would have booked with you. Each post you were recommending Baz so I guess I thought you were a guide somewhere else. How is the fishing now? What do you think we will be targeting? He said the tide chart shows the best day being the day we are booked. Any suggestions on things to do? This is our third year in Pcola Beach. Staying on Ariola a few steps from the Gulf. We typically just sit around the pool, dock or beach. Always load up at Joe Pattie's and fix seafood all week. We usually eat out some. If we have a late night return from a game, we will eat on the way back in to the house. Would love to find some great local places. Always do Peg Leg Petes. We ate at Shaggy's while waiting on our rental to open up last year. Great blackened grouper tacos. The guide I fished with last year said Frisky Dolphin had the best grouper on the island. We did Flounder's one night. Was on Friday and they had a great band in there. Food was decent but people dropping everywhere and throwing up in the restrooms. Thought the food trucks/Airstreams in Pcola near Joe Patti's looked cool. May check those out for lunch. If you are in the area, we should try to connect. Thinking about doing a Low Country Boil on Sunday. Would be a good day to come hang out and eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drummer Posted March 27, 2019 Report Share Posted March 27, 2019 Hey, Hey! Yes, it's true, Captain Baz is my brother. The primary reason I pushed you his way is I am still in North Carolina, arriving in Gulf Breeze the week of 15 April. I'll be there at least throughout the summer. The other reason is he truly is THE MAN, particularly if you are a fly caster. Capt. Baz will know what's going on day by day, as things change rapidly this time of year. Pompano are beginning to show up, as are Cobia, and several other migratory species. Resident redfish are always a great target, as are speckled trout, sheepshead, and others. If y'all drift the pass with bait or hit some inshore structure, you are sure to load the boat with Red Snapper, but the season is closed so they have to go back. With luck you'll find some Mangrove Snapper (aka black snapper or grey snapper), which are one of my favorites for table fare, and they are open now. I think Baz knows where all the fish hang out, so rest assured you are in great hands. Things to do? Sounds like you have already discovered some cool spots (vomit notwithstanding), but don't forget the Grand Marlin right at the base of the bridge on the beach. IMHO it's generally the best place to eat fresh fish, and the atmosphere is great. And if you really want the best fried grouper sandwich you'll have to drive into Pensacola and hit Jerry's Drive In. Cross the Pensacola Bay bridge, take 17th Avenue under the graffiti bridge, and take a right on Cervantes Street. Cross the next bridge (Bayou Texar) and it's about a half mile up the hill on the right. It's a local dive no doubt, and they only take cash, but their grouper sandwich rules. For fried mullet it's the Marina Oyster Barn right at the base of the Bayou Texar bridge on the left. Another local hangout. Almost forgot, there's a taco truck that hangs out around the Sand Shaker sometimes. It's awesome. Give me a ring if you get a chance. My cell is 704-619-2685. I would love to meet y'all and hang out a little if we can put it together! Capt. Dave Yelverton Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubble Posted March 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2019 I will be back in KY before April 15. Was worth a try. Still great info. Appreciate all of your recommendations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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