In this week’s Northwest Florida Fishing Report, host Joe Baya looks at how the Emerald Coast fishing scene is recovering after Hurricane Isaias, with encouraging surf reports near Pensacola, tougher water conditions on the Panama City bottom-fishing grounds, and promising blue water moving closer to the offshore structure. The episode features Capt. Harris Scruggs of Triple B Fishing Charters, Justin Reed of Justin Reed Surf Fishing Charters, Angelo DePaola of The Coastal Connection, and Tom Hilton of Hilton’s Realtime Navigator.
Harris explains how dirty post-storm water is changing the offshore bite and why patience over bottom structure matters more than ever. Justin covers pompano, whiting, black drum and redfish in the surf, including how to rig blue crab for larger drum. Angelo discusses how storms, deep-water boat access and limited waterfront inventory affect the coastal real estate market, while Joe and Tom use temperature, chlorophyll, bottom contours and trip-planning tools to narrow down promising fall wahoo water.
Conditions Recap
The weather along Northwest Florida’s Emerald Coast improved quickly following Hurricane Isaias, with calm, sunny conditions returning even as boat owners and coastal communities continued cleaning up. The fishing picture varies considerably depending on location. Capt. Harris Scruggs encountered muddy or heavily stained water as far as roughly 20 miles offshore from Panama City, with sparse bait and fewer obvious fish marks on the bottom machine. He was still able to put together productive trips, but fish often needed extra time to find the baits.
In the Pensacola and Navarre surf, Justin Reed found a much more encouraging situation. Although storm damage and road restrictions had closed some beach access points, the water he could inspect was fairly clear, with only a light tea-colored tint close to shore. Local anglers were already reporting pompano after the storm, and Justin’s two charters immediately before it had produced nonstop activity, including pompano, whiting, redfish, black drum, catfish and other species. Sand fleas have become much harder to find since the storm, making shrimp and crab particularly useful bait alternatives.
Offshore, Tom Hilton sees positive changes in satellite imagery. Blue water had pushed closer to the shelf after the storm, with temperature breaks, color changes and current edges developing south of the nearshore fish-aggregating devices, or FADs. Those changing boundaries, combined with wrecks and natural bottom in approximately 150 to 300 feet of water, are giving anglers some appealing places to begin looking for wahoo and other pelagic fish. Floating debris remains an important post-storm navigation hazard, and conditions can change rapidly as another cool front approaches.
Panama City Offshore Fishing After the Storm – Capt. Harris Scruggs
Capt. Harris Scruggs of Triple B Fishing Charters moved his boat to Carrabelle ahead of the hurricane, then returned through the inland waterways once the weather allowed. The return trip illustrated an important post-storm danger. Harris encountered broken dock sections, channel marker pilings, logs and tree debris through Apalachicola Bay, the Intracoastal Waterway and other protected routes. He kept his speed down and used an additional lookout positioned higher on the boat to help spot floating obstructions.
Harris says radar may help identify some larger hazards in open water, but he would not count on it to reveal narrow pilings or smaller floating debris, particularly in the confined waters of the Intracoastal. Having someone actively watching ahead remains the most reliable precaution. Even when the seas flatten and the weather turns beautiful, anglers should not assume every channel or familiar run is clear immediately after a major storm.
Red Snapper, Triggerfish and Vermilion Snapper
Before the storm, Harris was having strong success with triggerfish, amberjack and vermilion snapper, although red snapper had become harder to locate consistently on shorter trips. At the time of the interview, he discussed continued opportunities for red snapper, triggerfish, vermilion snapper, red grouper, scamp and other bottom species, while noting that amberjack season was ending. Anglers planning to harvest fish should check current Florida saltwater fishing regulations, particularly because individual species have different federal and state seasons.
After the storm, Harris found that the water was dirty from shore to many of the areas he normally fishes within about 20 miles. The catch was better than he initially expected, but the fish were not marking strongly on the sonar. Some bottom spots that had been excellent before the storm showed only small groups of fish. Rather than ignoring those weak marks, he stopped over productive coordinates and let the bait soak for several minutes. Often a small bite came first, then another, and eventually better fish began feeding as the activity built.
Why Chicken Rigs and Boat Position Matter
Harris and Joe spend time discussing the value of chicken rigs in dirty water. Multiple small baits put scent into the water, and catching grunts, vermilion snapper and other smaller bottom fish can help stimulate feeding activity around a reef. Harris points out that hooked fish flashing and releasing stomach contents on the way up may attract additional predators. Even if the original goal is a larger snapper or grouper, those first small bites can help get the spot going.
