This week, host Joe Baya checks in with Capt. Evan Wheeler of Tall Pines Tight Lines in Pensacola, kayak angler Brandon Barton of Emerald Waters Kayak Charters, and Capt. Tyler Massey of Hot Spots Charters. The captains break down inshore tactics for tough neap tides, the nearshore pelagic action off Navarre, and what’s biting offshore from Pensacola.
Conditions Recap
A series of shifting winds, clear water, and lingering warm temperatures have made for dynamic fishing conditions across the Emerald Coast. Anglers are working around neap tides, a southeast wind pattern, and gin-clear fall water. The early stages of fall have pushed bait toward bayous and creeks, while offshore waters remain warm and blue-green. Expect good clarity and lively bait presence to continue until the next strong cold front arrives.
Inshore Report – Capt. Evan Wheeler | Tall Pines Tight Lines
Capt. Evan Wheeler shares how to fish effectively during a neap tide by letting wind replace current. His key to success: find wind-blown banks where moving water counteracts tidal stagnation. A southeast wind moves water across north-facing shorelines, especially in Choctawhatchee Bay and Pensacola Bay.
Wheeler emphasizes fishing the solunar majors to overcome lack of current, but also values early morning “trout sky” for low-light feeding activity. On neap-tide days, he focuses on bait-rich areas—shorelines with troughs, docks, grass beds, or tidal creeks—and stays mobile until the fish make it clear to stop.
He and his crew caught solid redfish and trout by working artificials: a rotation from topwaters to subsurface twitch baits like the MirrOlure Catch 2000, and soft plastics such as Slick Juniors and Lil Johns on 1/16 oz jigheads. Wheeler advises anglers to “fish the water column” — top, mid, and bottom — until the bite pattern reveals itself.
Key takeaways:
- Use wind to move water on neap tides.
- Target wind-blown north banks and bait-rich zones.
- Stay versatile with lures and adjust based on fish response.
- Early mornings offer shadow cover and cooler water for trout.
- Expect redfish to remain active and trout to push farther inland into bayous and canals as water cools into November.
Nearshore Kayak Report – Brandon Barton | Emerald Waters Kayak Charters
Kayak guide Brandon Barton reports phenomenal water clarity off Navarre and Pensacola, with pelagic action continuing strong into late October. Blackfin tuna, sailfish, mahi, and king mackerel are all within kayak range in 40–60 feet of water.
Barton recommends trolling a two-rod spread of diving plugs—one shallow, one deep—such as white or ghost-pattern Rapala X-Raps. At first light, skip catching bait and troll immediately, as dawn is prime time for tuna. Use 40–50 lb fluorocarbon leaders for stealth, and lengthen leaders up to 10 feet with an FG knot to avoid spooking fish in clear water.
He’s been finding Blackfin tuna around public reefs in 45–60 feet, trolling 2–3 mph, and occasionally switching to poppers or white swimbaits for surface-feeding fish. Calm north winds lay the surf flat for safe kayak launches, and the bite is best on clear, stable mornings before fronts move through.
Now’s the time to chase pelagics close to the beach—Barton says, “You can hook a tuna two miles off the sand—it’s unlike anything else in fishing.”
Offshore Report – Capt. Tyler Massey | Hot Spots Charters
Capt. Tyler Massey reports excellent late-season action offshore Pensacola. Recreational red snapper remains open weekends, but weekdays focus on vermillion snapper (mingos) and triggerfish. He notes anglers still sorting through plenty of undersized triggers but picking off keepers by fishing smaller structures like pyramids and reef balls.
For mingos, Massey prefers larger structure—barges, rubble piles, and ships—and uses 40 lb fluorocarbon leaders with small circle hooks on double-drop rigs. Downsizing tackle pays off in the ultra-clear water.
Further offshore, anglers are catching scamp grouper and almaco jacks along the 30-mile edge. Massey suggests scaling down leaders to 40–50 lb fluorocarbon and using smaller pinfish or croakers for scamp. Almacos in the 4–10 lb class are biting steadily, and their mild, sashimi-quality fillets rival yellowtail.
Wahoo action is also heating up across the northern Gulf. Massey recommends a three-rod trolling spread—two diving plugs on the flats and a long Islander with ballyhoo down the middle—pulled at 7–9 knots. For high-speed trolling, heavier 80–100 lb braid setups or bent-butt rods work best.
He adds, “It only takes one big wahoo to make your day,” noting recent catches up to 80 pounds along the edge.
