Sight fishing redfish and speckled trout on Pensacola, Florida grass flats - Gulf Breeze/Navarre, FL

This is as good as it gets for me. Not only were the flats crawling with fish, but they were all close enough to pick off from the shore. The trick was finding something that they'd eat. Took some patience, but I was able to go through the tackle bag and find the right lures for the job. Ended up snagging some redfish and speckled trout by the time the whole thing was over, and had an incredible time doing it.
All I have to say about the conditions that led to this crazy awesome fishing day is...it's not where you are, it's when you're there. TIDES, PEOPLE!!!
Tight lines and good times,
🎣🎸😆 - Greg
#redfish #speckledtrout #zman

[@MakeItTakeItOutdoors]

Heck of a job...patience and knowledge paid off! Hope to be down there in a few years...permanently.

[@Fishjamlaugh]

Thank ya very much! I saw a vid on your channel making a swim jig with a craw trailer. Those jigs work great in some settings down here with redfish...especially in our estuary areas. You'll catch a ton of fish down here on stuff you make yourself because a bass tackle box may as well be a redfish tackle box. 🤙

[@MakeItTakeItOutdoors]

@@Fishjamlaugh hey check out my Radnor Rig... I'm hoping it may be good for reds

[@Fishjamlaugh]

@@MakeItTakeItOutdoors Yes indeed it will catch reds. You might save yourself a step and skip the skirt if you want. We generally just go with a 4 or 5 inch soft plastic paddletail as the trailer. See the Strike King redfish magic for an example. Cool idea with that additional spinner in front of the jig head. On another note, I saw your cold weather short...as an Ohio transplant, I feel your pain. 🥶

[@MakeItTakeItOutdoors]

@@Fishjamlaugh hmmm maybe I should send one your way!

[@Fishjamlaugh]

I DM’d you on Instagram 😎

[@amycarroll3719]

A little late to the channel and your music …I guess I am the grasshole! I’d like to see you play live, got any panhandle dates anytime soon in support of the new album? And hey, what kind of fishing setup do you use? Looks like a Penn Battle? 7’ or 7’6” rod? That rod looks slick! Thanks for a great time!

[@Fishjamlaugh]

My apologies for the delay in getting back to ya! And at the moment, I have no dates set because I have an EP in the works and I want to try to get it out this fall. For this video, I have a 7'6" rod with a 2500 series Penn Battle II. Really like having that thing when walking the beach. I think it makes a big difference in casting that weight of lure and it really helps when the wind isn't being friendly.

[@skorflyfishing]

Looks like fun sight fishing. Way to stay with them.

[@Fishjamlaugh]

So much fun! 🤩 And thanks for subscribing 👍

[@Charsept]

So shallow. This looks like a great place to fly fish.

[@Fishjamlaugh]

I do see lots of boats drifting those flats throwing flies 👍

[@jamespha9896]

spectacular nice 👍👍😎

[@Fishjamlaugh]

Appreciate it! 😃

[@carlaeubanks6495]

Catch and release!!! Nice!!❤

[@Fishjamlaugh]

I have as much fun watching them swim away as I do catching them! 😎👍

[@dev3AK]

Awesome video!

[@Fishjamlaugh]

Thanks so much!!! 🤩

[@woalmann6288]

Awesome video Sir! Man that’s some good lookin water. Are there any public access spots to get to any sight fishing/wade fishing locations? We’re headed down for a family vacation this summer and I’ve never fished inshore in Florida, only fished Louisiana. Thank you for any help you might be able to throw my way

[@Fishjamlaugh]

There is actually a ton of public access area here in the panhandle for wading and fishing from shore. In order to find the grass flat environments like the one featured in the video, there are easy places to fish if you don't mind walking a little. For instance, search for "national seashore beach access #2" on google maps which will show you a typical "good place to fish" by our standards here. In this instance, you would park in that parking lot and then walk north to the shallow sand flats and then west to where the grass beds come closer to the shore. You want to fish in areas where there are lots of sand/grass edges because these are good places for predators to hang out. Now take that idea, and you can apply that as far east as Navarre or as far west as Ft. Pickens just on that one strip of intracoastal waterway. Besides the typical "fish in the early morning and as the sun is going down", try to be there when the tide is in...I feel like this increases chances in these shallow waters a ton. These fish tend to be cozy when the water is 2 feet or more. And just know that the number of fish I saw this day on the video was definitely not the norm. I typically have to cover a lot more ground to find even half that many fish. Check out some of my other videos on the channel...I have done several episodes from this stretch of water.

[@woalmann6288]

@@Fishjamlaugh thank you a TON for the info, I certainly don’t mind putting my walking shoes on to find some fish. Also.... “grass hole” had me rolling dude 😂😂 subscribed soon after

[@pearbear850inshore6]

Good video sir. Sight fishing is my goal every time I fish!!!!

[@Fishjamlaugh]

Thanks! Brings another element of excitement to the deal when you're not just blind casting to cover water. 🎣🎸😆 -g

[@Alex-qx9ns]

hello great fishing! where did you go fishing?

[@Fishjamlaugh]

Intracoastal waterway on the grass flats anywhere between Pensacola Beach and Navarre. 😃🤙

[@Alex-qx9ns]

@@Fishjamlaugh which state or city is this? I'm from Florida.

[@Fishjamlaugh]

Pensacola Beach to Navarre Beach area. Grass flats are on the north side of the barrier island.

[@Fishjamlaugh]

Florida

[@offcialsam2777]

God is good :)!

[@WildCourtney]

Was this at Fort Pickens?

[@Fishjamlaugh]

Yes it was. But I’ve seen reds do this all up and down the intracoastal. Just gotta be in the right place at the right time. It helps to fish on the higher side of the tide so there’s plenty of water on the flat. 👍