Precise boat positioning is equally important. Harris watches both the fish marks on his bottom machine and his distance from the original stopping point. Drifting 10 or 12 feet may not matter, but moving 30 or 40 feet away from a small concentration can leave the baits outside the strike zone. In poor visibility, staying on top of the fish and giving them time to find the bait can make the difference between a steady bite and an apparently empty wreck.
If a previously productive area does not show fish, Harris sometimes searches its surrounding contour lines rather than immediately abandoning it. Depending on the time available, he may make widening circles, run overlapping passes, or work parallel tracks along the ledge to identify where the fish have shifted. He recommends saving track lines on the chartplotter so the captain can systematically search new ground without repeatedly covering the same water.
For the immediate post-storm period, Harris recommended longer trips when possible, with enough range to reach cleaner water rather than limiting every outing to the closest reefs. He had heard reports of cloudy water extending well along the coast, and he cautioned that short trips could still catch fish but might require considerably more patience.
Pensacola and Navarre Surf Fishing Report – Justin Reed
Justin Reed of Justin Reed Surf Fishing Charters says the beach conditions following the storm were better than he expected. Some access points were still closed and travel was restricted in portions of the Pensacola-to-Navarre area, but the stretches he could inspect had relatively clear water and calm surf. He had not yet fished himself after the storm when the interview took place, though he had already seen encouraging reports of pompano being caught.
His two guided trips immediately before the hurricane were a different story: the bite was exceptionally active. On one outing the group landed eight species, including pompano, a slot redfish, whiting, small black drum, ladyfish and small jacks, along with plenty of catfish. Justin believes that the approaching storm had many of the fish feeding aggressively, and the variety showed just how much life was working the beach.
Pompano, Whiting and Fall Water Temperatures
Justin expects the last part of October to be a strong opportunity for pompano as water temperatures move toward the upper 70s. He says a temperature around 78 degrees is a useful sign that the fall bite may improve. He also looks forward to better numbers of whiting and redfish as the water cools, along with more small black drum moving through the troughs.
Sand fleas have been difficult to collect since the storm. Justin searched for them but could not locate a normal colony, finding only scattered individual fleas by digging blindly. For anglers who cannot secure sand fleas, fresh dead shrimp offers a dependable alternative for whiting and small drum. He especially recommends keeping a small shrimp bait close to shore for whiting rather than sending every cast past the sandbar.
Finding Black Drum in the First Trough
For eating-size black drum, Justin concentrates on the first deeper trough between the shoreline and the outer sandbar. He tends to find fish in that trough near the bar rather than automatically fishing beyond it. Small pieces of blue crab and fresh dead shrimp are two of his favorite baits, and the smaller drum caught on his pre-storm trips were eating shrimp.
The bait presentation changes when he targets a much larger black drum. Justin will cut a blue crab in half and use a circle hook around 4/0 to 6/0, depending on the hook design. He removes a leg, inserts the hook through the leg opening and brings the point out through the crab’s lighter underside shell, keeping as much of the hook exposed as he can. Leaving a swimming leg or two attached can also create some movement in the current.
For smaller drum from the beach, he usually quarters the crab instead, because a quarter can interest both smaller and larger fish. A half crab generally goes on a Carolina rig, while a quarter can be fished on a single- or double-drop surf rig. Justin uses circle hooks on his stationary surf rigs and emphasizes checking the bait frequently. Catfish, pinfish and other bait thieves can strip smaller chunks of crab in only a few minutes, so a larger piece of bait and regular inspections help keep an effective presentation in the water.
Storm Recovery and Gulf Coast Waterfront Real Estate – Angelo DePaola
Joe also checks in with Angelo DePaola of The Coastal Connection to discuss how storms affect demand for waterfront homes and second properties along the northern Gulf Coast. Joe notes the erosion and storm damage in parts of the 30A area, then asks why coastal property values have often remained resilient despite the recurring risk of hurricanes. Angelo says buyers occasionally find individual opportunities after a storm, but he has not generally seen hurricanes create a broad collapse in prices. Many owners collect insurance proceeds and repair or rebuild rather than sell at a discount.
