Northwest Florida Fishing Report Summary
This week’s Northwest Florida Fishing Report features contributions from Capt. Justin Leake of Panama City Inshore and Brandon Barton of Emerald Waters Kayak Charters. Their breakdown covers rapidly shifting late-fall conditions, pre- and post-front reef opportunities, deep-water redfish, winter trout strategies, and nearshore kayak tuna tactics. From reefs lighting up with amberjack and kings to nighttime big-trout patterns and offshore kayak tuna hunts, the Emerald Coast continues to offer something for every angler willing to work the weather windows.
Conditions Recap
Northwest Florida anglers saw classic late-fall variability this week—calm, warm pre-front days quickly gave way to strong north winds, heavy rain, and plunging nighttime temperatures. Despite those swings, water temperatures are still seasonably mild, keeping bait on the grass flats for just a little longer. Once temps dip below roughly 65 degrees, pilchards and pinfish will disappear, signaling the start of shrimp season in the creeks and bayous.
Big temperature drops are moving trout toward deeper thermal refuge in the bayous, while bull reds remain dependable around bridges and deeper passes. Offshore windows remain short, but calm days are producing mixed-bag reef action from 60–300 feet. A strong rain event is not expected to dramatically muddy the water due to extremely dry ground conditions across the Panhandle.
Panama City Inshore Report with Capt. Justin Leake
Capt. Justin Leake describes this as one of his favorite fishing periods of the year—fronts cycling frequently, bait still present on the flats, and a short but excellent window for nearshore reef action. During the calm days before this week’s front, the Gulf was slick and clear, producing an outstanding mixed bag of Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, amberjack, and other reef species. Schools of pilchards remain available for cast-netters, but this is expected to be the final week of consistent bait availability.
Pre-Front: Work the Reefs While You Can
The day or two before a front—high pressure, bluebird skies, calm conditions—is prime time to fish reefs in 60–300 feet. Leake notes that once the southeast wind begins to push hard, the front is imminent, and reef fishing will shut down for several days. That short window has been producing king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, amberjack, and steady action on large artificial reefs.
Front & Post-Front: Deep-Water Redfish
As the wind swings north and temperatures drop, Leake shifts to redfish around bridges and passes in 25–40 feet. Electronics are key as schools stack tightly in deep water. Water temperatures change more slowly than air temperatures, so the bite often holds strong even the morning after a hard freeze.
Transition Into Winter Trout
Once bait leaves the bay and pinfish disappear (typically below 65 degrees), winter trout patterns fire up. Leake targets deeper bayous and creeks with still, dark, mud-bottom water—prime thermal refuge. He recommends:
- Live shrimp on a drop-shot rig with a 1/4-oz weight.
- Soft plastics such as Gulp! shrimp on a jighead for prospecting.
- Forward-facing sonar to locate tight winter schools (when available).
Without electronics, he suggests using Google Maps to identify depressions and deep pockets, then prospecting systematically with shrimp or soft plastics.
Flounder Season Opens: December Outlook
With Florida’s flounder closure ending December 1, Leake anticipates one of the strongest December offshore flounder bites in several years. He targets artificial reefs in 40–65 feet and stresses that flounder often hold on sandy perimeter areas—not on the structure itself. A short-leader Carolina rig with a kale hook and live bull minnows, pilchards, or small cigar minnows is his go-to.
Nearshore & Kayak Report with Brandon Barton
Pensacola kayak guide Brandon Barton reports strong nearshore opportunities when weather windows allow. Surf height under 1–1.5 feet and light winds—especially avoiding stiff east or north winds—are essential for safe offshore kayak launches.
Kayak Tuna: Blackfin Now, Yellowfin a Possibility
Blackfin remain the primary target, with the best action at first light, though Barton has hooked fish well into midday. He has also been monitoring reports of unexpected yellowfin caught in 20–30 feet of water, and may shift toward trolling live menhaden, cigar minnows, or hardtails to specifically target them. Artificial poppers and swim baits remain reliable for blackfin.
Reef Fishing from the Kayak
When tuna disappear or winds increase, Barton transitions to reef fishing. He strongly recommends bringing:
- Frozen cigar minnows
- Cut bonito
- Sabikis for any available live bait
With these baits on hand, anglers can reliably catch vermilion snapper, mangrove snapper, lane snapper, triggers, and amberjack.
Inshore Kayak Action
Protected inshore areas remain excellent options when surf conditions are too rough for the beach launch. Barton reports:
- Large schools of bull reds around the bridges and mid-bay structure
- Sheepshead and black drum beginning their winter feed
- Slot reds pushing into upper-bay zones and river mouths
Night Fishing for Big Trout
Nighttime trophy-trout fishing is ramping up. Barton targets muddy-bottom bayous holding mullet, fishing near-weightless large paddle-tail swim baits with slow retrieves. He prefers baitcasting gear for accuracy and hook-control when using treble-rigged line-through swimbaits designed for big-trout head shakes.
Kayak Safety: Winter Rules
Barton stresses that winter kayak trips require disciplined decision-making. Anglers must understand surf height, wind direction, and wind shifts, and know when to abort a launch. Proper safety gear, layers, and backup plans are non-negotiable. Fishing with a partner is best, though he notes that careful planning does allow safe solo outings.
Final Thoughts
Northwest Florida continues its transition into winter patterns, but the diversity of opportunities this week proves why this region shines in late fall. From pre-front reef action and deep-water redfish to trophy-trout nights and nearshore kayak tuna runs, anglers who study the weather windows will stay on fish all season long.
