Captain Jody Campbell Fishing Report   April 25, 2007

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I finally saw some lady fish this past weekend and some big sharks. That means everything that we typically catch in our area is here except tarpon and there are probably a few of them around.

The area between the Aucilla and Econfina are good right now for trout in 2 to 4 feet of water.  The Gulp, jerk baits or top water baits should work well.  Look for the Spanish out a little deeper and keep your eyes peeled around the crab buoys for tripple tail.

Deep Creek continues to produce good catches of trout and the area around the Rock Garden is good.  So far I haven't heard any outstanding reports coming from around Cobb Rocks and usually by this time that area is red hot.  Stoney Bayou is holding reds as well as some big flounder.

Head out the St. Marks Channel and look for all the boats to the West and you'll know where they're catching plenty of Spanish and trout.  Live shrimp would be my first choice.  The area around Big Pass and Little Pass are also good for trout on the high water or shallow water early and late.  Also look for some big reds in Little Pass.  Goose Creek Channel, which runs beside the Live Oak Island Reef, or big scallop bar as it's known by the locals, is holding some oversize reds.  Fish shrimp or live pinfish on the bottom.  Also look for Spanish hanging right off the edge.

Oyster Bay to Piney Island is producing trout but not in any great numbers.  Plenty of small trout to be caught and lots of blues and Spanish.  Quite a few pompano are being caught as well.  The T Bar between Shell Point and Panacea is holding lots of Spanish on the south side and they love live shrimp under a Cajun Thunder.  If you're a shark fisherman, there are plenty of big bull sharks hanging around that bar.

Plenty of trout and reds are being caught in the Ochlockonee even as far up as where the Sopchoppy comes in.  Fish the docks with deep water on the high tide and also around the Oyster Bars at the mouth. 

Lanark continues to be red hot for trout.  Turkey Point Shoals, the area around the Marine Lab and Dog Island are best bets.  The Gulp, live shrimp and the glow Zoom Jerk bait are good baits.  Plenty of reds are still being caught around the docks and Spanish and blues are everywhere.  Some pompano are being caught at St. George and a few on the West End of Dog Island.

I talked to a friend that fished St. Joe Bay last week and did extremely well on big trout and big reds.  He said there were huge schools of oversize reds cruising the flats like he had never seen.  They had their best luck on baits like the Rapla and Smithwick plastic jerk baits.

Offshore fishing is good if you can pick a day when the wind doesn't blow.  Fifty five to eighty five feet of water and live or dead bait.  Another bait is the Shimano Butterfly Vertical Jig.  It has been killing the grouper.  Kings are being caught and some big cobia are being caught around the wrecks and towers.

Remember to leave that float plan and be careful out there.  Good luck and good fishing!

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(Capt. Jody Campbell fishes out of Shell Point in Wakulla County and can be reached at 850 926 1173)

This article originally published on April 25, 2007.

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