Pensacola Fishing Charters January Report
Inshore – Inshore Fishing Charters
With the extreme cold over the last few days the speckled have moved into the bayous and canals around Pensacola Bay and Santa Rosa Sound. Anglers who have braved the weather did very well finding good numbers of fish and some nice sized fish as well.
Sheepshead fishing is picking up with anglers catching them consistently on multiple bridges through the area. Theo Baars Bridge in Perdido, and the Interstate Bridge in Escambia Bay have been good, but you should also be able to pick up a few up around Garcon Point Bridge, Bob Sikes Bridge or the Bayou Chico Bridge.
White trout are plentiful around Pensacola Bay Bridge, fish on the bottom using cut bait or shrimp, soft plastic lures on a jig head will also work.
Offshore – Pensacola Charter Fishing
With Amberjack and triggerfish opening this week now will be the time to take advantage of it. There should be a couple days with nice enough weather to get out in the Gulf over the next week.
Amberjack will be found on the bigger wrecks in federal waters, including spots like the Antares, Avocet and the Tenneco.
Triggerfish can be found on just about any public wreck. For them you’ll want to use a two drop rig with cut squid or mackerel for bait.
Piers and Beaches – Fishing Pensacola
Anglers on the Pensacola Beach Gulf Pier have been catching whiting, redfish, sheepshead and bonita. Use shrimp for the whiting, redfish and sheepshead and a white bucktail jig for the bonita.
Surf fishing has been fairly consistent along the beaches. Whiting, black drum, redfish and pompano have all been biting pretty good. Fresh peeled shrimp has seemed to work the best lately and allow you to catch a variety of species.
Freshwater – Pensacola Fishing Charters
Freshwater anglers have been finding a decent amount of hybrid and stripped bass on the local rivers. Both artificial lures and live bait can be productive, just be sure to have a variety on the boat.