Angelo attributes some of the continued demand to the limited supply of desirable waterfront, the growth of southeastern population centers and the number of buyers seeking boating access or a second home within driving distance. He also believes the higher-end market behaves differently from the broader first-time-homebuyer market. Waterfront buyers with specific needs, especially deep-water access for larger boats, may place more value on getting the right property than on small differences in financing costs.
Why Deep-Water Access and Protected Harbors Matter
Joe describes how the location of his own bayou home affected his boat options and the way the property fared during the storm. A naturally protected harbor can provide very different exposure than a home directly on an open bay, even when both are technically waterfront properties. Draft, dock depth, access to a pass, available slips and the route into open water all become important factors for anglers shopping for real estate.
Angelo highlights Abaco Orange Beach on Terry Cove as an example of a development aimed at buyers who want to keep boating central to their lifestyle. He describes a floating dock system, protected access, slips designed for vessels up to roughly 80 feet, and residential options with different layouts and amenities. He says the development changed some planned three-bedroom units into larger four-bedroom residences after buyers showed a preference for more space and higher-end finishes.
The conversation also covers when to buy or sell a waterfront property. Angelo cautions against treating national headlines as a substitute for local market conditions and argues that the best timing depends on whether a property is a vacation rental, second home or primary residence. He encourages buyers and sellers to work with someone who understands the local waterfront market, their personal goals and the relevant financial considerations. Information about coastal properties and available listings can be found through The Coastal Connection.
Finding Fall Wahoo and Blue Water – Tom Hilton of Hilton’s Realtime Navigator
For the final offshore discussion, Joe and Alabama Saltwater Fishing Report host Butch Thierry join Tom Hilton of Hilton’s Realtime Navigator to look at the changing Gulf conditions after the hurricane. Joe wants to build a practical plan for wahoo rather than simply run offshore and hope to find fish. Tom says the good news is that the storm pushed cleaner blue water closer to the shelf, and recent satellite imagery was showing attractive edges from the Destin area toward waters accessible from Pensacola and Orange Beach.
Reading Temperature Breaks and Chlorophyll Images
Tom begins with sea-surface temperature but says it is not the strongest limiting factor yet. In his experience, wahoo become particularly attractive targets as water temperatures cool into the upper 60s, but the water shown in the current imagery was still comfortably above that range. He therefore gives greater weight to chlorophyll, water-color changes and current patterns that can concentrate bait.
One area that caught his attention was an east-west temperature break just south of the nearshore FADs. The FADs themselves appeared in greener water, while cleaner blue water lay to the south near the edge. Tom could also see current pushing north and then eastward through part of the area. He explains that the satellite-derived temperature and chlorophyll images provide snapshots of the sea surface, while current forecasts are model-based. Looking at the layers together can reveal the smaller water boundaries that a single map might miss.
Combining Bottom Contours, Wrecks and FADs
Once Joe identifies suitable water, Tom recommends adding bottom contours to the map. Wahoo may travel through many depths, but Tom suggests beginning around 150 to 300 feet, particularly where wrecks, ledges, reefs and bottom changes intersect with attractive water. He would not ignore the nearshore FADs just because they were in greener water; the devices collect bait, and the bait can attract wahoo and other pelagic predators even when the surrounding color is not ideal.
Tom outlines a route that would check selected FADs, work the temperature and color break running east to west, and potentially move toward larger wrecks such as the Oriskany and Antares. Joe describes fast-trolling on the way offshore, then slowing down with a ballyhoo spread around the FADs, wrecks and feeding boundaries. The same approach could provide opportunities for wahoo, sailfish, blackfin tuna and mahi-mahi rather than forcing the entire trip to depend on one species.
Using the Trip Planner as a Fishing and Safety Tool
Joe uses the Hilton’s Realtime Navigator Trip Planner to illustrate how a captain can combine several promising locations into one realistic day. The route starts near the Destin sea buoy, runs toward the nearshore FADs, follows an offshore edge and loops through other structure before returning to port. The example works out to roughly 92 nautical miles, allowing anglers to evaluate running distance, fishing time and the boat’s fuel needs before the trip.
Tom also emphasizes sharing the planned route with someone on shore. He recalls an incident where a family member provided a missing boat’s saved trip plan to the Coast Guard, helping searchers locate the boat by following its intended positions. The platform’s weather and historical wind layers offer another way to evaluate a trip before leaving, but a trip plan, reliable communications and an active lookout remain essential regardless of how appealing the offshore water looks.
